How to spend the Odyssey period of a dentist

Have you ever had such a moment——

At two o’clock in the morning, closing the thick dental anatomy notebook, the eyelids were fighting while the brain was repeatedly confirming the course of the mandibular nerve canal. You looked out the window at the pitch black night sky, then at the small mountain of study materials piled up on the table, and suddenly asked yourself: What am I sticking to?

This question may not have an answer. Alternatively, the answer is like a lighthouse in the distance, with dim light and shrouded in thick fog.

If you are experiencing all of this, then you may have entered your own ‘Odyssey period’.

This statement has been very popular recently. It originates from the Homeric epic and tells the story of a long, wandering and trial filled journey back home. Odyssey took ten years to return to his hometown. In these ten years, he had confusion, difficulties, and countless self doubts, but he never stopped paddling.

For you who are preparing for the Hong Kong Dental Licensing Examination(HKDLE), this period of preparation is an odyssey in your career.

In our industry, we are accustomed to things that are certain. Caries should be cleaned thoroughly, the root canal should be filled in place, and the impression should be clear and free of bubbles. Every step has standards, and every operation has right or wrong.

But preparing for exams is full of uncertainty.

You may wonder: I have been away from campus for several years now. No matter how proficient I am in clinical operations, can I still pick up the theoretical details of the written test? Or perhaps you have just graduated and lack sufficient practical experience, feeling uncertain when facing clinical exams.

There is also a language barrier. The examination system in Hong Kong uses English or Cantonese. Even if your clinical skills are good, if you get stuck in communication, it’s like having a beautiful surgery but not getting the anesthesia right, the whole process is torture.

What’s even more distressing is the feeling of loneliness. Colleagues around may be busy with planting, orthodontic cases, and welcoming new patients. No one understands why you still have to study those big textbooks after work. You seem to be rowing a small boat alone, drifting on the vast sea, unable to see land or find companions.

Please remember that Odyssey has also doubted his direction countless times while drifting on the sea. Confusion does not mean you are weak, it only means you have chosen a farther path. That path leads to a professional qualification in Hong Kong, a broader career space, and a better version of oneself. The distant island does exist, but the fog is too heavy and you can’t see it yet.

There is a very inspiring detail in the story of Odyssey. He didn’t start thinking about ten years away. He was just thinking about how to avoid the storm today, how to dock and replenish fresh water tomorrow, and how to deal with those troublesome monsters the day after tomorrow.

The same applies to preparing for the Hong Kong Dental License.

The entire exam is divided into three parts: written test, practice, and clinical evaluation, which looks like a high mountain. You will feel at a loss. But the method of climbing high mountains is very simple, just look at the two steps under your feet.

Break down the big goal. Today, instead of reading the entire oral surgery book, let’s focus on the chapter on temporomandibular joint. This week, I don’t require myself to complete 100 questions, just sort out the wrong questions in the dental pulp section. Without worrying about how to pass the practical exam, let’s first distinguish between the extraction forceps in mainland China and Hong Kong.

Every time you achieve a small goal, give yourself a thumbs up in your heart. All long-distance travelers must learn this survival skill of obtaining positive feedback. Without these tiny positive feedbacks, people will lose their strength in the long darkness.

Odyssey is not fighting alone. He has a crew, although sometimes the crew is not very reliable, he always has companions.

You don’t need to bear all the pressure alone.

Find those who are preparing for exams like you. There are too many dentists in Zhengxi Education who are in the same situation as you. Some people secretly memorize questions during breaks at the clinic, some still insist on attending live classes with their children, some have taken the exam twice without giving up, and finally passed the third time.

You will find that everyone has collapsed in the late night, doubted their lives in the face of low scores in mock exams, and thought otherwise.

But you will also find that those who eventually make it to shore have only persevered a short distance longer than you. With companions paddling together, the sound of the waves doesn’t sound so scary.

Some people tend to go to extremes during the preparation period. Some people only bury their heads in books and completely detach themselves from clinical practice; Some people are only busy with clinical practice and simply give up reviewing. Neither of these methods is advisable.

Odyssey also needs to fish and repair ships during its voyage. You can’t forget that you’re a sailor just to reach your destination.

For dentists who are preparing for exams, daytime work itself is the best training ground. Communication skills during reception, precision in operation, and decisiveness in handling emergencies are all things that need to be tested in the exam.

Bring back the cases encountered in clinical practice to books for verification. Today I had a complex root canal treatment, and when I got home, I flipped through the chapter on root canal treatment to see what the theory says. Today I encountered a difficult obstructed tooth extraction, so I will investigate the types of variations in the mandibular nerve canal.

When books and clinical practice complement each other, knowledge becomes less dull. You will also find that you are actually making progress every day, but this progress is not as obvious as the score from practicing questions.

Why can Odyssey persist for ten years? Because he always knew in his heart that he wanted to go home, to his Penelope.

Where is your home?

Perhaps one day I will obtain a Hong Kong dental license and have my own clinic next to Victoria Harbour. Perhaps it’s providing a different educational environment for your child, perhaps a higher income to relieve financial pressure, or perhaps a simple career challenge where you want to prove yourself capable.

Whatever the meaning is, concretize it. Stick a night view of Hong Kong in front of your desk. Replace your phone wallpaper with a photo of Victoria Peak. Every time you feel like you can’t hold on, close your eyes and think about what you will be doing in three years.

This is not a fantasy, this is the future that is happening. The only difference is that some people give up early, while others walk step by step.

Odyssey finally returned to his hometown. But he didn’t park there. He knows that life is a series of voyages.

The process of preparing for the Hong Kong Dental License Exam(HKDLE) is not just about obtaining a certificate.

You have learned to remain calm in uncertainty, find strength in loneliness, and maintain patience in the long run. These qualities are more precious than the license itself. They will accompany you through every difficult journey, whether it’s the challenge of opening a clinic or the transformation of your career.

So, if you are currently on this ship, feeling nauseous due to wind and waves, and unable to see the light in the darkness.

We want to tell you that your Odyssey period was the proudest time of your life. Only those who dare to venture into the deep sea will encounter real storms. And after passing through the storms, you will also meet your true self.

Continue paddling. Before dawn, it’s the darkest.

But you’re already on your way.