Exploring the science of kindness
Can we reverse the trend towards putting ourselves first?
I listened to Gareth Southgate deliver The Richard Dimbleby Lecture. He discussed the difficulties faced by young men in finding good role models, particularly as real-world contact diminishes, and virtual sources have greater influence. Thought provoking stuff and I ask myself whether the lack of these positive, real-world influences pervades across society at large?
As our interactions become more virtual, more global, do we interact less with those immediately around us? Do we become disassociated with our local communities and their needs? With less personal and local interaction, are we less bothered by what’s happening in our town, our region or our country and have more interest in whichever virtual rabbit hole we are heading down? If we are fed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and algorithms through social media, do we ever encounter magnanimity? Will we be influenced to care less about anything other than our virtual lives?
I was discussing my future with my long-term nurse in surgery and pointed out that, while I may at times become jaded with the trials and tribulations of dentistry, it is the only thing I’m really trained for and good at. If I want to earn a living, there’s no point in me doing anything else; I will simply not earn the same. And, in a show of magnanimity, how can I help society, my local community, any more than doing what I’m good at? Perhaps you think that’s egomaniacal? It’s not; I don’t mean I’m the best, I just know that anyone in the caring professions who is experienced and gets through a good amount of work is good. Perhaps kind too? After all, what could be more kind than spending your life helping others?
I do believe the best part of my job is the ability to treat pain and relieve it within minutes and without too much trauma. If you believe the media, the British Dental Association and the Scottish Government, we all want to keep NHS dentistry and allow access for all. So, surely if we all have the same goal, then we should be working to improve access? Unfortunately, the current problems with recruitment are affecting the supply and demand balance to the point where many people are struggling to get access to dental care, certainly NHS care.
One of the biggest issues is we face is, despite a similar number of dentists, we have a much-reduced whole time equivalence. Influencers in and out of dentistry are encouraging kindness and mindfulness for ourselves; reduced working hours and days to protect ourselves against the stresses of work and life. This has led to a ‘full time’ four-day week. Even young professionals straight out of vocational training are opting for the four-day week. The ultimate kindness to self?
There is good science to suggest that being kind to others brings great benefits to the giver. So, perhaps those caring professionals do good deeds on their fifth day? Charity work, soup kitchens, dry stone walling, building homes for the homeless? I doubt it. I don’t think it’s wrong to try to find a good work-life balance. However, if we want to feel the benefit of kindness and do something truly good for our society, then should we not work that other day? Knowing full well that it makes our patients’ lives better, practice administration easier and is the most immediate way of making a difference with our best skills.
Can the Government create a system which would incentivise the five-day week? Uncapping the General Dental Practice Allowance would encourage more work and improve practice income allowing it to pay associates higher percentages and staff better wages. NHS practices could compete with the wages available in the private sector. Could we go further? Commitment could be redefined to reflect the access for our registered patients rather than gross. We could add a percentage point or two to dentists’ whole gross if we are willing to work that fifth day. This would require a bit of scrutiny; however, it would not be too onerous and could certainly address our recruitment problems almost instantaneously. I feel these measures, or something similar, would be a sensible approach to our problem. Use the highly trained professionals you have to address the problem rather than importing or training more homegrown talent – or simply accepting the fate of the nation to be without dental care.
Or is there another way? Appeal to our better selves. Explore the science of kindness. Suggest that in order to repay the national investment in young professionals, we should give back that extra day to the care of our fellow humans. In particular, those in our area and our registered care. However, the benefits must be felt through gratitude and remuneration to balance those forces of stress and workload with the emotional endorphin release associated with acts of kindness.
We should laud the effort to be in our role five days a week. Recognition of the sacrifice of our own wellbeing and mindfulness for that of others. Can we reverse the trend towards putting ourselves first? Of forgetting our place in society and our communities that our knowledge and influence could benefit from. Or have we decided to care less about others and more about ourselves? Have we just stopped caring? I don’t believe it’s true. I believe we are better than that. However, someone needs to start influencing or incentivising the selflessness that benefits the whole of society.
Arthur Dent is a practising NHS dentist in Scotland
If you have a comment relating to this topic leave it in the box below, or if you have a question for Arthur email arthurdent@sdmag.co.uk