Fall in Love with Dentistry Again - How to Feel Fulfilled as a Dentist - IC060

Are you living your career by design—or just letting it happen to you? Do you know what your ideal day as a dentist looks like? What about your ideal week? In this episode, Jaz is joined by Dr. Andrea Ogden (https://www.instagram.com/drandreaogden) to explore how you can design a career—and a life—in dentistry that feels purposeful and fulfilling. They dive into why many of us get stuck on autopilot, chasing goals we’ve never truly chosen, and how to break free by aligning work with your values. Andrea also shares practical techniques to help you fall back in love with dentistry, so you can build a career that energises you—inside and outside the surgery. Highlights of this episode: 00:00 Teaser 00:21 Introduction 04:30 Guest Introduction – Dr. Andrea Ogden 05:45 Andrea's Journey in Dentistry 08:30 Pivotal Moments in Dentistry 14:30 Trial and Error in Career Development 15:30 Current Role 16:38 Identifying Strengths vs. Enjoyment 17:57 Challenges for Young Dentists 21:30 The Importance of Career Awareness 23:44 Impact of Social Media 26:37 Understanding the Decline in Dentist Morale 28:09 External Factors Contributing to Stress 31:27 Internal Factors and Cognitive Dissonance 37:35 Practical Steps to Reignite Passion for Dentistry 43:51 Resilience Through Adaptation 45:17 Community and Support Networks 48:04 Enjoying the Journey 52:48 Final Thoughts and Encouragement Key Takeaways: -Dentistry is more than fillings and crown preps—it’s a career you can shape to truly excite you. -Choose Variety & Joy – Build a mix of roles that energise you, not just ones you’re good at. -Ditch the Comparison Game – Your journey is unique; stop measuring it against 15-year veterans on Instagram. -Guard Your Values – Burnout often comes from a mismatch between what you believe in and where you work. Align the two. -Create Space to Reflect – Slow down, think, and use SMART goals to plan your next step. -Find Your Tribe – Mentors, colleagues, and community will keep you inspired and resilient. -Celebrate the Wins – Small or big, they’re proof you’re moving forward. Loved this conversation? You’ll also enjoy Passion and Values in Dentistry – PDP014 https://protrusive.co.uk/passion-and-values-in-dentistry-pdp014 #CareerDevelopment #InterferenceCast #breadandbutterdentistry This episode is eligible for 1 CE credit via the quiz on Protrusive Guidance. https://protrusive.co.uk/ultimate This episode meets GDC Outcomes B: Effective management of self and working with others in the dental team. C: Maintenance and development of knowledge and skills within your field of practice. D: Maintenance of skills, behaviours and attitudes which maintain patient confidence in you and the dental profession, and put patients’ interests first. AGD Subject Code: 770 – Practice Management and Human Relations ----------------------------------- Apply for FREE access to the Nicest and Geekiest Dental Community in the World 🌍 https://protrusive.app - it’s absolutely Free We also have paid plans so you can Claim Verifiable CPD/CE + EXCLUSIVE content: https://protrusive.app 🔊 Subscribe on Apple: https://protrusive.co.uk/apple 🔊 Subscribe on Spotify: https://protrusive.co.uk/spotify 📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/protrusivedental/ Online Courses: 😬 Learn Occlusion Online: https://occlusion.online/ 📚 Learn TMD and Occlusal Appliances: https://www.splintcourse.com 🦷 Gain Confidence with Resin Bonded Bridges: https://rbbmasterclass.com 🎒 Learn Vertipreps, Rubber Dam and More: https://protrusive.co.uk/ultimate Life by KV /kvmusicprod Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 Free Download / Stream: https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/kv/life Music promoted by Audio Library Life – KV (No Copyright Music)