Lets talk about it (GDC Shame)

The elephant in the room

After over a year of hearing the same story from every dentist with a GDC case that I have helped its time to lift the lid and start talking about it…..

The story I hear is shame, pain, humiliation and a lack of support for dentists mired in the GDC process.  Some of whom have spent A YEAR OF THEIR LIFE with a case hanging over their head for it then to be heard and be totally quashed.

These dentists are often experienced professionals, some of them have 30 or more complaint free years behind them.  And when the GDC case lands no-one tells them where to seek help.

So this is the start of my campaign to raise awareness to support these dentists.

They need to know there are a bunch of professionals who are trained to assist them.  Right from the beginning. Because the earlier a trained mentor gets on board to assist, the sooner we can put the actions in place to help remediate the problem.

Even indemnity providers, the BDA and  legal teams aren’t telling dentists how to find a mentor to assist them. Which is craziness.

There are a group of people out there who can help.  We are trained to support dentists in difficulty.  We can provide help from the very earliest stages of receiving a complaint or GDC letter to ensure there is a plan in place and the dentist has addressed their PDP, CPD deficiencies and worked on issues raised before the case goes any further.  By doing the right things STRAIGHT AWAY we may be able to stop the registrants having to go through the full GDC process.  Some indemnity companies advise dentists at the earliest stages to find a trained mentor to support them- but many don’t.

One of my dentist clients didn’t know a trained mentor was a good idea until just a few weeks before her Fitness to Practice hearing.  She had legal help for a year up to this point! By then it was too late.

Another client needed to find a workplace supervisor as a result of her GDC conditions, but as a single handed practitioner had no-one to ask at work.  She called every dentist in her local area and no-one could advise or help her. Imagine how humiliated she felt having to describe her GDC issues to her local colleagues.  Even the BDA and her legal team didn’t know how she could find someone to assist her.  She had to close her practice until she found me and I was approved to support her.  We worked together for almost a year until the GDC closed her case.  Had she not found me she would have been unable to work at all.

As you can see I feel very strongly that fellow dentists need to know Dental Mentors are out there.  So do the dental organisations that support them.

We need to let dentists know that they are not alone in this.

A mentor is a strong pair of shoulders and a listening ear, we carry a box of tools to assist you and we are ALWAYS ON YOUR SIDE.

So please share this information with other dental professionals.

We all dread a GDC case.  But we don’t need to go through it alone.

You can find me here  (along with lots of other dental mentors) on the Dental Mentors UK website or find out about mentoring for dentists in difficulty on my website here Let us support you through this. You deserve that.

A little help from your friends…. Kilimanjaro Lessons on gratitude

Its over a month now since my return from Kilimanjaro

The post-covid fatigue has (mostly) abated.

The weight is back on (not eating while doing extreme sport will do that to you)

But the changed attitude remains.

It’s important that you know that I am an introvert.  I realise to those of you that have encountered me in a social or professional situation this may seem ridiculous.  I am one of the loudest people you will meet in a confined space.  A relentless bundle of positivity.  I will, always, as suggested by Monty Python, look on the bright side of life.

And yet.  In order to be this person and give of my best self to the world I need to hunker down.  I retreat into my own company for fun.  My favourite way to spend my time is alone, with a cuppa, a cat a cushion and a good book.

And so the Kilimanjaro trek, why is this relevant?

Because large communal treks are not designed for introverts!

There is no ‘time alone’.

Relentlessly plodding along paths with 40 others requires polite conversation, at the very least, and soul-searching self discovery more often.

A trip to the toilet-in-a-tent involves an obstacle course around tents, boots, poles and people.  And someone waiting outside desperate to follow .there is literally no me-space

Tents are shared, so time alone is scarce.

But on Kilimanjaro this is good. (even if for us introverts its mighty uncomfortable)

Because humans are a social species.

Talking to others about what drives them up the worlds highest freestanding mountain takes ones mind off the pain of the body- or the fact that we have been going UP for 6 hours……

So many stories of human suffering and pain.  Charities supported.  Loved ones honoured.

Without this human interaction the long and winding road would have been a great deal more arduous.

Having a fellow introverted tent buddy gave me a sounding board at the end of the day.  A huge tumbledown wall of bags to separate the tent into zones helped us to have our own space as well as companionship.  A giggle from the other side of the tent as I caterpillared up the slope in my sleeping bag again in the pitch dark.

A fellow trekker who also suffered from vertigo and panic attacks on the long stretches of rock climbing literally felt my pain. When each step is a deliberate act. When every nerve in the body screams stop, but you MUST continue to climb upwards. A hug, a tear, a shared piece of dried fruit.  This is truly the human experience at its best.  My heart is warm and I smile and cry inside every time I think of these moments.

So many beautiful interactions.

Positive words over porridge and our strange brew of instant coffee and chocolate to get us going as the sun rose.

Sharing the last of the warm water between 2 bowls for the ‘washy washy’ after 8 hours of hiking.

Offering loo roll, chocolate, sun cream or plasters to a fellow trekker in need.

Positive words to combat the pain or a reminder that ‘it’s just 6 small hills’ – (we’ll never let him forget that one!)

And then there are the porters and guides.

Without whom no trek of this enormous mountain is possible.

These incredible individuals carry huge weights up the very same paths we trekkers plod.  Often wearing trainers of the wrong size.  The porters lug food, cooking supplies, tents, water, chairs, toilets, everything that is needed for camp, along with their own belongings for a week on the mountain.  They wear broads smiles as well as their clothes that may have been donated by past trekkers.

At 4.30am one morning I got up to use the toilet and watched a group of porters set off up the mountain in darkness to set up our next camp.  The stars were clear and the glacier at the top of the mountain was white as they shouldered their packs and plodded upward.  It was well below freezing.  Getting going at 7am as we followed in their footsteps didn’t seem as much of a chore afterward.

I reserve by deepest gratitude for the mountain guides.  These gentle, smiling, sure-footed men kindly did what it took to get us up the mountain.

There was the rousing cries of  ‘maximum….. (which we replied with) respect’  or ‘more water…. More fire’  to remind us to keep eating and drinking.. These shouts still echo through my dreams.

The guides would help by the carrying of packs for those who were struggling.  This wasn’t seen as an admission of failure, rather than a way of helping those who needed it reach their potential, and make it to their goal.

The path up Kilimanjaro is not a smooth one. There is a lots of scrambling up , down and along rocks. The ‘steps’ can be over 2 feet high and slippery…… and go on for hour after hour.

On an all-day trek looking at each step before you make it, makes the mind gets tired.  Trips and slips become more common as dehydration and low blood sugar bites.  The guides were always there.  Helping us over the difficult parts of the route.

We would be scrambling along like upright baby turtles.  One step at a time.  Then from behind a group of sure-footed guides would come tearing past us, through the bush or along the rock-wall,  and we knew (with a sigh) that a difficult part of the path lay ahead, and the guides were positioning themselves to see us up (or down ) it safely.

A chain of these strong, smiling (often small) men would form to stop our tired legs from careering over the sheer drop due to physical and mental exhaustion.  They would happily hand us along their chain making sure we knew where to place our hands and feet for safety. Always with a kind word or little joke.

On summit night the guides made sure I kept putting one foot in front of the other, when my body gave up on me, and even took my picture before getting me down the mountain to safety.  Pole Pole (slowly slowly)

The greatest lesson I have learned from my adventure is this:

Kilimanjaro has taught me the power of community.

How the sum of the group is greater than its parts.

When a bunch of like-minded individuals get together, they can accomplish ridiculous things.

Even the highest mountain can be climbed with a little help from your friends, guides along the way, and slowly, slowly.

I just can’t believe I had to go up Kilimanjaro for that to finally sink in!

Lessons from Kilimanjaro : Gratitude (part 1- things)

If you’ve read the harrowing ‘had to get it off my chest’ last instalment don’t be concerned.

This one is much more sunshine and rainbows………

My experiences in Africa will forever leave me grateful for what I have.

This trip was my first visit to anywhere not on the UK tourist trail.  European beaches, American Theme parks, and a few city breaks are my previous experience of foreign travel.

I loved my brief visit to Tanzania, and intend to explore the African continent further in the future.

My impressions of Africa have come from watching TV and I was delighted to see the colour and friendliness of the places we visited. 

The sight of women wearing brightly coloured dressed carrying their shopping in a basket on their heads, motorbikes carrying a whole family, roadside stalls full of bananas, lush coffee plantations and the all-encompassing red dust that covers everything fascinated me.

It was so clear that how we live in the west and our ‘first world problems’ should be questioned at a most basic level. The people had so little in comparison to our ‘riches’ ,  houses are small, children playing in dusty yards under drying washing sound happy and the world continues to turn with ‘less stuff’.

We were a large group of trekkers.  Almost 40 of us from the UK required a huge team to look after us.  The Kilimanjaro treks are an important part of the local economy of parts of Tanzania.  From the hotels and bus drivers through the porters and cooks to specialist qualified guides.  Covid has decimated the industry. Professional mountain guides told me stories of driving a ‘tuk tuk’ or picking coffee beans to make ends meet over the last few years.  They were really pleased that trekkers were returning and there was work to be had again.

The usual ratio is at least 3 support team for each trekker, so there were well over 100 support team helping us.

And, oh my goodness, they were amazing.

The porters pack up the campsite, put our camp bags (weighing 15KG) and the tents, cooking equipment, tables, toilets , whatever , on their heads, and very quickly take the whole camp up the hill past us, to the next campsite, getting it set up ready for the trekkers to slowly arrive.

The amount of ‘stuff’ these amazingly tough people were carrying was incredible. And they are so full of joy, we thanked them with calls of ‘Jambo’ as they zoomed past us.  There were porters of all ages, some looking as young as 16, and several women.  Many of the porters were shooting up the mountain wearing clothes that  made me feel ‘pampered’ and privileged.  Some of these amazing people were wearing normal trainers, often not in the correct size. Their clothes had often been donated by previous trekkers, and made me feel humbled about those last minute Amazon-delivered ‘necessities’ that arrived daily before I set off.

I have done some camping over the years. I have stayed on campsites with few facilities like showers or washing up blocks.  But all of these places had plumbing.  Flushing toilets, and taps for filling up water containers.

Not on Kiliamnajro.  All water must be collected from streams from the melting glaciers by porters, carried back to camp and filtered.  We were advised to drink at least 4 litres per day each.  Add to this the drinking water needed for over 100 porters and guides, plus the water needed to cook food for all of these people. 

Imagine what a huge job this is, travelling to the stream, collecting the water , then carrying it back to camp.  Anyone who has carried a backpack containing 5 litres of water will know how heavy this is (I am familiar with this, for obvious reasons  LOL)  I am forever grateful for the porters who did this onerous job for us, without whom our adventure would have been impossible.

When we arrived back at the hotel (that after a week sleeping on the mountain felt like The Ritz) I popped to use the bathroom.

I couldn’t contain my glee! I laughed so much my roomie was concerned about me.  A toilet that FLUSHED and a TAP with WARM water to wash my hands with SOAP.  A big change from baby wipes and alcohol gel.

I am still delighted to be able to use a flushing toilet. The novelty hasn’t worn off yet. I apologise to any work colleagues who are bemused by strange giggling…….

So many places in the world don’t have indoor plumbing!  I feel so grateful to enjoy running water.

I am also grateful for the absence of something:

Mobile phone connection.

We are all so connected these days.

With a daughter facing exams at the end of her Masters degree and the other doing mock GCSEs whilst I was away I was worried about not being ‘contactable’ by my family.

Unlike others my phone refused to allow any data usage at all the whole time I was in Tanzania, so I really did ‘go dark’ once away from the hotel in which we spent the first and last night which had Wifi.

After a few days frustration at this I relaxed and allowed my iPhone to become a very expensive camera and occasional music player.  If my family really needed me there was the emergency number…..

Many of us haven’t unplugged from the internet for years.

Not being able to google the weather, double check the height of the summit, or see what was happening in British politics was liberating!

We are so used to having instant access to brain-numbing entertainment we don’t converse any more.

One of the great inspirations of the trip was peoples conversations. A bunch of strangers from up and down to UK talked to each other….. we chatted…..

And it was good.

More on the amazingness of people in the next instalment.

Reasons to be cheerful

• Well fitting boots and fresh socks

• Shades of green vegetation

• Access to water ‘on tap’

• Unplugging from the ‘net’

• Flushing toilets.

The next instalment will be all about how grateful I am for personal connection ….. and how much I learned from the others around me

Karen Sutton is fundraising for Community Action Malvern (justgiving.com)

Lessons from the hardest day of my life #kilimanjaro

I plan to post my musings about the awfully big adventure over a series of instalments.

I really need to get the huge painful one off my chest first.

If you are about to trek Kilimanjaro, I would caution you to think carefully before reading this. It may help.  Or it may not.

 So here it is.  Not for the weak of heart.  Summit night.

What I learned about myself climbing Africa’s highest mountain

Mental toughness can take you so far beyond your physical limits its like they don’t exist

I am scared of heights

Anyone who knows me well will be aware that I am too scared of heights to feel comfortable standing on a dining chair to change a light bulb.

When I told my family I was going to climb the worlds largest freestanding mountain there was some incredulity, giggling and shrugs. Mum was on another adventure quest and nothing would stop her.

Its true that I hadn’t really thought about the word ‘climb’ and how that may imply ‘heights’. I am very much of the type of person that once I have an idea in my head will plough through, no matter what.

I was physically capable of the task at hand. A 4-days-a week runner for 10 years I have taken on my share of long distance events. A ‘relaxing’ half term trip with my kids may well involve getting to the summit of Snowdon in torrential rain. I did my research.  I stopped running long distances and hiked as many hills as I could find.  I disappeared for whole Saturdays to trek the Brecon Beacons.  Doing what my run coach had taught me ‘nothing new on race day’ testing out my boots, bra and backpack. Practicing my food and hydration strategy.  I was ready for what the mountain would throw at me.

Or so I thought.

But the great unknown was the altitude.

I couldn’t practice that, I knew that altitude is wiley.  It creeps up on you.  It affects some people but not others.

And so it proved. By day 2 at Lava Camp I was feeling more exhausted that I ‘should’   My legs started to feel like I was wading through treacle.  I started to find things hard psychologically as well as physically.  I developed an underlying low grade nausea that stole my appetite and got worse as the days went on.

These things happened so slowly that I didn’t really notice them.  The fun and excitement of the experience made the physical challenges easy to ignore.

The nausea and ‘heavy legs’ carried on for the remainder of the trek. Our trekking company had provided cassette toilets in tents rather than using the standard camp toilets that you could smell from afar! Our tent was placed conveniently close to the facilities every night but this did  nothing for my appetite and nausea.  I wont go into details but you can most likely imagine as quite  a few of our group were suffering from sickness and diarrhoea by now.

I hadn’t noticed that I wasn’t really eating much, but Sebastian, one of the experienced  guides definitely had.  He kept encouraging me to eat more, and congratulating me when he saw me nibbling on some food.

We had been advised to bring our favourite snacks with us, to try and keep us going when the altitude stole the appetite.  Amazingly, even though I could often manage to a multipack of chocolate at one go  I brought quite a few Freddo Frogs back with me..that’s how much I was affected.

All endurance runners know that keeping your nutrition up is vital to be able to perform at your best.  I tried to consume energy drinks as part of the daily 5litres of water I had to drink but the sugary sweetness just turned my stomach in the end. 

I can only congratulate the camp cook, who each day fed 40 trekkers and their porters hot meals catering to a variety of diets , with one gas ring, from a tent that had to be carried up the mountain to a new camp every day!

Hiking 8 or more hours over very challenging terrain at altitude eats away at the body’s sugar stores.  By summit night I knew I was running on empty.  But another round of mashed potato put in front of me just made me feel sick!

My family will laugh at the amount of potato I actually managed to eat.  I really really dislike potatoes. I will make an exception for Sunday lunch crispy roasties, or a jacket spud that’s more cheese than vegetable……. Up Kilimanjaro I forced myself to eat more root vegetables than I have consumed in a calendar year.  But it wasn’t enough.

And the altitude sickness was waiting.

The scrambling over rocks each day was definitely triggering all my ‘heights’ anxieties.  I was diligently following the person in front of me and copying where the experienced guides put their feet for safety.

As the oxygen thinned the panic started to mount.

Low oxygen feels very like a panic attack you can’t get away from.

The chest is tight.  You try to breathe deeply to slow down the panic feeling in your brain.  It feels like you have a plastic bag over your head to breathe through.  Coupled with dehydration And low levels of nutrition its easy to understand how on some treks only 60% of climbers make it to Kilimajaro summit.

And so to summit night.

5 consecutive days of poor sleep (campsite on a mountain side in freezing conditions) Long days trekking and concentrating on your feet (stop paying attention for a second and you will fall) . Thinning oxygen stealing the appetite, sense of humour and logical thought.

Get up at 9pm after an afternoon nap and put on at least 5 layers of clothes to avoid frostbite in the savage conditions at the summit. Don’t take big drinks of water or you may get sick. Likely your drinks will freeze after the first hour or so.

Headtorches and packs on to start the trek at 11pm in total darkness.

My headtorch died despite brand new batteries when we were barely out of camp.  My lovely guide, Edwin, offered me his torch instead, when the panic started to mount.  Then he carried my pack for me when the scrambling over rocks in the dark triggered my anxieties.  He carried it the whole night, until I got back to camp 12 hours later.

We snaked up the mountainside painfully slowly.  Looking at the feet of the person in front of us.  Not daring to stop and look away.  Breath became difficult, conversations stopped. The clear sky showing cresent moon and bright starts unnoticed.  We focussed on the task at hand.

Just.  Keep.   Moving.  Forward.  A mantra I started to use to keep me going in the terminal stages of a half marathon took on a whole new meaning.  I muttered each word under my breath as the hours passed.

Breaks are few when the wind is high and the temperature is as low as minus 12 centigrade.

Frostbite is possible if gloves are removed for photos or to eat.

Every part of the body feels cold, down to the very marrow of the bones. The cold permeates the soul. Stripping bare affectation and ego. 

Kilimanjaro summit night opens you to your core.  Afterward you know what you are made of.

My memory of the first 6 hours of summit night is a series of movie flashbacks. Exhaustion, nausea, panic, caution, teeth gritting focus, shivering, panting, interminable.

After a painfully steep hour-long battle with scree up to Stella point (the first official ‘summit’) I was pretty much done.  But somewhere inside me I decided I wanted to make it to the very top. Uhuru Point.  ‘Only’ 40 minutes further along the side of the glacier. And now it was daylight.

My guide gave his grudging agreement.  I was now 100% determination. There was no energy left, just grit.  Just. Keep. Moving. Forwards.  Stop to breathe for 20 seconds hanging over trekking poles gagging.

Another 4 steps.  And breathe.  Just Keep Moving Forwards.

Don’t give up.

It took another hour for me to make it to the summit,

I could hardly breathe.  I had nothing left.

But I had made it. It was 7.30am

A couple of quick photos and I am heading down again.

Hurried by my guide to try and get me to a lower altitude quickly.

But the way down is steep, and deep scree.

And terrifying.

The more sportingly gifted developed the knack of ‘skiing’ down through the stones.

Every time I tried this I fell over. My gallant and kind guide repeatedly helped me up.

People kept shooting past me as I plodded down.

One. Step. At. A Time.

After an hour or so my drink had thawed enough to be a ‘slushy’ I realised I hadn’t drank anything for about 9 hours at this point.. not good. 

I wonder  why I felt so shaky and exhausted.

I had gone beyond the point that I could eat. 

The sun came up and even though the temperature was close to zero  we needed suncream and glasses.  The dust kicked up by the trekkers coming down the scree was making me cough so much, even as the oxygen was thickening.

I could tell my guide was concerned about me. But I saw several trekkers being rushed down the mountain very quickly, almost being dragged down between 2 guides because of altitude sickness.

At least I’m not as bad as that I thought

Eventually, after what felt like a lifetime (is it really only 10am?) I could see camp in the distance.

Yes, that’s camp the guide smiled.

But what he (rightly) failed to mention is it wasn’t OUR camp.

WE walked through that camp, and carried on walking.

Climbing down relentless rocks.

Some of the porters from our camp came to assist my noble guide who had been working for almost 12 hours at this point.

Sebastian was waiting to check what had happened to the stragglers…. He hugged me as I cried.

Not long now, nearly back at camp.

After maybe another 30 minutes of challenging rocky descent I was so past done there isn’t a word for it.

I hope to never feel that way again. Empty.

I arrived back at camp.

I was past tears.  Past laughter. Past celebration. Past hunger.   I Was done.

My fabulous tent mate told me to take my boots off so I could lie down.

I had a drink.  Even the chlorine flavoured water tasted good.

I wish I  could say that I lay down and slept.  But we had to break camp to get to a lower altitude quickly.  Some of the faster trekkers had time to sleep.  I didn’t.  I shoved some food in quickly, then packed up my sleeping bag and kit.

Then we headed off on a 2 ½ hour downhill hike to the next camp.

Filled with relief that I had done it, but over 14 hours of intense exercise at altitude it was hard.

That’s the same effort as 3 marathons back to back on no food and hardly any fluid.

So yes,

Summit night was hard.

Indescribably so.

I have written this part on purpose while the memory is still fresh, because its important that there’s no rose tintedness about these memories.

My soul was laid bare by this experience.  I know what I am made of.

My mind can most definitely overpower my body.

I am a proper hardass. A tough cookie.

I looked my phobia in the eye and did not let it take me.

But hard is not all there is to my Kilimanjaro experience.

In fact its only a tiny piece. There’s so much more to this adventure than the bit that sucked.

So that’s what I will write about next.

There will always be a Before-Kili Karen and an After-Kili Karen.

And the suck of summit night hasn’t got much to do with that at all!

So stay posted for all the cool stuff in the next instalment.

 Karen Sutton is fundraising for Community Action Malvern (justgiving.com)

Kilimanjaro here I come

If at first you don’t succeed, pack, pack and pack again!

24 hours till my Kilimanjaro adventure and I have repacked my bags more times than I can count.

It’s not like there will be a Tesco Express or other convenience store just round the corner so its important that I don’t forget anything.

Then there’s the advice from the trekking organisation that its not uncommon for baggage to go astray for a day or 2, so best take everything you will need in your first day of the hike in the hand luggage ‘just in case’. Unfortunately my extremely large 5 season (yes, there are 5 apparently) sleeping bag didn’t make the cut so I will be very cold at night if my baggage goes astray.

My boots will be worn on the flight because if I put them in my bag there will be no room for anything else (hello huge feet)

Then there’s the stack of medication. Altitude meds, antimalarials, mozzy spray, contact lenses, suncream etc etc

Never mind the ‘you may want to bring a few of your favourite snacks’ …….Need I say more?

Just when I thought I had got everything in the right bags I weighed them….. Needed to remove about 5Kg of ……what?  Give up battery charger or snacks?  How few clothes can I decently take for 10 days? Take centre out of loo rolls so they pack down smaller, and 4 inches of cardboard is heavy right?

After what feels like 50 repackings of the bags I have called time.  Enough is enough.  Its as ready as it will be.

Charging everything that can be charged with a last bit of electric juice before tomorrow.

And I get to use a luggage trolley for the first time in 20 years (trekking bags don’t have wheels)…

Wish me luck……….

Kilimanjaro here I come.

Fear. Comfort Zones. Just Doing It.

In 9 days time I will be starting a trek up the highest single standing mountain in the world, Kilimanjaro.

I have avoiding blogging about this because my brain had sort of thought it may not happen.

At this point (airport chaos not withstanding) it seems it will.

This is a big deal for me. Huge.

I am not a world traveller. The highest I have every been in my life is the top of Mount Snowdon.

I have experienced ‘normal holidays’ , European beaches and Florida. A couple of city breaks. But THIS will be AN EXPERIENCE.

If COVID has taught me anything its that life is short. None of us every know whats around the corner.

Experiences postponed may never happen.

So I will stepping so far out of my comfort zone next week it will look like a tiny dot on the horizon.

Those of you who know me are aware that I like a challenge. Last year I ran 50Km for charity. I ‘do things’ that others find strange and difficult.

This challenge involves trekking for 7 days up the highest mountain in Africa. Carrying at least 4 litres of water per day and taking a cocktail of pills to avoid altitude sickness as well as malaria. There is no plumbing on Kilimanjaro so we will be drinking water from volcanic springs. But there are also no actual toilets, so holes in the ground or behind a rock………….Sleeping in tents in hard stone at minus 10 degrees.

Getting up at 11pm to trek up to the very top of Africa to see the sun rise over the plains below will be unbelievable.

I am absolutely beyond excited about the challenge that lays ahead. There will be no phone signal to keep you updated as I go along.

I am delighted to be sharing the experience with colleagues who will become the closest of friends during our week on the mountain together.

A little local charity that helps older people stay independent will be benefitting from my efforts, you can find my JustGiving page here www.justgiving.com/karenkilimanjaro22

I will be back to share more about the packing and the preparation.

And also what happened on the trek itself when I return.

Is my kid scared of the dentist?

Many children may be nervous about going to the dentist. This isn’t uncommon and could be phase they are going through where they are nervous about new experiences. Other children are especially nervous in medical or dental settings.

Kids may have had bad experiences in a healthcare setting in the past, seen a relative have a difficult time with their health, or even heard other people talking about being scared of the dentist or having bad experiences.

Some kids may have been threatened with having ‘bad teeth’ and ‘needing fillings’ by a well-meaning relative trying to encourage healthy habits or diet.

I have even had parents who say the words ‘don’t worry she won’t hurt you’ when kids meet me for the very first time, even though up until that point the kids weren’t even scared!

The best cure for this is find a kid friendly dentist who gets to know your child and the rest of your family. Its good to take your child to the dentist from the age of 2 or even earlier to make the experience as normal as possible and help your kid feel comfortable. The dentist will be able to give you loads of advice on your kids diet and tooth cleaning to make them less likely to get trouble with their teeth and hopefully your child will need less work done to their teeth as a result.

You can find a child-friendly dentist by asking other parents. Some dentists operate outreach programmes in schools and nurseries, and these dental teams are more likely to be helpful to you. Remember if your kid doesn’t get on with one dentist in a dental practice, they may find one of the others easier to relate to.

The basic principles of kids dental health are

• Set up good habits from the beginning with tooth brushing morning and evening, with parents helping until the kid can tie their own shoelaces.

• Reduce how often your kid eats sugar (all types including fruits and drinks) as more often = more cavities

• Any toothpaste is better than none! If your kid hates the flavour of the family toothpaste find one they like. The fluoride in toothpaste makes the tooth enamel stronger and helps resist decay

• Keep them drinking water as long as possible before introducing juices and other soft drinks

• Set a good example yourself about healthy snacks and toothbrushing.

Help, I’m really scared of needles!

Why are people scared of injections at the dentist?

Being scared of injections is a common dental fear. 

Some people are scared of all injections, no matter where they are on their body and these people have a real challenge with vaccinations (Hello covid- thank you!) or blood tests.

Others find injections in their mouth much more difficult, possibly because its such a personal area and so intimate. 

For some people its not the injection itself but they hate the feeling of ‘being numb’ or not in control of their lips or tongue.

Most dentists are used to encountering this and have mastered some tips to help people find it easier.

We often use an anaesthetic gel first to take the ‘sting’ out of the needle.  An experienced dentist will often have mastered a very comfortable gentle, slow injection technique and this will make the whole experience better.

Some little tricks that may help you include :

• When the time comes to have the injection count backwards 5,4,3,2,1 then go for it! It’s super simple but really effective.

• Distract your mind during the procedure by reciting your 8-times-table or a poem you learned in school.

• Twirl your feet round in opposite directions to distract you, or move one foot up and down and one round and round.  This won’t affect what the dentist is up to but can really help take your mind off it.

Also…..Be honest…..

Make sure you tell your dentist you are scared of injections so they can use every trick they know to make it the best possible experience for you.

You can do this!

 For more tips to help with dental fear check out my page here

Why do I worry about gagging at the dentist?

Do you have a fear of gagging at the dentist?

As the No Fear Here Dentist I want to tell you I treat people every single day who have a concerning gag reflex.

A lot of people who have dental fear tend to gag more. It’s hard to know whether the gag reflex makes people nervous because they are worried they are ‘hard to treat’ or embarrassed about it.

The gag reflex is designed as a protective mechanism which stops us choking! Its very hard to control with our conscious mind…. In the same way its hard to control your blink reflex when you are poked in the eye.

Feeling more comfortable and in control will help to reduce the gag reflex. When you feel like you aren’t in control you will likely gag more!

Many dentists understand this so will do what they can to help you feel in charge of your own mouth and care.

Making sure your mouth is very numb can help reduce the gag sensation, as you can’t feel the instruments in your mouth as much.

Other techniques that can help are using an acupressure point on your chin , pushing hard on the point above the bony part of your chin in the centre can really help.

Breathing exercises also work by distracting you as well as keeping your airways open. Techniques like box breathing ( Breathe in for 4, hold for 4 , breathe out for 4, hold for 4 repeat)  are simple and useful.

Lastly Relative analgesia ( happy air sedation) is excellent for deactivating the gag reflex for severe sufferers.  I have several clients who are totally unable to have dental treatment without this sedation, but travel up to 60 miles to see me in order to get their teeth looked after.

This information will have helped you understand where your own gag reflex comes from, and given you some tips to overcome it.

Good luck.

Karen

PS more tips and resources for free available here

Why am I scared of the dentist?

Why am I so scared of the dentist?

Dental fear is really common with almost half of all adults having moderate or severe fear of the dentist so I promise you you are not alone! Understanding where your fear comes from will help you to get past it and find the treatment you need.

Dental fear could be because of your past history, maybe you had a bad experience as a child, or a relative did?

Or maybe you have generalised or healthcare anxiety? If you are worried about visiting doctors, having immunisations or general health checks like smear tests then visiting the dentist or hygienist could well make you very worried.  People with general anxiety are often also worried at the dentist.

Many people tell me that they are worried that they will be ‘told off’ , ‘talked down to’ or ‘patronised’ about the state of their teeth.  If you’ve left it a long time your teeth might be in a bit of a mess. A fear-friendly dentist will never tell you off! We recognise that no-one sets out to have bad teeth and will work WITH you to give you confidence to get ast your fear and rebuild your smile.

Lots of people are worried that dental care will hurt or are scared of injections. Dental anaesthetics are becoming more comfortable and effective all the time with numbing gels used before injections, or computerised gentle anaesthetic systems available to make the experience easier.  When you are anxious this affects your pain threshold and makes things hurt more! So doing what you can to feel as calm as possible including relaxation exercises, meditation, distraction with music or comedy will help things feel much more comfortable.

Fear of the unknown is HUGE!

Being comfortable with your dentist and their team is important and ask them to explain things to you as you go along.

This will mean that you know what’s coming, which won’t feel as scary……

Understanding your fear and where it comes from will help you get past it!

Good luck.

Karen Sutton, no fear here dentist

Check out my online course to get past your fear here.

https://karensutton.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1042366/?action=signup

A little Grit can go a long way

How I unlocked my inner strength to create an eye-opening experience.

What is Grit?

Grit is perseverance day after day to reach the goal you have set yourself.  Some of those days will be HARD. Some will be fun.  Each moment you spend working towards your big goal takes you closer to excellence.

The amazing thing is this is the same no matter what sphere of life you are talking about.

Want to run a marathon someday? Your training will require determination and discipline to put in the miles on those training runs getting out there in the rain and dark.

Want to build your own home? Years of planning, organising, discussions with [planners, builders and money-juggling will eventually give you that home of your dreams.

Want to start your own business? Few people enjoy discussions with accountants, banks, or putting in the hours at the weekends after the kids are in bed ……. instead, you could be sitting on the sofa with your feet up watching Netflix.

Nothing worthwhile was ever achieved without putting in the work.

It’s an unpalatable truth……

My free time the last 9 months has been spent producing an e-course to help people conquer their dental fear.

One of the hardest things I have ever done!

My natural tendency is to be an innovator, to have amazing, bright ideas. Life changing, wonderful inspirations.

But.

 I struggle with the follow through.  The busy work.  The sitting down and getting on with it.

I blew through deadline after deadline I set myself.

Tech fails one after another set me back repeatedly.

My training for a 50Km run takes up hours of my weekends and evenings leaving me needing more sleep, on top of my day job.

Just sitting down and getting on with the damn thing was so hard when my kids needed me. 

But I did it. My course is done. Ready.

I have achieved what I started out to accomplish.

I have learned much about myself during the process.

I have learned the meaning of grit.  I have felt the joy of succeeding after struggle.  I have got used to not giving up.  Again.

I am proud of what I have achieved. 

It takes grit to overcome a fear of the dentist.

And I trust what I have built will help people who want to do just that.

Find out about my unique course here

#grit #dentalphobia #coachingforexcellence #determination #passion #dentistry

How to Succeed!

How do you define success?

What is a ‘good’ runner?

I am a hobby jogger.  For 8 years I have run regularly (at least 3 times a week) . On this mornings foray into the rain and wind I was listening to a Podcast in which the presenter said ‘I’m not a good runner’ and meant it.  Incredibly sad, because this woman has run over 20 half marathons!

What she meant was ‘I’m not a fast runner’  True,  but very sad that for her the definition of success is ‘fast’.  Rather than ‘consistent’, ‘inspirational’ or ‘determined’ .

In what other sphere of life do we equate speed with quality?

I am a dentist.  Is the best dentist the one who fills your tooth fastest? The one with the whitest teeth? Or the one who has the best car?

What about builders? Is a good builder going to get that wall up in record time? Or drive the biggest van?

So I started to muse on metrics that we use to measure ourselves. (It was a long run)

For me a good runner is one who gets out there and runs even if they don’t want to, because it’s raining, they say ‘hello’ when they pass you and respect other users on the path.

A good dentist is the one who listens to their clients and does everything they can to improve their mouth health and smile confidence as comfortably as possible, speed doesn’t come into it.

A good builder checks the foundation, makes a tidy job, takes their boots off inside, turns up on time and communicates when things don’t go according to plan.

The metrics we choose to measure ourselves by will determine our success.

Am I a good runner? Yes.

Am I a fast runner?- Hell, no.

What are you choosing to judge yourself by?

Because what gets measured gets managed……….

Today why not choose the standards you want to live up to.

And hopefully one of them will not be speed. (unless you are an Olympic athlete)

Here’s to your success.

How Many Morris Dancing Dentists Do You Know?

The magic of authentic communication….

The picture was taken 7 years ago today as I performed solo before presenting at a dental conference on patient care and marketing. 

Wearing bells in public is definitely one way to make an entrance and be memorable!

I am pretty sure no other dentists have started their presentation in the intervening years in the same way, but I am certain that those that were in the audience that day remember it! (Several have commented on my Facebook post on the subject to tell me how much they enjoyed learning a Morris dance after I finished)

Whilst I have been to many dental conferences and sat through countless presentations in 7 years.  I can count on one hand how many I remember with some clarity.

Those that I do recall were interesting, innovative, and authentic.

I am not saying that we should all go to work wearing ribbons, primary colours and wafting handkerchiefs…..but I do believe that enthusiastic communication changes lives.

  When we fizz with interesting nuggets and details and are authentically genuine in our interactions people sit up and take notice.

I have a job where communicating a concept or idea will change behaviour and treatment outcome, and when I give that information in a memorable, unique, humorous, and interesting way my words will sink in better and have more power.

I am certain that is the case for many of us.

So, how can you make the information you share tomorrow more memorable when it matters?

How many Morris dancing Dentists do you know? (It only takes one….)

Why Covid Feels like training for a marathon that never comes

I have been a jogger for only 9 years. Before I was 41 I would have occasional flirtations with fitness in various forms, but life got in the way and my enthusiasm waned.

When I was 41 life was hard, so when I started to run several times a week it helped my mental health enormously. Since then I have trained for races from 5km to marathon. This year I was supposed to run my first 50km. Yes that is longer than a marathon….. I know!

I started to train in earnest in January. It takes 6 months of regular running to train for such an endeavor. I was taking it slow to make sure I didn’t get injured and my 50 year old body was strong and ready. I was looking forward to raising a stack of cash for the local small charity of which I am a proud trustee.

Then came Covid.

And the world went mad.

We all know what happened next.

Everything was cancelled

. It felt like we went into a post-apocalyptic jungle of uncertainty.

It doesn’t feel like we have emerged yet.

I feel like I am training for a marathon that never comes.

Stress causes increased Cortisol in the body which has metabolic affects including weight gain , gut issues and mood changes including depression and anxiety. Sound familiar anyone?

Marathon training also increases cortisol explaining why its well known among runners that in the run up to an event they may PUT ON weight, no matter how much they are running!

This level of stress has been affecting us all for 9 months now. That is unsustainable.

It is so important that we all recognize this, and take steps to modulate our underlying stress levels. Because if we don’t reduce the levels of stress our bodies are experiencing there will be serious health consequences. And that’s not even if we catch the damn virus!

(And don’t forget stress suppresses immunity!)

• So why not join me in these stress reduction ideas….
  Music. Create an amazing playlist, play it in the kitchen and dance.

• Read a favourite book. Curled up on a sofa with a mug of tea.

• Pet an animal, small person, or fluffy toy.

• Meditate, pray or daydream. Make some space in your brain.

• Exercise, outside. Feel the wind on your face.

• Smile.

We can get through this. Our race day will come eventually.

But we must make sure we don’t let the preparation break us before it comes. Stay safe everyone, look after yourselves.

I will see you out on a jog soon.

The Magic Happens ……..?

‘The Magic Happens at the Edge of your Comfort Zone’

a familiar quote which many of us may believe in.
And yet we might not feel comfortable with putting ourselves out there. It’s scratchy. It makes a little knot appear in the stomach

.
Even though we know it’s the right thing to do we might not be able to force ourselves…

one example of this is asking clients for testimonials.
This can be really uncomfortable. It can feel ‘salesy’ ‘cringey’ and awkward.

But it’s important to remember WHY we are doing this. It’s not for us. It’s not to increase sales. It’s not to make more money.

It’s for the next potential client who needs your help. The one that just requires a little nudge from someone who has ‘been there’ to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Because social proof can really change lives.

When we go out of our comfort zone and ask grateful clients to write a few words about how we helped them we give others the opportunity to find us.

I’m comfortable with asking for a few words so I can help more people.
Are you?
#startwithwhy #alwayshelping #authentic #testimonials #dentistry

Take The Win (dammit!)

Yes, you!

No ‘buts’ please……

Lately I have become increasingly frustrated with people not recognizing how amazing they are!

It may have escaped your notice but we are in the middle of a global pandemic!

Life is NOT NORMAL. Who knows when life will be normal again?!?

In my role as a mentor and coach as well in my day-to-day as a dentist I am regularly encountering people who are knocking themselves for not being ‘perfect’ or ‘doing it better’.

There is a lot of self depreciating ‘well, I could have done more’ about.

Maybe you could.

But I am not hearing enough people patting themselves on the back for what they have done.

Managed to floss your teeth every day last week? AWESOME….

Got your kids to bed on time two nights in a row with no crying…….. SO AMAZING

Carried out 4 consecutive dental procedures wearing a respirator so tight you can hardly breathe…… YOU ARE A LEGEND!

Made it to the end of the day without crying……. YES! Go YOU!

Because Life is hard right now, we need to take the wins!

Not wait for someone else to recognize what we have done.

We need to be proud of ourselves.

I get me mentor clients to buy a lovely notebook and write down everything that they did well during the day.

So on a hard day when things have been tough, they can look back and see how far they have come.

We could all do this.

Lets recognize our successes, even the small ones.

Because I will recognize them with you.

I have more faith in any single one of you than you have in yourself.

I will always be a bundle of screaming positivity for you.

So pretty please, with sugar on top….

Take the wins!

because right now, you are totally #winningatlife

And its about time you recognized that!

Shame is the worst ‘s’ word

Like many professional women I have followed the work of Brene Brown and read her books on leadership with interest. Dr Brown is familiar to anyone who watched TED talks and writes enthusiastically and with passion on the family dynamic as well as business topics.

What is super interesting is the fact the Brene Brown is a researcher on SHAME.

It make you shiver a little, right? You cringed a bit.

Shame? Yuk.

But the thing is we all encouter shame every day.

In the way we talk to ourselves, or our children.

It’s widespread on Social Media…….

Mummy Guilt. Keeping-up-with-the Jones’ .

Shame is part of the 21st Century experience.

But I encounter Shame somewhere else.

In my work

The 85% of my working day that I spend looking after dental phobics I am knee deep in shame.

Because fear means people avoid addressing their dental issues. So the pain and rot gets worse.

Perhaps they have perceived being humiliated or belittled by a well meaning dental professional in the past.

Shame stops people seeking dental treatment until they are in agony.

Shame means that people lose teeth before their time.

Shame ruins smiles.

I am on a one woman crusade against dental shame.

Because no-one wants to have bad teeth.

Missing teeth is not a life goal for most of us.

And even I have lost teeth, Something that makes me cringe inside a bit every time I chat to other dentists, because I know that they can see….

As NoFearHere dentist I work to counteract years of shame.

First by listening, then understanding.

After that comes supporting, rebuilding and restoring.

Of confidence, self esteem, and teeth.

So next time you see someone with ‘bad teeth’ know their shame could be crippling them.

And think about how you could empathise, and help.

From the archive….Happy Dentist

Thanks for stopping by here.

I hope that this is worth your while.  Maybe I will make you smile.  Or maybe you will learn something new.

Perhaps together we can answer the question that no doubt you are asking:

‘How can a dentist be HAPPY?’

For goodness sake, you will no doubt be thinking, being a dentist is about ‘PAIN’ and ‘Drilling’ and ‘gum disease’

And there are bad noises, and spit and maybe occasionally, blood!

What sort of person would be happy in a job like that?

To which I can only reply:

My job IS about those things, yes,  they are the bricks that build the wall of my everyday existence.

But its about so much more.

Its about giving a 29 year old woman who hasn’t been able to look in the mirror for YEARS the confidence to smile again now she has teeth she can be proud of.

Its talking the pain away from a young Mum so she is not distracted by the agony of a rotten tooth and can give her daughter the attention she deserves.

Its about telling a 60 year old man that yes, if we work together, we probably CAN save his teeth so he doesn’t end up with dentures like his Dad.

Its about helping a really nervous patient to take baby steps forwards, gradually fixing their teeth, and helping them overcome their fears.

And then getting a huge hug afterwards.

I do these things every day.

These miraculous life changing moments are what makes me a happy dentist.

And yes, along the way there is drilling, spit and sometimes blood.

But there is also joy, laughter, self confidence and freedom

#happydentist

From The archive…..Musings on Time

Musings on time

I am writing this post as someone scheduled for an appointment has not turned up.

This is a source of frustration to me as

1) I am now at a loose end when I could be helping someone else

2) The business is not generating income which will have an impact on our figures at the end of the month

3) I would always phone and let the doctor, optician, hairdresser or other time-poor professional person know if I am running late or unfortunately could not make the appointment I had scheduled and would expect to be billed accordingly if I had done so at short notice.

But at least this means I have time to blog for you. So there’s that.

My musings about time are really of a professional nature.

I contend that pretty much EVERYONE knows to do a good job cleaning their teeth takes at least a universally recognised 2 minutes twice a day.

And that’s the TOOTHBRUSHING time, you must add on all those professionally recommended extras such as small brushes, floss or rinses that may have been suggested by your caring dental professionals to try.

This amounts to what might seem like A LOT of time spent performing oral hygiene routines every day.

So many people tell me that they know what they should do, sometimes they are actually quite good at it.

But usually they just can’t FIND THE TIME

So what else are these people doing with the most precious commodity we all possess?

Well, according to the Daily Telegraph the average Briton spends 1 hour 20 minutes on social media EVERY SINGLE DAY. 

And yes, I thought ‘that’s ridiculous’ too, no way is that me.

Until I remembered all those ‘missing half hours’ when I decided to settle down, have a quick scroll, and realise 30 minutes had passed and I still hadn’t taken the dog out. 

And as my dog will now doubt attest this was NOT the case 5 years ago.

So how is this relevant to tooth cleaning?

Well we only need to find 5 minutes a day.

5 tiny minutes. One less link clicked.

One fewer ‘celebrity’ weight loss selfie looked at and commented on.

One fewer online complaint about the state of the roads.

And surely by committing to spending 5 minutes a day LESS on social media it will help our mental health too.

Because we all know that stuff rots our brain cells.

And how our gums and teeth will thank us!

Our teeth will BASK in the glory of the fluoride in our toothpaste, sucking up those molecules to protect them against the onslaught of the sugar in the family bag of Maltesers we may happen to be sharing later.

Our gums will be grateful that we have scrubbed away the damaging bacteria that so love to get up close and personal, making toxins that will cause tiny ulcerations, bleeding and, if we are not one of the lucky ones, lead to tooth loosening!

And how wonderful it feels to have ‘gaps’ between our teeth instead of the crevices being full of food or that frousty smelling white stuff that gets lodged when we neglect out tiny brushes.

Yes, our fresh breath will also make our significant other thank us for the 5 minutes less we spent on Facebook.

And that, indeed, is a VERY good use of 5 minutes.

#happydentist