MEN WI N HEALTH HealthLinksSC.com | 51 Offer three adjectives to describe your journey to becoming the health leader you are today. Tenacious, energetic and empathetic. Describe one good habit that has helped you navigate challenges in your field. One habit that has greatly assisted me in navigating challenges as a dentist is continually learning and staying updated with the latest advancements in dentistry. Dentistry is a field that is constantly evolving with new technologies, techniques and research. By making it a habit to dedicate time regularly to further my education, attend workshops and seminars and read scientific journals, I ensure that I stay abreast of the latest developments in my field. The habit of continuous learning in dentistry has been instrumental in helping me tackle challenges by keeping me well-informed, adaptable and capable of providing high-quality care to my patients. Has there ever been a time when being a woman in health care offered a distinct advantage? Women often excel in collaboration and teamwork and fostering a supportive and cohesive work environment among health care teams. This collaborative approach can lead to improved patient care through shared knowledge, skills and expertise. I have utilized this a great deal in my treatment of sleep apnea. At my office, we make sleep appliances for patients to help open their airways and get more oxygen. I communicate with many sleep physicians, ENTs and sleep labs regularly to ensure my patients are getting the best possible treatment. What is one obstacle that you hope future women in health care never have to face? Some studies have shown women in health care have a higher rate of burnout, depression and anxiety. There can be pressures from work/family conflict when women are taking on more of home and parental duties in addition to work. It is important to seek support from co-workers and friends, get sleep, exercise and practice mindfulness to help decrease burnout. Briefly discuss one common misconception about your profession that you would like to refute. A common myth about dentists is that they are limited to teeth. While it’s true that most of the expertise of a dentist is concerned with teeth, some dentists are further trained in areas of airway health, sleep apnea and TMJD – temporomandibular joint disorders. A trained dentist is looking at teeth, but we are also concerned about your overall health, including oral cancer, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. If you could give only one piece of advice to your patients regarding their health, what would it be? Take a proactive, not reactive, approach to health, including exercise, healthy eating, scheduling regular health checkups, practicing mindfulness and reducing stress. Practicing proactive health means focusing on preventive measures to improve physical and mental health and avoiding potentially expensive medical interventions. Taking an initiative approach to dentistry does just that – it prevents problems from happening in the first place or identifies problems and corrects them early on, compared to a reactive approach to dentistry, which is only concerned with fixing problems that have gotten out of control. Dr. Nicole Dahlkemper WATER’S EDGE DENTISTRY 1203 Two Island Court, #101 Mount Pleasant, S.C. 843-884-6166 watersedgesc.com Photo by Jenn Cady.
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