What Does it Mean to Be a Professional

Everyone knows that 'Professionals' have taken extra years of study and that it is necessary to be licensed in order to perform certain jobs. It really is a lot more than that. The mark of a true professional is that they ALWAYS put their patients or clients best interest ahead of their own interest. Just as important is the fact that a professional have the RESPECT of their peers, publish, teach and perform at a very high level. I frequently publish my work online on the ACE Forum, a dental internet professional group. As I have told you before, my work is held up as the state of the art in restorative dentistry. Many times I have been asked by young dentists to help them become excellent in their dentistry and you already know of the dentist who travelled around the world from Bangalore, India to study with me in my office. Tonight I received the following email from a young dentist in Texas:

Dr Benjamin,

Last week you were kind enough to detail your composite placement technique and after seeing your work posted on your website and other ACER comments, I am VERY interested in learning more.

Would you be interested in helping me? I would love to take my dentistry to a higher level, and any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Ritu

There is no greater honor than to have the respect and admiration of my younger colleagues.

I believe that I fulfil the definition of a 'professional.' My colleagues, the people that KNOW excellence in dentistry have told me that I have and I am honored.