I just returned from speaking at the Dentistry Show in Birmingham, England. It was a great conference attended by thousands of Dentists and Team Members who came from throughout the UK. A highlight of the trip was attending the Heart Your Smile fundraising event on Friday evening. Let me tell you more about the Heart Your Smile Project.
Over a year ago my friend, Dr. James Goolnik and a group of his colleagues decided that it was time to change the public perception of dentistry in the UK. Seems the public perception of dentistry was sour and there was a need to get the public more interested in good oral health. The Heart Your Smile Project was born out of this decision.
The project was created to accomplish the following:
- Create a positive public perception of dentistry
- Encourage better oral health
- Help people understand the connection between oral and general health
- Provide Dental Professionals the tools to engage their local community
To accomplish these goals the Heart Your Smile Team created a Manifesto of the 9 Habits of a Happy Dental Professional. Here are those 9 Habits:
- Be Confident Believe you can make THE difference
- Smile It’s attractive and it’s free
- Connect Join in, listen, understand
- Innovate Challenge your boundaries
- Excel Excellence is a journey, not a destination
- Inspire Lead by example
- Mentor Everyone benefits
- Respect Treat every person as you wish to be treated
- Care Everyone’s health matters
Over the past year I have noticed the tremendous difference this grass roots project is making! This is happening on the macro level, where the public is indeed developing a more positive perception of dentistry. It’s also happening on the micro level, where Dental Professionals are developing self confidence and the belief that they can make a difference and the work they do is important! Lives are changing and practices are improving.
I applaud Dr. James Goolnik for his bold vision. He’s a person who takes action. I was a guest at his table during the fundraiser dinner and we had a stimulating conversation about his vision for the Heart Your Smile Project. It’s all about changing lives for the better. The Heart Your Smile project is a project that needs to be expanded outside of the UK. Stay tuned for more information as we develop the details. Keep Smiling!
