25/05/2025
📸 A decade ago today, I sat in this chair for the first time as a dentist. I proudly posted about it. Today, I’m celebrating how far I’ve come and reflecting on that year of trauma
Fresh off a 3-month grad holiday 🌴, buzzing with optimism, I found a clinic that promised mentorship and growth. The dentist owner, based remotely, assured me he’d hire a mentor. “You’ll be taken care of,” he said.
But four weeks in, my mentor vanished. P**f. Gone. Turns out, he’d been promised patients too but saw none. Zero. Zip. Suddenly, I was alone in a quiet clinic, staring at empty appointment books
Still, I clung to hope.
“Just treat people well,” I told myself.
“The patients will come.” I called old patients myself, waited all day for patients, and put on a smile. But without guidance, i wasn’t growing
The red flags then piled up:
- Payments started slipping. First a week late, then a month. I would have to message his wife to ask for payments
- Expired composite amongst other materials. What do you do when the boss says “use it anyway” when you complain?
- other dentists came and then after a month.. was I missing something ?
- “Please use one pair of gloves a day”. This was an actual request
The final straw? Catching a DA stealing cash from my drawer. (Yes, I had proof 📹)
When I quit, the owner withheld my final paycheck. *Shocker.*
I found an amazing second clinic (any clinic would have been better than this one tbh) that I was happy with doing and improving my general dentistry . It took many years before I felt even comfortable with my general dentistry because of what I had been through.
That’s why I mentor new dentists now. Why I rage-read stories about associates being mistreated. And why I’ve softened my stance on corporates who aren’t so bad
To the first owner? Let’s just say he’s no longer practicing in Aus. 🍃
Here’s to 10 years of tears, triumphs, and learning.
To all dentists starting out: Trust your gut. If something feels off, it probably is. Find your people: the mentors who answer your panicked calls and texts, colleagues who double-check your margins, and the owners who value your growth over their bottom line. They’re out there.
