Are you sharing your brownies?

Imagine going to a party for which everyone was asked to bring a desert. You arrive and proudly place your dish on the serving table. Then you start by choosing a taste of several goodies and complementing all the talented cooks that have contributed. What would you think if someone arrived with a dish of delicious looking brownies but they kept them in their lap and wouldn't share with anyone? Brownies are my favorite desert, so I'd be disappointed and think of that person as selfish and odd.

So my question for you is "Are you sharing your brownies"? Every time you attend a CE course, read an article, learn a new dental or general health statistic or fact, you're collecting pieces of valuable information that your team, your patients and your colleagues want to you share. If you keep that to yourself, you're essentially refusing to share your 'brownies'.

Whether it's in the form of marketing, educating your patients or speaking to your colleagues, keeping your knowledge and talents to yourself is being stingy with what you know. It is our obligation to be continuous learners and a resource for up-to-date diagnosis, treatment and health information.
Here are a few ways you can happily share your 'brownies':

• Bring new information and knowledge to your morning huddles to share with your team
• As you're caring for your patients share with them valuable, pertinent information about new blood pressure standards, advances in periodontal science, and new products for instance
• Speak to your local professional association about what you've learned
• Write a monthly newsletter to educate your patients of updates in your services and continuing education you've completed
• Post what you've learned on dental online communities or by writing articles
• Proudly market your practice by letting your community know about the services and care you offer
• Publish (with permission) testimonials from your patients on your newsletters and website

Give everyone around you the opportunity to share in your talents and the high level knowledge you've acquired. It makes the 'party' that much more fun!