A mentor can help your career in dentistry. Finding the right one is not an easy thing to define. Like finding the right life mate, finding the right mentor depends upon your own interests and needs. The following will give you some pointers to keep in mind during your search.
How a Dental Mentor Can Help
If you’re still in dental school, you may need to know which specialty to pursue. You may want to know what are the day-to-day concerns of each possible career path. Your dental mentor can give you advice about difficult problems in your practice or in your procedures. They are a resource of information about every aspect of dental practice.
A good mentor will let you tag along as they do procedures in their office, or while they talk to dental suppliers. Their years of experience can help you avoid many of the pitfalls.
Besides helping you explore career possibilities, they can help you network with other colleagues. They can share their own expertise and give you their unique perspective on common problems in the world of dentistry.
To make the most of the mentoring process, you, as the protégé, need to keep an open mind willing to explore new ideas. You need to have a commitment to your own future and to be an active participant in mentoring.
What to Look for in a Dental Mentor
First of all, you have to get along with your mentor. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should always feel comfortable with the mentor. Sometimes a really good mentor will challenge your thinking, but they’ll do it in a way that makes you feel safe to respond and to grow in your own knowledge and certainty. A good mentor will never belittle you, but will always encourage you. And it’s quite okay to have more than one mentor.
A mentor needs to be a trusted friend, full of wisdom. They are also someone who cares about other people and not merely their own customers. They listen well. They want to see their charge (you) succeed to the fullest extent of your ability.
Where to Look for a Dental Mentor
Where do you find a mentor? First, consider talking to the successful dentists in your area. Let them know your own interests in dentistry and that you are looking for a mentor.
If you already have your own practice, talk to other dentists at the conferences you attend. If possible, talk to the speakers at those events. During your own continuing education, chat with the older students and even the instructors. If they’re too busy to take on new protégés, ask for the names of possible mentors.
How to Participate in Mentoring
Always communicate freely with your mentor. Don’t hold anything back. Your openness and honesty will only help the mentor see where you need the most help. By all means, make sure you honor any and all commitments you make. A mentor’s time is valuable and they want to know that it’s being used wisely by helping you. Let your mentor know what you expect from the relationship and what you can offer to them in return. Your mentor won’t know how they’re doing unless you tell them; give them feedback so they can be a better mentor.
As you gain in knowledge and certainty, consider becoming a mentor to others. You may be surprised how much you can learn by helping others.
References:
American Student Dental Association. (ND). “Mentorship in Dental School.” Retrieved on 2/19/2017 from http://asdanet.org/mentorship/
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry. (ND). “Mentoring Program.” Retrieved on 2/19/2017 from https://dentistry.uic.edu/sites/default/files/IMCE/academics-training/COD-StudentServices-Mentor-Program.pdf
