From the Journal of the Massachusetts Dental Society Vol. 54, No 1 Spring 2004

Robert Leland, DMD

Residence: Boston
Office Location: Hanover
Specialty: General Dentistry
Education: Tufts University School of Dental Medicine

What was the biggest challenge you experienced when you began your career?
The biggest adjustment to "real-life" dentistry was figuring out how much time certain procedures would take. Initially, I was booking one hour for an MO on #18 just because I had no idea what timing would be like out of school, where I had a leisurely three hours to do the same restoration. My booking times are still changing, more than three years later. Personally, I felt pretty well prepared coming out of dental school; it just took a bit of time to get to real-life pace.

What has been the biggest reward that you have experienced since you left dental school?
The biggest reward that I get from my day-to-day practice is being able to make a noticeable difference in someone's life. Seeing the look on patients' faces when they look at their new cosmetic restoration or being able to relieve patients of pain ... these types of situations are what I find most rewarding. Nobody's ever going to come in and say, "Hey, great filling!" But when you can make a difference in someone's life that the patient notices and values, that's what I enjoy.

What advice would you give to a student graduating from dental school this year?
Keep up with continuing education right off the bat. I know that most students are sick of school and classes, and they don't feel they can absorb any more. I think, however, that there is a great benefit in seeing what else is out there in dentistry that you don't see in school: new technologies, new techniques, practice management skills, new speakers with a fresh view. Dental school is valuable, of course, but there is still more to learn; the sooner you get out there to learn, the better you can practice.

How do you balance your professional and personal lives?
The key is making times for things outside of work. Limit work to the workplace. Find time in a schedule to do what you like to outside of dentistry. As solo or small-group practitioners, it can get tough to come out of our own little world, but I have found that being involved in activities outside of work makes my life, though busy, much more enjoyable. I love to go to work every morning, but I certainly enjoy my time away from the office.