We hope all is well with you and your families.

What an unprecedented time we are all facing.

It’s tough to stay positive when so much negativity is going on in the world. But we must have faith in ourselves and in our profession.

We have to know that this too shall pass.

But things will never be the same and that’s for sure.

As they say, the only constant is change.

Do you remember how we practiced back in the early 80’s? (I was dental assisting in those days).

Well if you don’t remember, it was before HIV/AIDS.

Masks and gloves were rarely worn and we didn’t have any of the infection control practices we follow today.

We had to change and adjust to changing needs.

And it all seemed so foreign and so overwhelming.

But now if we look back to those days, we would cringe to think of how we used to practice.

The same will be for us in the future when we look back to pre C-19 days.

We will get used to our new reality. It will become our new norm and the way we used to do things will seem so antiquated.

We will adapt. We will make the changes and life will go on.

What we need to focus on now (besides our families of course) is ensuring that you take time for yourself and how you can stay connected as a professional.

Our livelihood ended abruptly. Our work is a big part of who we are, and what we do! But business doesn’t have to end.

It takes time to adapt. So forgive yourself for the up and down moods that you are currently experiencing.

For me, I have been pretty much self-isolated for the last 6 months, in a way!

When I broke my leg and ankle over the Thanksgiving Weekend, I was bed-bound for 3 months and was still homebound for 1+ month after that.

I was getting excited to go back to our beautiful rdhu office after the 'Pacific Dental Conference' in early March and then boom! I was only at the office for one hour, fell ill and had to head home.

So, I totally understand how tough this is for everyone. But I always have the faith that this too shall pass and look for the positive in every situation.

Stay busy with your learning. Keep growing as a professional. Stay connected with your team and know that this is the time to ‘Nurture your Relationships’ with your clients/patients.

Staying busy, connected and learning will help shift your mindset and keep you focusing on other things.

Just because we aren’t physically able to be with our clients doesn’t mean that all business has to end. We need to nurture these relationships to make sure that they are still there and wanting to come back to see us once we are all back in our practices.

Let that sit for a bit and I look forward to sharing some ideas on how you can nurture those relationships :)

Please see below for some events that are coming up.

Please stay safe. My heart is with you and your families.

Kindest regards,

Kathleen