Every patient is a story.

Like movies or books, every patient you treat in your clinic is a new story waiting to unfold. Each belongs to a different genre. Some might be exciting, some absolutely tragic and depressing, some would be unpredictable and volatile while others will be predictable and tasteless.

As a dentist, it is very important to judge which stories excite you and it is absolutely ok to pick and choose whom you want to treat and whom you want to avoid.

With experience, in the first five minutes of the consultation, your sixth sense will tell you this patient is not someone you will be able to get along with, please immediately either refer the patient or politely refuse to take the case. The dentist-patient relationship involves a lot of appointments and once you start the case it is very difficult to go back and say no. Kinda exactly like watching a bad movie in a theatre full of other people. You won't be able to get up and leave the theatre that easily.

So do not be shy at all. It is ok to lose a few patients to keep your sanity intact. Not everyone deserves you!!