I’ve just returned from the Townie Fiesta dental meeting in Cozumel, Mexico. It was the second year my family and I attended, and just like last year, the week was spectacular. I know what you’re thinking – beach, sun, relaxation – why wouldn’t it be great?
Beyond all of that is being together with friends, who share the common experience of dentistry, and are willing to reveal their successes, their failures and what questions they are working on at the moment with incredible openness. It is a reminder that there is so much about what we do everyday that I have yet to learn. It is my preference – and my privilege – to learn in the company of like-minded professionals because each of us holds a different piece of the puzzle to make it all work.
This year’s Townie Fiesta focused on communication, the less clinical, but equally technical part of our work. Helping patients choose health, and the necessary dentistry to reach that goal makes dentistry a passion, not just a job. One afternoon as I helped the group participate in an active listening exercise, I watched the amazement as they learned about each other, and figured out how this small piece well placed in their practices could transform patient interactions.
It was a wonderful experience. I can’t wait to take what I learned and run with it.
