Volume 7 • 2020 • Issue 6

Q How do you expect COVID-19 will affect patient flow in the short term? Will more people go to the dentist? Fewer? JT: Over the last 30 years, dentistry has responded to many new public health situations, including HIV and MERS. Patients know that dental practices value infection control protocols very highly. In the coming months, we’ll be limited in the kinds of procedures we can do. But, in time, I’m confident that we’ll see a return in people’s comfort levels with many different kinds of activities, including dentistry. And, of course, the need for our services never goes away. JM: I’m a practice owner primarily, so this question is something that I’m thinking about a lot, because I need to make sure that my team thrives, both financially and in all aspects of work. That said, as young dentists, it can be helpful to think about the big picture. Focusing narrowly on the next two years, which are uncertain, can make all of us anxious. Remember to look at the span of your whole career. Patient flow has had ebbs and flows throughout the decades. We expected a surge when restrictions on dentistry were loosened, and it’s happening in my community. Will it dip when people lose benefits from their employers? It might. But it’s a cycle and patient flow will bounce back. I would try to think about this time as an opportunity. You may have a bit more time to get more education or find a mentor or figure out a niche in dentistry that suits you well. BD: Looking at how dentistry has weathered other challenges historically is useful when considering the next few years. In 2008–09, we had a recession. But let's remember that dentistry came out of that recession, literally 2 or 3 times faster than any other sector of the economy. Since 2009, demand and prices for dental practices has only gone up. We're still in a very desirable profession. We provide a service that people will always need. In the past fewmonths, tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dental appointments have been canceled. That's dental work that's going to need to be done. The signs of a comeback are good. Q In the current economic context, howshould newgraduates deal with their debt? JM: Have a plan and speak with your banker. We are all in the same boat; we all have debts to pay. Indeed, you're in a good situation because as a student, there's likely going to be some grace from your lender. Indeed, lenders are giving extensions these days to a range of borrowers. PAJ: As professionals, banks highly value dentists as clients. As a result, banks will likely be flexible in order to maintain a long-term client relationship. So, yes, definitely talk to the bank that holds your loans. Most of us went into dentistry because we wanted to help people and because the profession offers a relatively comfortable lifestyle. Everything's a learning experience when you first graduate. Be flexible about what kind of work you are willing to do. Consider doing your own hygiene. Do basic dentistry. If there's downtime, observe the principal dentists and take as many online CE courses as you can to gradually expand your scope. At the BCDA, I’ve heard from many new graduates who sometimes feel pressured to work faster than they are comfortable with. There may be an opportunity now to gradually increase your speed, and spend more time with each patient, which helps you develop rapport, which ultimately leads to a solid patient base. JT: At the NSDA annual meeting, a dentist said something wise about debt. He said that having debt from your education is not a bad debt. It's good debt because you invested in yourself. When I first graduated, I added bad debt to my good debt. I bought a brand new car back when interest rates were 15.5%! So don't make that mistake. Incur only good debt. Invest in yourself. Have a financial plan to pay it off. BD: For a little perspective on student debt, if you had just bought a practice, you would have likely just taken on between $1-3 million in debt. Good debt, but debt nonetheless. And with practices closed for 3 months there wouldn’t be any way of paying that debt down. In my role as a broker, I’m in constant contact with bankers. They want dentists as their clients because there aren’t many other segments of the population who are better positioned to pay back their loans. Every major bank in Canada also has bankers who are dental and health care specialists. If you're having trouble speaking with your local banker, ask to speak to their health care specialists. JM: New graduates can also think about what aspects more established dentists often want to drop. For instance, some dentists want an associate who will take on pediatric patients. My dad, also a dentist, said that he produced a lot of removable prostheses for his patients to get through a recession. It wasn’t his favourite, but it was work that needed to be done. I ssues and P eople