A large, bold, interesting – and different? – headline appeared on the front page of the Vancouver Sun on February 18, 2013 that caught our attention: Who Do We Trust?The newspaper story, based on a study conducted by Concerto Marketing Group of Vancouver, outlines in print A new survey shows how Vancouver residents trust figures and high-profile brands far less than their counterparts in Toronto. The story then goes on to show the comparison of trust of Vancouver and Toronto residents with politicians and police. Some examples indicated that 55 per cent of Toronto residents trusted Justin Trudeau compared to only 39 per cent in Vancouver. Similarly, only 36 per cent in Vancouver trusted Stephen Harper while 48 per cent in Toronto held him in trust. The same disparity in figures appeared for the RCMP – 65 per cent in Vancouver versus 78 in Toronto, and again for the city’s police forces – 8o per cent trust for Toronto and 67 for Vancouver. The basis of the research referred to West Coast skepticism that has deepened in recent years.
No, The Professional Advisory is not going to get involved in how much dentists trust politicians and police forces but it does raise an interesting query. Just who and what do we trust within the dental profession? And what is this thing called trust? As we often do when such a question arises, we turn to our “trusted” Canadian Oxford Dictionary. Here we found that for the noun of trust alone there are ten specific sections and six subsections. Among the most notable definitions are the following:
• Faith or confidence in the loyalty, veracity, reliability, strength etc., of a person or thing
• The state or condition of being trusted or relied on
• The obligation or responsibility placed on a person who is trusted or relied on
• Reliance on the truth or statement, etc., without examination
And reflecting on our march through life and the role we play in the dental profession, just Who Do We Trust? Undoubtedly – considering the dictionary terms of confidence in loyalty, veracity, reliability, strength of a person or thing – we have had to trust our parents, our friends, our teachers and dental educators to give us as close to the best as possible. And in building a dental practice of which we can be proud, how do we build that element of trust that brings patients back to our offices year after year? Pretty simple – it’s providing the best elements of oral health care possible.
And thinking about this very issue of The Professional Advisory, what and who can you trust? Certainly, you can trust Ian Toms’ advice. His article on Hiring an Advisor will fix your problems on seeking outside advice and help. You can certainly trust Mark McNulty in supporting an honourable project and cause when he seeks the help of Dentists for the Kids at Holland Bloorview. And how about your own Dental Practice: Looking Ahead. Ron Weintraub suggests that by reflecting on your past practice through a retroscope there will be a more viable future. With his novel “DENTIST” Approach to Tax Planning™ dentists can be assured in David Chong Yen’s reliability in saving tax dollars. David Rosenthal, continuing with Part 2, evokes trust – obligation of responsibility – as he outlines Non-Dentist Ownership of Dental Practices. Colin Ross calls upon trust as he reviews what’s driving prices in the current marketplace and What Will Happen toDental Practice Values in the Next 10 Years. How can you be sure – trust – your insurance needs? Simon Kay uses Five Phases to outline the elements of trust in The Life Cycle of Your Insurance Portfolio.
There’s no doubt about it. We’re continually seeking veracity, loyalty, reliability – trust – throughout life and thankfully with sincere endeavours and willing advisors we attain many aspects we can count on. And again, thankfully, we can find much to trust within the pages of The Professional Advisory. PA
