How “Quiet Quitting” could hurt your dental career

by | Oct 10, 2022 | Dental Assistant, Dental Hygienists, Dental Job, Dental Professionals | 0 comments

A trendy new term seems to have recently been born.  That term is “Quiet Quitting.”  I’m pretty sure anyone Gen X or younger has most likely done this once in their career but now we have a name for it.

If you don’t know what quiet quitting is, here is the definition for you.

Under any definition, quiet quitting means remaining in one’s workplace while not actively going above and beyond.

Which in theory is fine.  We are paid to do a certain job and doing more than what we are paid to do should NOT be the norm in any career.  Want us to do more, pay us.  I get it.  

However, many people consider “Quiet Quitting” to be doing the absolute bare minimum or being completely checked out and just showing up for a paycheck.  

THAT is the quiet quitting I am going to talk about in this post.  

In this post pandemic world, it is not lost on me that many Dental Assistants and Hygienists are burnt out.  And I think a lot of it stems from your dentists.  They are under more stress than ever before, rising costs of everything (including wages), shortage of supplies and staff and ever changing regulations have made many dentists stress cases and that stress feeds into you.  

And the biggest complaint coming from Dental Professionals is being in a toxic work environment.  And it is true.  People don’t quite quit from a job they are happy at.  They quiet quit from a job with poor management and constantly being forced to do more than their wages ask of them.  

If you find that you are currently in that situation, and you have started to do the quiet quitting where you just come in for a paycheck and do the absolute bare minimum (Less than your duties), then keep reading so you can see why that could be doing you more harm than good. 

#1 Quiet Quitting is hard to do in a dental office

In most dental offices, each person has a very specific role.  If you are doing the bare minimum you are most likely causing yourself  more work as you have to constantly rush to finish your job.  You might find that if you just do all your duties in a timely manner and it will make your daily life a little easier.

#2 Its mentally draining

I didn’t know at the time what I was doing but I have quiet quit from several jobs in my career.  And I got to be honest with you, I was more miserable during those months than when I was just actually putting in the effort doing the work.  

Even now as I own my own business, I will have days where I just feel like I need to be lazy and push all my work to the side.  I realized I spend the evening restless and stressed out.  But on the nights I do my job I get to go home and relax knowing I did everything that needs to be done that day.  

Your mind and body are meant to be active.  Doing nothing all day to spite your employer is going to make you more miserable than just doing your job.  Hey!  Don’t you roll your eyes at me! 

#3 It could bite you in the butt

I had a job I LOVED.  But a manager I hated.  I quiet quitted and then when I actually quit I did it loud.  I wanted the company to know I didn’t like that manager.  Well the manager left, and I wanted to go back to the company but was deemed “non rehireable”. 

So… if you love your coworkers and doctor but maybe don’t like your current OM or someone else in the office, don’t quiet quit OR make a big stink when you do quit.  Just find another job and part on good terms. 

#4 It’s a small field and people talk

There have been many times where I had a wonderful candidate I wanted to place in the office, just for the dentist to tell me “Oh, their previous doctor said…”.  Quiet quitting instantly puts a bad taste in your doctor’s mouth and they will spread the word.  

Yes, I understand it is likely their fault you are doing what you are doing, but you don’t want word to spread that you are a bad employee.  

# 5 It is too easy to find a new job where you can be happy

Another reason not to quiet quit is because in this job market, you can easily actually quit.  So please don’t stay at an office where you are miserable.  Touch up your resume and start applying to jobs.  

And if you are so miserable that you can’t wait to get out of your office, quit and start temping.  You can find temp work immediately and not skip a beat.  

There you have it, 5 reasons why you shouldn’t “Quite Quit” your dental job.  However, do act your wage and set boundaries where you feel they are being crossed. 

Smiles,

Holli Perez 
DirectDental

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