By: Amisha Singh, DDS

Sitting at the Awards Gala & President’s Dinner during the Rocky Mountain Dental Convention
(RMDC), lost in amazing conversation with colleagues who have become friends, I found
myself in awe. Less than a decade ago, the reality that I am currently living was a only dream that I viscerally yearned for. It was a dream I carried in my heart and silently cherished. On December 1, 2010, I got the call from University of Colorado accepting me into dental school; something I had prayed for became a reality, and the rest of my life was set in motion. I
remember calling my parents, tears in my eyes of relief, of gratitude, of something I could not yet name. This is how life changes: in tiny, silent, imperceptible moments. And sometimes we wish that those moments would announce themselves, carrying the gravity that bends time,
yelling “THIS IS YOUR LIFE CHANGING.” But they never do. Their weight is often seen decades
later as they stand shining out in the timeline that becomes your life.

I am blessed. Infinitely, heart-wrenchingly blessed. But sometimes, in the turmoil of the daily urgent tasks that swallow the important ones, in the middle of difficult crown seats or practice management issues, the reality of that blessing gets lost. In these small moments which hold the potential to become pivotal, the words we say and the actions we carry out define our
reality. The choices we make become our reality. Lisa Nichols said, “Our lives are the culmination of our decisions and our actions.” Isn’t this is the truth? What we choose to do on a daily basis, how we choose to react, what we choose to focus on becomes our life. What we adopt as habit and what we do consistently defines us. I argue, the most important choices we make are our words. Human communication is single-handedly the most impactful contribution we make because it is something we consistently do. Words have the power
to change and shape our reality.

Words We Say to Ourselves
The most important relationship we will ever have is the relationship we have with our self. This relationship sets the stage for all others. If we do not have a healthy internal dialogue, it will impact our position with other important people in our lives. Our self-talk should be as kind, as supportive and as constructive as we aspire to be with others. We should treat ourselves with grace. Our internal speech defines who we are as doctors, leaders, parents, spouses and loved ones. Change begins here. 

Words That We Say to Our Team
A group of people show up every day to help turn my dreams into a reality. Some of them work with me in my practice. Others work in different arenas of my life. I could not do half of what I do or what I pride myself on, without their support and skills. The words I use with
them not only carry the power to change the trajectory of their lives, they can change the trajectory of mine as well. Those words give me the power to show gratitude, to express support and to encourage. We should wake up every day aspiring to use our words to build, educate, support and to create an oasis. The words we choose to use with others can send someone to dental school, encourage them to start their own business or change their life in unimaginable ways. What will you do with your words today?

Words We Say to Our Patients
In the midst of days blending into weeks, it is easy to forget how pivotal our profession is in the world of healthcare. Our patients see us for preventative care more often than any other medical provider. We have the ability to intervene before heart attacks, strokes, mental illness, cancer and so much more. The bacteria we fight on a daily basis can travel to create abscesses, aggravate diabetes, trigger sepsis, destroy both bone and confidence alike. We protect our patients and their health. But the words we use to describe our work can often diminish our work. “A small filling” or “just a hygiene visit” takes away from what we do and can lead to a disservice for our patients. As doctors we are also educators and advocates for the health of those who walk through our door and lay their trust in our hands.

Thinking back to that younger version of myself who answered the phone and then answered the call to join this profession, I remember her dreams vividly because I am living them. She used to wish that the older version of herself, the one that “made it,” could go back and whisper in her ear, “Everything will be okay. This will become your reality.” But the truth of the matter is, she is the one that created this reality with the power of her daily decisions. I exist because she chose her words and her actions carefully. So now the question is, who can I become in yet another decade with the support of my daily decisions. Who will my words transform me into?

Amisha Singh, DDS is a Denver native and loves living in beautiful Colorado. She owns Smile Always Dental, a general dentistry practice in Parker, CO. She is an active member of the American Dental Association, Colorado Dental Association and Metro Denver Dental Society. She was recognized as one of the 2018 Top 10 Under 10 ADA Dentists nationally. She serves on the CDA House of Delegates, on the ADA Dental Wellbeing Advisory Committee and on the MDDS and CDA Membership Councils. She is the CDA New Dentist Committee Chair Elect. She is also a blogger and professional speaker who works with IgniteDDS.