One of the frustrating things that patients feel when they have emergencies, is when their dentist isn't available.
And it's frustrating because you want an annoying dental issue to be resolved as quickly as possible. Something that's counter-intuitive to consider is that even though your dentist might not be available, they are actually doing you a service by taking a break.
So, something worth considering is: if I have a dental issue that starts small, should I consider seeing my dentist when they're available and before the issue gets worse?
If the issue does get worse and my dentist isn't available, what are my backup options?
Backup options available in Launceston at any time is the AVA 24 hour after hours hotline.
If your dentist isn't available, and it's not in an after-hours context, something worth considering is asking a friend or family member which dentist they see, and contacting them to see if they're available.
Dentistry is a tough and demanding profession and as health practitioners we need to reward ourselves with some rest and recuperation. Not only do we deserve this, but our patients deserve us to be well rested, attentive and focused when we are at work.
This does not mean it's acceptable to have a poor work ethic, but more so to have a good work-life balance to create a sustainable long-term plan for enjoying dentistry and for our patients to have positive experiences at the dentist.