Common Personality Traits in Dentists

Dentistry is a unique profession since, in addition to focusing primarily on patient care, dentists frequently own and operate their own businesses. Many dentists possess a wide range of personality traits that enable them to successfully run their practices while also working directly with patients.

An effective dentist is...

• Capable of close interpersonal contact

Consider how much time a dentist spends with his or her hands and face in close proximity to patients' faces. Successful dentists are at ease being in close proximity to others, even if patients occasionally have foul breath.

• Easy to talk to
  Successful dentists try to learn about patients on a more personal level before beginning treatment to make patients feel more comfortable. This puts patients at ease and makes them feel like the dentist truly cares about them as whole healthy people, not just about their mouths.  
  
  
• Trustworthy
  Since dentists are working with sharp metal objects in the mouth, a very sensitive area of the body, it is really important that they are trustworthy. Patients need to trust that their dentist will try his or her best not to hurt them and will take all precautions necessary to make their experience pain free.  
  
  
• A detail-oriented person
  The mouth is an extremely small space to work in, so dentists must be detail oriented. The smallest misalignment of something in the mouth can wreak havoc on a patient’s bite and tooth health.  
  
  
• Artistic
  Dentistry is often referred to as an art. It requires mastery and technique unique to the profession. Dentistry is largely based on maintaining proper oral health, but is also an aesthetically focused practice. A large part of dentistry involves restoring teeth and making a smile beautiful, one that the patient is happy to show to others.  
  
  
• A leader
  Dentists may own or work as practitioners within a practice, so they often are natural leaders. They must not only lead a team of dental hygienists, technicians and assistants, but must also manage any other employees, such as the receptionist, while also making high-level business decisions for the practice.
  
  
• Excited about the profession of dentistry
  Successful dentists enjoy the work they do every day and are fascinated by the mouth and all of the connections it has to the rest of the body.
  
• Passionate about providing care to those in need
  Dentists often participate in community service, helping those in need with oral care and treatment. Many dentists enjoy helping those with no access to care receive treatments for painful or unattractive parts of their mouths.
  
  
• Caring and concerned about how the patient feels during procedures
  Because dentists work in a very small and sensitive space of the body, a good dentist communicates with the patient during every step of a procedure, making sure they are okay and not in too much pain. Good dentists go to great lengths to make their patients comfortable and relaxed without pain.  
  
  
• Good communicator
  A successful dentist has a keen ability to distill complex procedures and processes into simple language so that the patient can understand exactly what is going on in his or her mouth and any procedures that the dentist suggests.

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