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Five low cost ways to hone your skills

A career in dentistry requires lifelong learning but not every self-improvement effort needs to cost an arm and a leg. Here are five cheap and easy ways to hone your craft without significant investment.

1. Listen to podcasts

There are dozens of dentistry-related podcasts and hundreds if you expand your focus to include general business skills. You can listen to these podcasts on your morning or evening commute or at the gym. The breadth of information available (often for free) via podcasts is immense, and growing by the day. If you’re not already listening to podcasts, you can download a few for free and give it a try.

2. Read and write

As a dentist you’re highly-educated and likely already read quite a bit but virtually everyone can improve on their skills and one of the best ways to do this is by interacting with more language. Even reading for pleasure will pay dividends, no matter what the content. Writing, it’s a talent most of us give little thought to once we’re out of school. To get good at it, you’ve got to practice. Whether you start a blog, or take on a larger project, if you’re writing, you’re flexing and refining your language skills.

3. Record your work

With your patients’ permission, taking still photos or videos of treatments is a great way to review your work and pinpoint areas of improvement.

4. Spend time with your network

Many of us have a network of professional colleagues spread out across the country–from dental school classmates to folks you’ve met at conferences to former associates. What we may not have is a local network of dental professionals that we can bounce ideas off on a daily basis. It’s a good investment of time to connect with other dentists within driving distance so you can meet up for coffee or lunch to discuss topics related to practicing dentistry.

5. Take time off

Work too hard and you’ll burn out. Spending a week away from the office allows you to focus that much more when you return.