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What is black box dentistry?

BDJ In Practice volume 32, pages 16–17 (2019)Cite this article

Dentistry can be a very insular profession. When we make our way to work, we are usually left alone with our own thoughts and individual issues. When we arrive at work, whilst there may be many people in the building, the job that we do can make us feel isolated. The nurse is there to do his/her job and the patients that we see don't really want to be there, often leaving the dentist to cope with their emotions and stresses alone. We do not usually feel able to open up and discuss these things with anyone, as this might be seen as a sign of weakness. The fact is, we are in a high stress profession and environment and until this is accepted and dealt with, things will not improve for us.

So what can we do about it? And why does the aviation industry play a part? In short, many of the Human Factors lessons learned in the aviation industry are more applicable to dentistry than one might think at first glance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. TurnPoint, 4 Fitkins Meadow, HP22 5YG, Aylesbury, UK

    Ganase Dharrie-Maharaj

  2. TurnPoint, London, UK

    Richard Garner

  3. British Dental Association, London, UK

    Len D´Cruz

Authors
  1. Ganase Dharrie-Maharaj
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  2. Richard Garner
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  3. Len D´Cruz
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Correspondence to Ganase Dharrie-Maharaj.

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Cite this article

Dharrie-Maharaj, G., Garner, R. & D´Cruz, L. What is black box dentistry?. BDJ In Pract 32, 16–17 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41404-019-0098-0

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