We all know that dental school is stressful. There is a constant barrage of exams, quizzes, lab practicals and deadlines, and it is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind. When we lose sight of what is most important, our health and mental well-being, it can be easy to forget to give our body the things it craves – healthy food, exercise, sleep and relaxation. It is so easy to skip a workout to study a little more, or grab a quick greasy meal to save time, or even put our emotions on the back burner all in order to get the grade. Our mission for ASDA’s Wellness Committee here at the University of Minnesota is simple: we want to help students maintain balance in their lives so that even during stressful times, they can remain grounded and physically and mentally healthy.
There can be negative stigmas associated with mental health, and for this reason, topics such as depression, substance abuse and anxiety are usually never talked about among our peers even though they are perhaps the most common ailments affecting students in dental school. We want to not only bring these topics to light, but also offer solutions to students struggling with these issues in order to steer them in a positive direction.
Our most recent project advocating mental health involves informing our students about the struggles of substance abuse. Our Wellness Committee leaders were fortunate enough to attend ASDA’s 2015 National Leadership Conference, and we were particularly moved by Dr. Kyle Smith’s presentation of his personal battle with alcohol abuse. Dr. Smith had a substance abuse problem during dental school but since it didn’t affect his grades, he didn’t realize he had an addiction. This is a lesson that all of us can benefit from hearing in order to expand our perception of the “typical” substance abuser. After hearing his story, we knew he would be the perfect speaker for an informative Lunch & Learn with our students and he is scheduled to come speak this January.
Body wellness is extremely important to us as dentists as well and we have made many efforts to help our students be healthy. Our school has a special “Retromolar Pad” area where dental students can go to relax or study that has been transformed into a wellness hub by making a few additions. For example, we have a quiet “crash pad” area where students can nap or relax in between classes or clinic. A Swiss ball helps students to stretch and strengthen their cores or just bounce around when they need a study break. A Theracane massaging device relieves the tension and knots accumulated during studying, as well as foam rollers to relieve back pain after a long day in clinic. Additionally, we have an “ASDA Wellness Words of Wisdom” white board that we use to write inspirational quotes, thought provoking questions, and wellness tips throughout the week. We also have a free “ASDA Little Library” where people can donate books as well as take books to read when they need a break from studying dentistry.We are currently working on scheduling a Lunch & Learn discussing the importance of proper ergonomics in dentistry. Dr. Mark Cook, the gross anatomy professor at our school will explain the anatomy involved in proper ergonomics, which muscles we should strengthen in order to maintain proper ergonomics, as well as some stretches and helpful hints in preventing strain and injury to the body after long days.
Although our Wellness Committee is only in it’s second year, we are optimistic for making it a core part of our dental school, and hope to inspire other schools to integrate a Wellness Committee into their ASDA chapters as well.
Be well ASDA!
~Hadeel Alniemi and Nate Caple, Minnesota ’18
Are you looking for more wellness resources from ASDA? Visit ASDAnet.org/Wellness for personal wellness challenges (this month’s is cultural enrichment), videos and more. Leave your comments below to share ideas on how your chapter promotes wellness!
