I went for a walk earlier today, and it was hard not to pause and take it all in. It is a beautiful fall day here in Muskoka, Ontario!
The crisp air, the scent of autumn, and the crunch of fallen leaves beneath my feet. I love this time of year. Getting outside gives me a little space to think, especially when the day is busy.
Today, my thoughts turned to goals, which I was thankful for, because every Tuesday I find myself thinking, “What am I going to write about today?”
With just over two months left in 2026, it feels like a good time to check in with ourselves, both personally and professionally.
Have I accomplished what I hoped to this year? What is still on my list? What would help me move forward? Is there something I want to add or a goal I need to refine?
Our priorities can change throughout the year. Something that felt important in January may have shifted, while a new experience may have brought something else into focus.
We all have things that take us off course. Some years ask more of us than we expected, and our goals may need a little adjusting along the way.
Personally, perhaps you want to make more time for walking, return to a hobby, reconnect with someone, or give yourself a little more breathing room in your week. I am so happy I brought the piano back into my life. After not playing for decades, it has brought me so much joy this year.
Professionally, perhaps there is a patient need you want to understand better, a clinical skill you want to strengthen, or something you have learned but haven’t quite put into practice.
That last one is worth thinking about. We often leave a course feeling inspired, with every intention of making a change. Then we return to a full schedule, and those good intentions get tucked away with our notes.
Perhaps your next goal is to put one thing you have already learned into action.
Have the conversation with your team. Bring out the resource. Try a different approach with a client. Choose one manageable step and give it a place in your day.
This past weekend, we welcomed a wonderful group to our Hygiene Masterclass at rdhu with Christine Crawford. They invested their time and money to spend the day developing their skills, and it was so good to hear how much they took away from the experience.
One participant travelled from Sudbury, bringing a girlfriend along and making a weekend of it, complete with two nights in a hotel. Hearing how much she loved the day made me feel excited for our profession. These experiences are why I started rdhu. Seeing someone make that time for herself and leave feeling so happy she came means so much to me.
Sometimes, moving a goal forward means giving ourselves permission to invest in it.
That might mean registering for a hands-on course, setting aside time to attend a webinar, or making space to practise what we have learned.
We are also grateful to our industry partners for helping us offer free learning opportunities whenever we can. Those experiences still involve an investment of your time and attention, and we want you to leave with something valuable.
As you consider your next step, think about the learning, experience, or support that would help you reach your goal.
Here are a few opportunities coming up:
Ready to take a more proactive approach to your instruments?
Join me next Tuesday evening, October 27, for our free Instrument Strategy webinar with Garrison. We will explore how to plan your instrumentation needs, build a foundational cassette, consider specialty cassettes, and start the conversation about an annual instrumentation budget.
If you have taken instrumentation courses this year, this is an opportunity to build on that learning and begin planning for 2027. We will also share resources to help you turn your learning into a practical plan.
Looking for a different approach to halitosis management?
Join Lorraine Gambacourt next week on Wednesday, October 28th at 7PM ET for a free BioGaia webinar, Beyond Breath Mints and Mouthwash: Microbiome-Based Halitosis Management. Explore the role of the oral microbiome in halitosis and consider how this learning could support your patient care.
If you attended our Winery Event or watched our previous oral probiotics webinars, this is another opportunity to layer your learning. We have also created resources to support patient conversations and implementation, including a social media campaign you can use to introduce oral probiotics to your patients.
Looking for more connection and support with your Oral-B recommendations?
The Oral-B Professional Partners Program is free to join and offers more than professional pricing. Your clients can access professional pricing on an exclusive partner bundle through your QR code, without your practice needing to stock or manage inventory.
You also gain access to professional development, resources, and opportunities to connect with rdhu, Oral-B, and fellow partners through our specialty webinars and meet-ups.
Have a clinical skill or learning goal you still want to work on?
Explore our upcoming rdhu live streaming courses and in-person, hands-on experiences. Consider what would make the greatest difference in your practice right now, and choose an experience that supports that goal.
As you look at the weeks ahead, give yourself a moment to recognize what you have already accomplished, too. It is easy to focus on what remains and overlook how far we have come.
Then ask yourself: What is one thing I would feel good about moving forward before the end of this year?
I will be asking myself the same question.
Warmly,
Kathleen
Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH, BSc ~ President, rdhu
Your Professional Growth Partner™
