A mentorship is a process whereby one person (mentor) seeks to help another person (mentee) learn a new subject or skill. Ultimately the goal should be that the mentee has learned the subject or skill such that the mentor is no longer needed. Achieving this goal is not easy and requires careful thought, planning and dedication. It can be challenging for the mentor who hopes the mentee will learn the knowledge or skill but may not know the true needs of the mentee in that learning process. It is probably more challenging for the mentee who often just wants to know HOW to do something that they can apply in treatment to have a profitable practice the next Monday morning. A successful mentorship doesn’t just happen.
Both parties must have mutual respect with an atmosphere of safety that the mentee must not feel vulnerable, embarrassed, or minimized. The mentor must have an extensive skill/experience background in the subject rather than a series of dogmatic rules he/she learned in school and is just repeating to the mentee without examining the evidence supporting those ideas and the experience in the “trenches” applying them.
Helping the mentee understand concepts of “why” rather than the more expedient “how” (which many young mentees naturally want to apply immediately in their practice) is essential for success. If the goal ultimately is to help the mentee make decisions and provide treatments without depending on the mentor, there must be a conscious effort to provide the atmosphere for that to develop. Understanding the reason for the answer to a question is more important in the long term than just getting the specific answer to the question.
The mentor must provide ongoing support with timely responses and “hand holding” to keep the mentee confident in providing treatment. The mentee must not feel abandoned by the mentor, but know the mentor is available at all times and that the mentor has experienced similar feelings in the seeming wilderness of the learning process.
A successful mentorship should be mutually rewarding. The mentor should have pride that they helped another person learn a skill or subject to successfully use that skill or subject without the constant need to be spoon fed. Of course it can take years to happen. The mentee should gradually gain the confidence to know they are on the right track and can “fly solo”.
The obvious benefit is having a mentee be highly trained to think on their own and act independently to provide a skill that is valued in the marketplace. Having a mentor facilitates and hastens the process if the mentor is willing to share not only successes but pitfalls. Memorizing a list of rules might work in a manufacturing environment, but falls flat in the modern “knowledge work” environment.
At Ortho2Health, Dr. William M. Hang, DDS, MSD offers mentorships to help clinicians prevent and treat airway disorders in patients starting from 3 years old and beyond. Dr. Hang is passionate about equipping pediatric dentists, orthodontists, and general dentists with the skills to identify and treat airway disorders, preventing sleep and breathing issues in their patients. Learn more about our mentorship programs and how they can enhance your practice and improve patient outcomes.
