When SULLY first realized that his plane was in trouble and he had lost both engines, the first thing he did was ask the co-pilot to get out the checklist for engine failure. When you encounter a catastrophic illness or severe injury that prevents you from practicing dentistry, you need to ask for checklists too. This comparison is accurate and timely.

Emergency checklists are developed over long periods of time, when specialists are able to calmly and methodically work the problem.  Without the emotion and anxiety that stress brings, decisions can be made with the luxury of time.  When faced with a disaster, time is one thing you do not have. Smart people understand this. All the guesswork has been taken out. You can simply work down the checklist and make good decisions on your future. Fear and the adrenaline rush that accompanies decisions made under stress are absent when relying on checklists, BUT you will need TRUST. Trust in the validity of the checklist and the actions it recommends. Logical decisions made cautiously will be better than actions taken in haste under duress.

With SULLY, he got to step 32 on a checklist of 68. That was enough and he survived. You can accomplish another miracle and survive your encounter with severe illness/injury.  Just knowing that a checklist exists can give you some comfort. Being smart enough to actually use the lists is another issue. Of course, we are all smart; but have we ever had to face circumstances of life changing illnesses or injury. We need to believe that the decisions made by others under safe and determined circumstances can really help us survive.

Our checklists are really just educated recommendations. These suggestions can be overruled by circumstances and we know that each situation is different. The dynamic nature of disease is factored into each recommendation. We do not know your family situation or financial obligations, but we do know dentistry, dental practice demands, and the dental marketplace in 2017.  Of key importance is the advantage of checklists to your spouse, family, and staff in your absence. It’s hard to make good business decisions from a hospital bed.  You may get lucky, but it is a known risk.  Don’t let your ego write a check your body can’t cash.

We can start by referring to the ten steps to take once you encounter disability. TEN STEPS TO SURVIVE DISABILITY It will get you started.

Move on to our recommendations/steps to take with activating a practice contingency plan.Activate your Emergency Practice Continuity Plan This plan can keep you afloat for a while.

Follow this with detailed list on how to file a disability claim.How do I make a Disability Claim? It may seem simple but it’s not.

Next is a plan to successfully return to work.FIVE STEPS TO GET BACK TO WORK We hope this gets you on the road to recovery.

This is just a sample of the checklist type plans that are available to really ill or injured dental practitioners. There are many more issues and we are constantly addressing them. Review our site for more details.  Sit back and think if you can make critical decisions on your future without consulting the experience of others who have been there before.  We are sure you have spoken with others under different circumstances.  Woe to those who fail to heed the advice of the unfortunate few who precede them “been there, done that”  . Famous last words are “I’LL DO IT, MYSELF”. Failure to make good decisions during a crisis can have irreversible personal and financial consequences.

Look to our experience,for good ideas on survival and success. We have endured sudden severe illnesses and know the effects on an active dental practitioner. We have made good decisions and bad decision on our careers and future. Our goal is to prevent others from making the mistakes we made early in our illnesses. There is a clear path to survival and recovery. It is not easy, but the trail is well-worn. We know the way, so follow us and survive.

WE ARE DENTISTS HELPING OTHER SICK AND INJURED DENTISTS, WE CARE.