Part of the club

“Gentlemen, Gentlemen, be of good cheer, for they are out there and we are in here.” This is the toast given every week at Hugh Heffner’s (founder of Playboy) weekly gathering of his inner circle of friends at his LA mansion. It speaks of a privilege that the participants feel to be at that place at that time. When I heard this quote it made me think that it could quite equally apply to our privileged position as members of a profession.

Times are not good for many but dentists, and those that work with us, are not doing too badly relative to the general public. We have skills that are always in demand and those that are providers or performers on an NHS contract have a more-or-less predictable income. I have often felt that my surgery is a window into the outside world; I come into contact with patients from all walks of life, some I probably wouldn’t otherwise meet.