Umair Afzal discusses how reflection can foster self-awareness, reduce burnout and enhance professional growth for young dentists.
Since high school, I have pursued higher grades and juggled many extracurriculars. Looking back, I used to focus on productivity rather than seeking a deeper understanding of the world around me.
Now that I’ve graduated, there are plenty of patients to see and no shortage of work for us to do. Interestingly, one theme that has carried across from my time at dental school is the importance of reflection.
In this article, I’ll outline why I value the time to reflect and, in turn, describe how this is helping my professional development.
Having more time doesn’t mean you should do more
It’s a familiar feeling for many of us that we spend most of our lives trying to fit in as many different tasks as possible. As we reach the end of the day, we might review the list of tasks we set out to do and realise that we haven’t quite ticked off everything.
Many of us find it difficult to pinpoint why this is. The reality is that time is always working against us. Whenever we experience an enjoyable moment, time moves quickly. When we have an unpleasant moment, time seems to go slowly.
On the other hand, continuous learning is a professional expectation in dentistry. We can feel constant pressure to avoid falling behind our peers. If we decide to pause and breathe, then imposter syndrome can kick in. As a result, this forces us to question whether we are good enough or capable of achieving our goals simply because we need a break.
In addition, distractions find their way in even when caring for patients or relaxing with family. Notifications regularly go off on our devices at inconvenient times, making it easy to lose sight of what matters.
Without a doubt, it is crucial to keep up with new advancements in dentistry. However, I’ve increasingly found that developing a sense of self-awareness about how we spend our time is vital, especially as young dental professionals at the start of our careers.
Finding clarity through life experiences
Reflection offers a lens to examine our reactions to life challenges, revealing insights into our thought patterns and decisions.
It focuses on the frameworks that shape our behaviours. Reflection encourages us to be self-aware by looking at ourselves. Stefano et al (2014) found that people who spent 15 minutes at the end of the day reflecting on their experiences performed 23% better than those who didn’t. These people also feel happier and less burnt out.
For me, reflecting is our only way of slowing down time and observing our thoughts and behaviours at a particular moment. Whenever we struggle in dentistry, we will inevitably need a helping hand from someone. This helping hand often comes from mentors, colleagues or friends who guide us through challenges.
Through reflection, it can also stem from within us. By considering our feelings towards an experience, we can ensure we don’t miss the lessons we can learn from them.
Improving patient care requires embracing mistakes, experimenting thoughtfully, and approaching situations with fresh perspectives. Nathwani and Martin (2020) found that dentists’ reflection enhances patient outcomes.
Reflecting as a young dentist means I’ve felt less burnt out and better able to improve the quality of the dentistry I provide for my patients. I have sometimes felt like I am in a race to accomplish everything, and I know that I don’t have it all figured out by any means.
However, the more time you spend thinking about the problems that matter to you, the better you can handle challenging situations in the future. Campbell et al (2023) explain how reflection helps young dentists develop a professional identity.
As a result, reflection helps me become more self-aware and self-knowing, making a more significant impact on others. Aligning my actions with my core values empowers me to focus my energy on what matters.
Final thoughts
By formulating different ways of thinking, I become more empathetic towards others. Whenever I put my fingers on a keyboard (such as writing articles), I often surprise myself with thoughts and feelings I didn’t know I had.
Young dentists should expose themselves to diverse cases and exciting opportunities from across the industry.
Reflective writing is not for external validation. It’s about recognising that a kinder and wiser version of yourself is always within reach when you need it most.
Read more from The Dental School Handbook:
- A student’s guide to dental trauma
- Building confidence and avoiding comparison
- A brief overview of tooth wear
- How to get top marks in dental school finals
- Mastering communication as a dental professional.
Follow Dentistry.co.uk on Instagram to keep up with all the latest dental news and trends.