How neurolinguistic programming can transform your dentistry

Ricky Ghataura shares the neurolinguistic programming tools dentists can use to overcome challenges and enjoy a fulfilling career.

Neurolinguistic programming (NLP) was developed in the 1970s by Richard Bandler, acomputer scientist and mathematician, and John Grinder, a linguist. It is a psychological approach that explores the connection between the mind (neuro), language (linguistic) and our behaviour (programming).

Using this approach allows us to understand how our thoughts, the language we use and our behavioural patterns impact and influence our experiences in our life, and ultimately our happiness and success. NLP is often used in personal development, communication skills, therapy, coaching and in dentistry to create positive change. 

Neurolinguistic programming and dentistry

NLP in dentistry is often related to communication skills and case acceptance. Building rapport, understanding the way patients think, reducing anxiety and objections, and increasing treatment acceptance are all techniques using NLP. However, I believe it can be used in many more ways which can help us, as dentists, to overcome the stress and challenges that come with our profession. 

Our profession demands perfectionism and precision, whilst navigating time constraints, managing different personalities and our own emotions and mindset. It’s understandable then, that many of us suffer from burnout, stress, self-doubt and poor job satisfaction. Our success in this profession is largely determined by out mindset and using NLP skills and tools, we can master our inner world so we can lead a more fulfilling and harmonious life. 

So let’s look at a few ways in which we as dental professionals can use NLP to help us to master our mindset. 

1. Shifting from surviving to thriving

In a career where our clinical, communication, leadership, critical thinking, interpersonal and emotional intelligence skills are challenged daily, many dentists can develop limiting beliefs. NLP helps to discover the subconscious beliefs and patterns that shape our behaviour and then shift our perspective by using reframing techniques. It allows us to shift our mindset and perspective from one of fear, failure and inadequacy to one of growth, expansion and self-empowerment. 

Reframing involves changing the language and words we use and our perspective on the situation, for example:

• ‘I have to be perfect’ can be reframed to ‘I am getting better every day’
• ‘I’m not good enough’ can be reframed to ‘I am doing the best I can in every situation and improving in every way I can’.

Questioning the limiting belief and the thoughts, just like you would to a friend or colleague, is also another way to reframe:

• ‘What is the evidence to support this?”
• ‘How would a more confident version of me handle this situation?’
• ‘What would happen if I believed the opposite of this thought?’
• ‘Is this thought allowing me to grow?’

This may seem simplistic, but regular practice of this enables the brain to be rewired to a more positive outlook on life and work. Reframing allows you to change perspective and see situations in a new light and see complications as learning opportunities, building your skills and ability to problem solve instead of failure or incompetence. 

2. Mastering your emotional state

Having to master our emotional state in the dental environment and our personal lives is important so we are less reactive and more responsive. When we are reactive, we tend to act on impulse and in direct response to our emotional state at that specific moment in time. Responding, on the other hand, is when we have had time to listen, assimilate our thoughts, pause and reset so that we are more thoughtful on our response to the situation. 

This can be done by 

1. Breathwork: taking a few moments to do some deep breathing, thereby regulating the vagus nerve and the parasympathetic nervous system which helps to calm the body from a ‘flight or fight’ mode. Examples include box breathing, alternative nostril breathing, longer exhalations and even the double inhale and exhale
2. Pattern interrupt: this is a method of breaking an unhelpful emotional state and replacing it with a more empowering, positive one. It requires an awareness of the process to stop it. An example of this would be if, during a difficult case, the thoughts going on in the mind are ones of failure and not being able to do it effectively. Stop, pause and change the thought to one saying it is possible and that you can achieve it. Stretch, breathe, visualise a positive outcome and question what processes you need to do what you can in that moment. Interrupting the spiralling thoughts so they don’t affect the emotional state in a negative way will enable you to perform better
3. Activities that change your state: this is anything that makes you feel joyful and happy, such as listening to your favourite song, music or meditation. Dancing and moving your body changes your emotional state by changing your physiology. Power postures or poses all achieve this too. Smells that trigger a memory, such as your favourite perfume or essential oils are other techniques that can aid a change too. Taking a walk or stepping outside of the surgery can also help. 

3) Using anchors in high-pressure situations

Anchoring is the process by which we associate a positive emotional state, such as calm or confidence, with a specific physical trigger, such as touching our forefinger and thumb together or breathwork. In NLP, we use anchoring to create an specific emotional and physiological state that can be accessed instantly so that in times of high stress, such as dealing with a difficult patient, doing a difficult procedure, or presenting to colleagues, we can instantly create the desired state.

This requires practise and rewiring your brain patterns so it is accessed easily. 

The process requires you to:

1. Recall very vividly a time when you felt that desired state, such as confidence and calm, and intensify this emotion in your mind 
2. As the emotions are intense, perform the physical action, such as touching your thumb and forefinger, putting your palms together, touching your earlobe, or anything you feel you can do discretely
3. Repeat this process to reinforce the association of the physical touch and the emotion
4. Use this technique anytime you need to create and prime yourself. 

4. Visualisation

In dentistry, resilience is built by our ability to adapt, recover and thrive amidst our challenges. The high pressure and stressful environment means our emotional wellbeing is constantly challenged. Having powerful visualisation techniques as used in NLP means we can try and reduce this stress by mentally rehearsing positive outcomes in difficult situations.

The visualisation engages the neural pathways that would be engaged in the real-life situation, hence your subconscious mind is primed and ready to act out the positive outcome. This technique is called future pacing and its about seeing the outcome prior to the event. It is used by many successful people in the sports industry too.

5. Aligning your values

Internal conflict arises within us when there is discrepancy between our core values and our external life, leading to emotional distress, career dissatisfaction and ethical dilemmas. As a result, we can feel frustration and anxiety and experience burnout.

With the help of NLP, identifying your core values and seeing if they are in alignment with the way you work or your environment is an important step. When these are in alignment, you will feel happier at work and have greater job satisfaction. 

Ask yourself 

1. What are my top five personal and professional values? 
2. Who do I identify as? 
3. Does my current practice reflect my values? If not, which ones are not in alignment? 
4. What small changes can I make to be in better alignment to my values? 

6. Overcoming perfectionism and imposter syndrome

Around 60% of the dental profession will have imposter syndrome at some point of their career, and it’s more common in women than men. It is defined as a psychological pattern where an individual doubts their skills, abilities and capabilities despite their numerous accomplishments. They attribute these to luck rather than their ability and fear that they will be exposed as incompetent or as a fake.

Characteristics of imposter syndrome include perfectionism, fear of failure, overworking to prove their worth, and downplaying their successes, achievements and accomplishments. 

Some NLP techniques to overcome this include: 

1. Reframing the thoughts and beliefs
2. Dissociation techniques: this is when you view the situation from different perspectives, your own, an objective observer’s and possibly a friend’s. This challenges the distorted perspective and allows recognition of your accomplishments
3. Questioning your assumptions and generalisations using meta-modelling: this technique uses specific questions to challenge the thought processes. An example of this would be ‘Who says this is true?’ or ‘What evidence do I have to support or contradict this?’
4. Affirmations and visualisation to reprogram self-identity: embodying and aligning yourself to reinforce the vision of the person you want to become allows neural pathways to be rewired. 

7. Work-life balance and healthy boundaries 

An imbalance of work-life boundaries can occur through lack of communication and misalignment in your values, and recognising them. This can lead to resentment, stress anxiety and exhaustion. A healthy balance will ensure emotional wellbeing, greater job satisfaction and time to do other activities that can bring us joy. 

NLP tools to help would be:

1. Creating healthy boundaries by having clear internal and external communications
2. Intentional living by using meta-modelling, and asking yourself specific questions on what it is that you want and how you would like your life to be like. This could include what would create less stress and anxiety for you and how can you allow yourself the time away from the dental environment so you are revived when you are in the surgery
3. Values and belief analysis: taking time to see what truly matters to you so you can live a more aligned life. 

Building a better outlook

Through my career as a dentist, I have realised that the journey is not solely about the knowledge and clinical skills. Your mindset has a huge impact on how you can navigate your life and career, and that is why I became a life coach and master NLP practitioner. The powerful tools I have learnt have enabled me to enjoy my clinical career more than I used to, and have a better outlook on my life and greater resilience. It has had a big impact on myself and my clients. 

Mastering your mind enables you to have a different perspective on life which can be much more fulfilling and empowered. Whether you are a new graduate or a seasoned practitioner, it is never too late to learn these tools. We all want to look back at our career that we have worked so hard to achieve as one that was happy, fulfilling and rewarding, both for our patients and for ourselves. 

Feel free to reach out to me at rickyghataura@hotmail.co.uk or connect with me on social media at @drrickyghataura.

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