Minimalism versus clutter

As I visit practices I notice that very few are models of organisation while most have 10 feet of bench space all totally covered with clutter.

Clutter destroys the ability to work efficiently.

As dentists we often collect a whole plethora of instruments and materials so we have just the right thing for every conceivable situation. I was in a practice recently where they laid out 15 hand instruments just to do a simple filling.

As an exercise try cutting the number of instruments and materials that you need. Reduce everything to the absolute bare minimum consistent with doing a quality job.

Ask yourself: Do I really need 3 sizes of excavators? Do I need 6 different composite restorative systems each with a full range of shades? Do I need a kit containing 9 burs to prepare a crown?

As an example as to where to start, many dentists typically have drawers full of burs of all conceivable shapes and sizes. By contrast, the pictured kit meets pretty much all restorative needs with only 8 burs.

If you don't do minimal intervention dentistry or inlays you can even eliminate #3 and #4 bringing the count down to just 6.

If you embrace the concept of minimalism you'll find that your work will run much more efficiently. You won't be wasting time hunting for instruments and burs and deciding what to use.