The Importance of Sacrifice

When we talk about giving back, I feel that it is necessary to comment on all those people in our dental profession who have given so much to our community. Giving back usually requires the giver to forfeit something of value; this often involves giving of his or her personal time or finances, but it can also involve sharing knowledge, insight, and/or inspiration. In our small dental community, each of these "gives" means so much to the future of our profession.

Although each of the aforementioned ways may present some sacrifice on the part of the giver, from my own observation, the acts are usually done voluntarily without the expectation of reward. Over the past 2 years, we have all sacrificed and many have given so much without any real acknowledgment. As much as the world has been thrown for a few loops while battling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have undoubtedly witnessed many challenges associated with running our businesses. We have been faced with limited supplies, limited workers, increased costs of the goods and services we utilize, and unnecessary price gouging on some of our basic needs.

Today, as war tears through our larger communities, I hope that we will still have the resilience to sacrifice a little more for a little longer—not just for our community but for the larger scope of our country and world. When the price of our materials rose in the past, I am sure that many of us may have tried to pass some of these costs on to our customers in addition to absorbing whatever possible while working to have the value of our work appreciated and to maintain the support of well-earned prior relationships with our patients and clients. As we pull up to the gas station and pay more than we have in decades, I hope that we can have the resolve at this moment in time to band together.

It is said that a few people make a huge difference and that we can create the world in which we want to live. In these times of crisis and struggle, I hope that we will join together in a unified front, for the better good of all, even if our give back costs a little more than we would like.

Peter Pizzi, MDT, CDT
Editor-in-Chief
ppizzi@aegiscomm.com