Up Close and Personal

A message from Terry:  Have you noticed how impersonal the world is becoming?  When you call a company, you may have to beep your way through a forested of automated messages and prompts before you can reach a human being. At the grocery store, more and more self-checkout lanes are being installed.  At the bank, human tellers are giving way increasingly to ATMs.

Don’t get me wrong. Technology can be wonderful, when properly implemented. I don’t want to forego all modern machines and retreat to the Stone Age. But sometimes I worry that all this progress is distancing us from other people, and increasing our sense of isolation.

By contrast, I believe that a dental office can serve as a wonderful example of how technology and humanity can blend in the most positive way. We make use of a number of amazing diagnostic and treatment tools, with new innovations making themselves indispensable on a regular basis. But at its root – at its heart – ours is a personal service, with plenty of one-on-one interaction. No two patients are alike. Even with a single patient, no two visits are alike. And, of course, each member of the team has their own unique strengths and talents. Here, the individual matters.

It’s something to be grateful for, as we move through the week. There is inherent variety in our work, and a sense of continuity as patients return to us again and again over the months and years, placing their trust in us. We are more than just faceless cogs in a machine. We matter, each and every one of us, and we place our personal imprint on our work, every single day.

Stay alert, this week, for those special moments of connection between you and your patients, and between you and the other members of your team. At week’s end, what was your favorite moment of human interaction from the past few days?