Monday, April 28, 2014

A Day in the Life of a Physical Therapist

By Rick Fromme



US Navy 100723-N-7214P-020 Machinist's Mate Fi...
US Navy 100723-N-7214P-020 Machinist's Mate Fireman George F. Avinger practices cone drills during physical therapy in the Comprehensive Combat and Complex Casualty Care facility at Naval Medical Center San Diego (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
For those of you who recall the blog I posted back in February, “Health Care Jobs Outlook is Jammin’,” there are numerous specialties in the health care industry that are expecting above average job growth within the next ten years and more.  In its December 2013 report, Physical Therapy was among the top five health care specialties listed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statics’ (BLS) slated for strong growth. There are approximately 185,500 licensed physical therapists in the U.S.; that number is expected to jump to 241,700 over the next 10 years. This, despite the fact that academic requirements for becoming a Physical Therapist (PT) have become even more demanding (see below).

Like many health care professions, the ever-changing demographics of the American population is
contributing to the growth Physical Therapy. The demand for PTs is directly related to our aging American populace, particularly once-vivacious baby boomers entering their “silver” and “golden years.” Despite embracing the mantra, “50 is the new 30,” many baby boomers are becoming more vulnerable to chronic and debilitating conditions that require physical therapy services.

Physical therapist coaches wounded warrior dur...
Physical therapist coaches wounded warrior during training session. (Photo credit: Official U.S. Navy Imagery)
PTs are highly trained to restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or attenuate permanent physical disabilities of patients with injury or disease. PTs help their patients to restore, maintain, and promote their overall fitness to achieve a healthier and more active lifestyle.  Clients may include accident victims and individuals with disabling conditions such as low back pain, fractures, head injuries, arthritis, heart disease, cerebral palsy and severe burns. Keep in mind many of our nation's returning vets also require long-term PT care due to the nature of the wounds they suffered serving our country.

Hence, being a PT isn’t for the squeamish. Those who don’t like dealing with patients in pain, who have serious disabilities or may have permanent physiological/motor damage, etc., may want to look elsewhere. I know of someone who, once considering a career in PT, shadowed members of a teaching hospital’s PT department for a day. First case: debriding the damaged skin off a man who’d been severely burned. Second case: moving the arms and legs of a one year-old baby who’d become quadriplegic because its parents let it crawl out on the road and was hit by a car. Third patient: caring for a motorcycle accident victim who, having suffered major head trauma, was permanently “cocooned” in a hanging mesh bed so he wouldn’t suffer from bed sores. By lunch time, they’d decided not to pursue a career as a PT.

Typical Day

English: Typical locations of arthroscopic sur...
Typical locations of arthroscopic surgery incisions in a knee joint following surgery for a tear in the meniscus. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
On average a PT will see/treat ten to 15 patients per day.  Upon seeing a new patient, one that’s recently underwent single knee surgery for example, the PT undertakes a subjective exam of her/his patient. That is, they’d ascertain what kind of medical conditions the patient has, what type of injury/condition necessitated the surgical procedure, and then discuss what the patient’s goals might be in undergoing PT. Following that, objective measurements are determined. The patient’s posture is measured, levels of strength, balance and coordination, muscle performance, motor function, and range of motion (ROM) in comparison to the non-affected side are assessed and documented. They’ll look for any potential and existing problems.

Based on the examination and the PT’s evaluative judgment, the PT will determine patients' diagnosis, prognosis, and plan of care that describes evidence-based treatment strategies and the anticipated functional outcomes. The PT will usually instruct the patient about the Do’s and Don’t’s, now that the patient is post-op. This may include stretching and strengthening exercises, ice and heat protocols, medications, bracing, etc. The PT also provides the patient with an overview of what to expect whenever they’re undergoing PT sessions. Subsequently, a schedule of physical therapy is set with specific goals in mind for each session, depending upon the patient’s rate of rehabilitation. These sessions usually include strengthening and stretching, and taking steps to minimize swelling (and reduce pain) such as using ice, ultrasound, etc. Finally, as a part of the plan of care, PTs determine the patient's ability to be independent and reintegrate them into the community or workplace after surgery, injury or illness. But since PTs treat a variety of conditions across a broad range of clients, no two days are the same, which makes for an interesting work load.

First diagnosis
First diagnosis (Photo credit: azian_ao)
The only tedium, most PT s say, is the paperwork. Like many health care providers, PTs are required to
carefully document their work with each patient. The demands of accurate record-keeping sometimes extends one’s working hours, not unlike other clinical health care workers such as nurses, doctors, etc. It may be tedious, but all professional clinicians realize the importance of accurate record keeping for every client.

Work Environment

PTs practice in a variety of settings: hospitals, outpatient clinics, private offices, home health agencies, schools, sports and fitness facilities, work settings, and skilled nursing facilities. Most full-time PTs work a 40- to 45-hour week. Depending upon one’s work situation, this may include some evenings and weekends. If a PT is part of a professional or collegiate sports team, there may be extensive travel during the season. Likewise, if they’re members of a traveling health care team (military or otherwise). Most PTs say the hours are reasonable and often flexible, allowing them to have families, enjoy their time off, pursue hobbies, take vacations, etc. The remuneration, they say, isn’t bad either; usually greater than $80k per year. Instructors and professors and those in administrative capacities can earn even more.

English: Approximately five dozen of the Guant...
Approximately five dozen of the Guantanamo captives were amputees, who needed physical therapy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Unlike an office desk job, where one sits in front of a computer most of the day, the physical job
requirements of a PT can be demanding. Frequently they have to stoop, kneel, crouch, lift, and stand for long periods. In addition, PTs help ambulate patients, and sometimes are required move heavy equipment (including weights, exercise equipment, etc.) Knowing and practicing the proper mechanics of lifting, moving weights in space, are essential, lest one inadvertently injures a patient or themselves. Unless you transition into a strictly administrative position, you won’t become “chair shaped” if you become a PT.

Academic Requirements

Prior to being accepted into a PT program, a Bachelor of Science degree is mandatory (usually in biology, kinesiology, physiology, exercise science, etc.) and students must pass the GRE. Scoring well on that exam, as well as maintaining a high GPA is highly recommended, as PT training/education is demanding both academically and clinically. In fact, by 2015, all programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) must award the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. Individuals who wish to become a PT in the U.S. must earn their DPT degree from a CAPTE-accredited program, pass a national licensure examination, as well as meet the specific licensure requirements for the state(s) in which they practice.

In this article, I discussed a typical work day of a Physical Therapist. I touched upon why PT is one of health care's fastest growing profession, described the overall responsibilities of a PT, what a typical day is like, work environment and reviewed the academic requirements — which are soon changing — to becoming a licensed PT. If you found this article useful, please leave a comment below and also feel free to share and repost it.

Rick Fromme combines entrepreneurial enthusiasm with an insider's knowledge of the medical industry to co-found MedMasters.com. Both his drive and perspective helps provide health care professionals with a superior mechanism with which to communicate, network and market their strengths. Prior to founding MedMasters.com, Rick operated a highly successful medical device distributorship. Other milestones in his 12-year career in the medical industry include a key position at a medical device start-up company that was later sold to the Ethicon Endo division of Johnson & Johnson. You may reach Rick by connecting with him on FacebookTwitterGoogle+LinkedIn and YouTube.  


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Wednesday, April 23, 2014

A Day in the Life of an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse

By Rick Fromme


Nursing Magnet Application Send-Off
Nursing Magnet Application Send-Off (Photo credit: Christiana Care)

Long regarded as being key front line personnel, nurses have been an invaluable component in most
countries’ health care delivery models for eons.     The practice has expanded over the years, increasing educational opportunities, areas of specialization, and responsibilities. Master’s and doctorate programs exist for those wanting to further their clinical expertise, and/or pursue careers in teaching and administration.

To be clear, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) currently include Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Mid-Wives, and Nurse Anesthetists. APRNs must complete a master’s or doctorate level nurse practitioner degree, and national certification before being eligible to work in clinical, education or administrative settings as an APRN.

APRNs' responsibilities are numerous and varied. In clinical practices, APRNs take medical histories; conduct physical exams; order tests; perform minor procedures such as suturing, removing small lesions, incision and drainage of wounds, etc.; make diagnoses; and implement treatment plans.They are also permitted to interpret lab results, X-rays and other diagnostic tools, and can write prescriptions for medication and medical devices if they have a Drug Devise Furnishing certificate (NFP). Increasingly, prevention and wellness are important aspects of ARPNs' practice as they counsel and teach patients about their health, making recommendations on how to improve it, and to prevent disease. APRNs can admit seriously ill patients to hospitals, and increasingly, some even have hospital privileges.

Indians at dedication  (LOC)
Native Americans at dedication  (Photo credit: The Library of Congress)
APRNs can work in a wide range of clinical and non-clinical settings, depending upon his/her degree and area of concentration. In general, APRNs work in hospitals, clinics, community centers, doctors’ offices, public health facilities and departments, home health care treatment groups, and at universities. There are ARPNs who work independently, who have their own practices while working with a collaborating physician (the M.D. doesn’t need to be at the actual practice site full time). Want to get down to earth while practicing in an exotic locale? There are opportunities for APRNs to work in various cultural settings, such as with Native Americans in the Lower 48 and Eskimos in Alaska. APRNs can serve in administrative capacities as well, serving in health departments, insurance companies, hospitals, clinical care chains, etc. Some work solely in the field of education, teaching at the collegiate level.

Perhaps more so than any other health care profession (that is discounting actual physicians and surgeons) APRNs' requisite post-baccalaureate degrees offer more areas of health care in which an APRN can specialize than any other, such as pediatrics, family health, women’s health and ob/gyn, sports medicine, surgery, oncology, orthopedics, geriatric health, psychiatric, forensic, palliative (hospice), acute care, etc. It’s been said that next to becoming a lawyer, the APRN is one of the most flexible, comprehensive, and powerful degrees offered today. No wonder the job outlook for APRNs is in the top 20 for nearly all professions, not just in health care.



Graduate Medical EducationObstetrics and Gynec...
Graduate Nursing Education (OB/GYN)  (Photo credit: Mercy Health)
In a clinical practice, APRNs are usually the go-between with doctors and patients. Or, in a doc-in-the-box type operation (i.e., in Walgreen’s-type walk-in clinics), they can serve as the team leader/primary go-to personnel particularly if there isn’t a doctor or physician assistant on site during operating hours).   In larger hospital settings, APRNs must be able to work with a variety of physicians, capable of responding to their wishes and, when necessary, their individual particularities regarding patient care. They also work hand-in-hand with many other health care professionals: RNs, specialty therapists, lab workers, dieticians, diagnostic specialists, and more.  Of course, they must be able to handle their patient load, and, when necessary, deal with patients’ family and friends. Personal communication skills, soft skills, time management skills, the ability to follow orders (from doctors/surgeons) as well as give/teach instructions (to the patient/patient’s significant others) are all paramount.

APRNs are leaders within the overall model of health care delivery, hence cultivating strong skills in that area is important. When an APRN walks into a room to consult with a patient and/or their significant others, all eyes are on them. In this age of virtually limitless information via the Internet, an APRN's knowledge about their patients’ condition, prognosis, treatment plan, instructions, prescriptions, etc., must be spot on. While being compassionate health care providers — as with many specialists in the field — the APRN must keep her/his emotions in check, not only to be perceived as professional and to help patients deal with challenges and issues that could affect their health and lives, but also for one’s own piece of mind.

British nurse in nurses' station.
Nurse in nurses' station. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
While some elect to go uninterrupted from their bachelor’s degree to obtain their master's, many APRNs in the field today feel the optimal career track is that, after obtaining one's national license (following the bachelor’s degree), one should gain experience in some type of clinical practice setting. Many experienced professionals recommended working in several different areas of nursing for a few years before moving forward to an advanced specialty degree. In fact, there are RNs who, after working in the clinical field for even a decade or more, then decide to  return to school to obtain their advanced degree.

As with many fields in health care, APRN is a profession that demands lifelong learning and professional excellence.

Educational Requirements

Currently, to become an APRN, one must have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and generally, a master’s degree, and national certification. Some APRNs advance their education even further, by obtaining a doctorate degree. I know a highly intelligent and motivated APRN, who, after getting her master’s degree in nursing, then went on to obtain her Juris Doctor (JD). Another went back to obtain his MBA.

Importantly, there is a major educational initiative by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) that will soon change the educational requirements of an APRN. The AACN has called for moving the level of preparation for the APRN from the master’s degree to the doctorate level by 2015. As stated by the AACN in its watermark decision, “The changing demands of the nation's complex health care environment require that nurses serving in specialty positions have the highest level of scientific knowledge and practice expertise possible. Research … has established a clear link between higher levels of nursing education and better patient outcomes. Currently, Medicine (MD), Dentistry (DDS), Pharmacy (PharmD), Psychology (PsyD), Physical Therapy (DPT) and Audiology (AudD) all offer practice doctorates; now nursing is moving in the direction of these other health care professionals, as it transitions to the Doctor of Nurse Practitioner (DNP)."

The DNP prepares nurses to assume such roles as:

  • Developer/Evaluator of health care programs
  • Health Care Entrepreneur/Executive
  • Clinical Administrator
  • Clinical Nurse Educator
  • Clinician-Scholar

Harkness Tower, situated in the Memorial Quadr...
Harkness Tower, situated in the Memorial Quadrangle at Yale (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
As for the latter two bullet points, for the past several years, the nursing profession has faced a shortage of faculty, which consequently contributed to an overall shortage of nurses. A downside is that nursing schools had to decline admission to qualified applicants due to the lack of professors. As Yale University’s statement on its DNP program observed, “The DNP is seen as providing some relief to the shortage of practice-savvy nursing faculty. In many cases, DNP-prepared faculty will fill appointments aimed at supporting clinical education in baccalaureate and master's programs.”

In this article I gave an overview of Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioners (APRNs), and discussed their job requirements, responsibilities, areas and different types of practices. I also talked about some of the professional and personal characteristics that make for a qualified APRN. Lastly, I talked about the APRN’s educational requirements, and the new changes that will be enacted next year regarding their advanced degree prerequisite, namely moving from a master’s to a doctorate degree. If you’d like to make a comment about this article, please post below. If you found this article informative and helpful, please pass it along.

Rick Fromme combines entrepreneurial enthusiasm with an insider's knowledge of the medical industry to co-found MedMasters.com. Both his drive and perspective helps provide health care professionals with a superior mechanism with which to communicate, network and market their strengths. Prior to founding MedMasters.com, Rick operated a highly successful medical device distributorship. Other milestones in his 12-year career in the medical industry include a key position at a medical device start-up company that was later sold to the Ethicon Endo division of Johnson & Johnson. You may reach Rick by connecting with him on FacebookTwitterGoogle+LinkedIn and YouTube.  
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Friday, April 18, 2014

Three D’s (Do’s) for Medical Sales Reps Who Are Job Hunting

By Hector Cisneros


Fitness Model 1
Fitness Model 1 (Photo credit: ★ spunkinator)
Most medical sales reps, having worked in the health care field, understand the importance of being responsible for their own health and well-being. Consequently, they know about the "Three D's (Dos)" to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle: exercise regularly, consume nutritious food and drink plenty of water, as well as getting adequate sleep each night.

Similarly, every medical sales rep who is job hunting needs to do the following activities on a consistent basis: network effectively, join niche job boards, and have a Rolodex of recruiters with whom to be in contact.

Networking Know-How

When it comes to obtaining gainful employment in the health care industry, priority one is to connect with as many health care industry professionals as possible. As the old adage goes, it's often not what you know, but who you know. Face-to-face networking -- attending conferences; convocations; seminars; business events; even a friendly, social out-and-about with your peers -- are some ways to go about it. Also, if you have the time, volunteer, join health care professional associations, participate in events, write blogs ... anything that favorably gets your name and face in front of others.

Online Networking is Essential

You also need to be networking online as well. This is where professional networking sites such as LinkedIn and other social media sites like Facebook, Google+ and Twitter can prove useful.  Better still are industry specific job board/networking sites, such as MedMasters.com, which allow you to target your professional social media profile and job search efforts in the health care industry. You can even narrow down your category to pharmaceutical or medical device sales.



Focus Your Online Search/Presence with Niche Job Boards  

English: An un-official 80cm FITA archery targ...
Unofficial 80cm FITA archery target. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Looking for a medical sales job? Going to Monster, CareerBuilder, Indeed or SimplyHired works great if you’re looking for a position in sales, marketing, retail and some other fields. But it isn’t the best strategy for medical sales reps. There are several reasons why specialty or niche job boards are better. These large job boards don't aggregate all their listings. Furthermore, smaller, more industry focused sites usually include openings that don't show up on generic job boards. These specialty boards sometimes include specific contact information, such as how to directly reach the hiring manager, which is far more advantageous than being herded through a generic application process. I mean, who has the time to spend hours filling these things out? More often than not, these produce little in the way of favorable results. Being on a niche site also means you are more likely to be found, rather than disappearing into the slag among thousands of other medical sales applicants.

Generally speaking, smaller companies and skill-specific industries such as medical sales prefer using niche boards to target applicants because they tend to get responses from higher quality and more experienced candidates. In turn, this reduces the time involved in the selection process which is a win-win for applicants and hiring companies.

There are many niche job boards out there, sometimes two or three for a specific industry. Ask others in the health care industry which sites they may have used. You can also ask hiring managers and recruiters about choice niche sites for posting positions and recruiting. If you choose to search online, type "medical sales" followed by "jobs." Usually, if a niche site appears on the first one two pages, it's worth checking out. If you encounter a site that's over-populated with Google ads or other offers not related to employment, chances are they're more spammy and should be avoided.
This is icon for social networking website. Th...
Blogger logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Some good quality niche job sites also post informative videos, blogs and tweets, so it behooves you to search through YouTube, Vimeo, Blogger, WordPress, Twitter and others that may contain content that was created by health care recruiters.

Recruiters: Stay in Their Radar

Knowing key recruiters and HR professionals who specialize in the health care industry and medical sales recruitment is also advantageous. In many cases, these specialized recruiters act as the primary communication link between a health care employers and a potential job candidate. Recruiters are responsible for reviewing résumés, conducting interviews, and ensuring the medical organization is paired with the right candidate who will ultimately meet and fulfill the needs of the employer or organization -- ideally you! According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), recruitment specialists are knowledgeable about the organization(s) they're representing or to which they belong, and consequently can skillfully locate and recruit the proper candidates for each requisite job opening.

Medical sales recruiters must conduct thorough interviews in order to gauge the suitability of the candidate for the position. Other duties of a medical sales recruiter may include:
  • Reviewing applicants' résumés/curriculum vitae 
  • Placing and assigning employees at medical/health care facilities
  • Communicating efficiently with employers and employees, ensuring the needs of both are met timely and effectively
  • Performing background checks on potential employees, as well as checking given references, credentials, transcripts, etc.  
  • Negotiating salary, problem-solving, and counseling, therein establishing a rapport with the job candidate

Use Recommendations
Use Recommendations (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Obviously, given their critical gate-keeping/door-opening role, the more industry specific recruiters you can get your résumé and credentials in front of, the better. Networking effectively and posting your professional profile on appropriate niche job board sites, will both enable you to effectively prospect for employment.

In this article, I discussed the three main activities anyone seeking medical sales job perform consistently and skillfully: networking, joining industry specific niche sites, and communicating with recruiters.  If you found this article useful, please leave a relevant comment below and feel free to share and repost it.


Hector Cisneros is a co-partner, COO and social media director for W Squared Media Group based in Jacksonville, FL. He is also the co-host of Blog Talk Radio’s “Working the Web to Win,” where he and Carl Weiss make working the Web to win simple for every business. Hector is a syndicated writer for Ezine Online, an active blogger (including ghost writing), and is a published author of three projects, “60 Seconds to Success”  (on sale at Amazon and B&N); “Internet Marketing for the 21st Century," which you can get free by clicking the link at WsquaredMediaGroup.com; and his latest, “Working the Web to Win” (on sale at Amazon).  Connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and YouTube. 

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Tuesday, April 8, 2014

A Day in the Life of a Dentist

By Rick Fromme

English: A Dentist and her Dental assistant
 A Dentist and her Dental Assistant (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Here’s something you can sink your teeth into: Some of you may recall one of my recent blogs, “Health Care Job Outlook is Jammin’” wherein I listed the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ assessment of various medical/health care professions that are expected to grow between now and 2022.  Despite the fact the new Affordable Care Act only provides insurance coverage for children’s dental needs, heading up the BLS’ list were dentists.

Today, most dentists work in some type private practice environment. While every private practitioner has her/his own way of doing things, several of my dentist colleagues say they begin every day with a preparatory staff meeting at 7:45 each morning.

The entire staff is included: front desk staff, hygienists, and dental assistants. During this 45-minute meeting, they discuss the patients they’re going to see that day to review the procedures they’re doing on each one. This allows the staff to review any questions about a patient’s condition, medical history, discuss any challenges they may encounter during today's procedures ... even review billing issues. Additionally, each patient's overall treatment needs are discussed, as in scheduling necessary follow up appointments, or just routine cleaning and maintenance. The remainder of the early hours are for room/equipment prep and set up prior to seeing patients starting about 8:30 a.m.

On average, a typical workload is about 20 patients per day. While each private practice dentist may have her/his own way of scheduling procedures (reserving one or two days per week for more involved procedures), many prefer to mix up their days, thus providing variation for both the dentist and his/her staff. These procedures can run the gamut:
teeth
X-ray of teeth (Photo credit: jfraser)


  • Examining X-rays
  • Cleaning
  • Removing Decay
  • Filling Cavities
  • Tooth Extraction
  • Full Mouth Restoration (root canals, crowns and bridge work, veneer work)
  • Minor Surgical Procedures
  • Realigning Tempo Mandibular Joint (TMJ)
  • Treating Gum Disease
  • Performing Surgery (to correct facial and dental deformities caused by accidents or birth defects)
  • Cosmetic Work (brightening and straightening teeth)
  • Making Models & Taking Measurements for Dentures (and other procedures) 
  • Procedural Follow Up
  • Patient Education


During a typical day, a general dentist may do one to two crowns, 10-20 fillings, extract a few teeth, perhaps do a basic root canal, and also check and examine about 15 patients that had their teeth cleaned with the hygienists.

Dentists also administer various anaesthetics (see below) and prescribe antibiotics and other medications. Since restorative dental procedures and cosmetic dentistry have become more popular over the years, a typical may include doing some of those procedures as well.

Depending upon a dentist's staff, most dental offices schedule three to four patients within the same time period. This way, two patients are seen by dental hygienists having their teeth cleaned -- usually followed by a brief evaluation by the dentist -- while the other two patients are in rooms with dental assistants followed by dental treatments with the dentist.

Some patients choose to have a comprehensive exam to establish an ongoing treatment plan. A full set of X-rays are taken, the patient's gingivitis and tongue are examined, the bone structures are evaluated, and even the function of their TMJ (Tempo Mandibular Joint) is assessed. The dentist will derive a plan and outline any procedures necessary on how to create a fully functioning, healthy mouth and furthermore, how to keep it healthy.  Likewise, if there are needs to be addressed such as broken, decayed or missing teeth, cosmetic options, etc., those can be discussed and planned as well.

Laughing Gas (novel)
Laughing Gas (novel) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Dentists and their staff, not unlike some other medical practices, need to be aware of their patients’ general health industry. They also need to be prepared to treat patients’ possible stress and anxiety before having a procedure. This is not only to protect the patient’s overall health, but also provide peace of mind and comfort. The diminution and/or prevention of pain is an integral part of many dental procedures today including a variety of topical anaesthetics, laser drills, electronically delivered anaesthesia, nitrous oxide (laughing gas), intravenous sedation, oral sedation, and even general anaesthesia (typically not done in a dentist’s office).

Like general practice physicians and many other doctors/health care specialists, dentists treat and interact with wide diversity of the population regarding sex, age, ethnicity, background, state of health, etc. Each patient’s mouth is different, which means the dentist has to provide specific treatments for each individual. This, in turn, makes workdays varied and interesting, even while looking into people’s oral cavities all day. A typical day usually ends with writing and reviewing the charts of each patient seen that day.

Dentists periodically meet with supply representatives, talk on the phone with lab technicians, perform accounting and bookkeeping tasks, and oversee/manage their staff. They may also teach at local or regional dental schools or sit on health-related committees/boards. Essentially, a dental practice is similar to a small business that must run efficiently to fulfil its goal of treating patients.

In addition to a steady income and the nice lifestyle, dentistry offers flexibility, which is something many other doctorate-level practices don’t. Private practitioner dentists have the option of working either full- or part-time.  Similarly, they can choose their own hours and structure their lives based on their personal proclivities and professional needs. Many choose to work four or four-and-a-half days per week. In their off hours, some dentists pursue other profitable activities outside of their practice.  For example, the founder of the international animatronics and dark rides firm, Sally Corporation, which is headquartered in downtown Jacksonville, Florida, was founded by a local dentist/inventor. He'd first built a "female" talking robot head, which he called "Sally," to instruct his patients about the importance of in-home brushing and flossing. One thing lead to another and now Sally Corporation is known the world over.

In this article, I discussed a typical work day/week of a private practice dentist. I outlined the various procedures a dentist (and his/her staff) does, discussed anaesthetic options most widely used prior to various procedures, and gave an overview of the advantages a private dental practice provides regarding lifestyle and practice options.  If you found this article useful, please leave a relevant comment below and feel free to share and repost it.

Rick Fromme combines entrepreneurial enthusiasm with an insider's knowledge of the medical industry to co-found MedMasters.com. Both his drive and perspective helps provide health care professionals with a superior mechanism with which to communicate, network and market their strengths. Prior to founding MedMasters.com, Rick operated a highly successful medical device distributorship. Other milestones in his 12-year career in the medical industry include a key position at a medical device start-up company that was later sold to the Ethicon Endo division of Johnson & Johnson. You may reach Rick by connecting with him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube. 



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