The Green Zone

Guest post from  David Hennington, DDS 

Greetings from Austin, Texas! I’m David Hennington, an EDA member since 2009 and a practicing general dentist since 1987.  Having experienced the daily physical, mental, and emotional challenges each dental worker bee knows all too well, I have a good idea of the toll our chosen profession can take on both the mind and the body. Fortunately for me, my wife and I walked into a yoga class on the recommendation of a friend in 1998. From that point, my yoga practice has evolved incrementally over the years, from a yoga class once every week or two to the daily yoga and meditation practice it is today.

The benefits of this journey are too numerous to list in the limited space here, but include an improved ability to deal with stressful situations with a greater sense of calm, increased strength and flexibility of both body and mind, and prevention of the onset of most of the musculoskeletal issues associated with being a 50-something dentist.

Interestingly, I have found there are many parallels between the goals and purpose of yoga and the EDA:

• A holistic, wellness focus
• Cultivation of an awareness of how each thought, action, etc. can have a significant short and long term impact
• A desire to break out of conditioned ways of thinking and acting in order to better serve others and our communities as a whole
• An attitude of non-harming towards ourselves, others, and everything else on this crazy rock called Earth

After completing a teacher training program and receiving my certification to teach, I became interested in sharing with others in dentistry all the positive gifts that yoga continues to give me. I have developed sequences that are specifically designed to address many of the physical/mental/emotional issues that are commonly seen with dental personnel (and their partners), and the EDA has graciously asked me to lead classes that use them from 7:30-8:30 am on each morning of the Green Dentistry Conference in May. It will be a great way to start the day and prep you for all the exciting activities the EDA has planned, so come breathe and move with us.

Never been to a yoga class? No problem! It will be friendly for the beginner and seasoned yogi alike, and a great environment for your first yoga experience.

I welcome any questions, comments, or suggestions, so feel free to contact me at doc@tradewindsdental.com.

See you in Utah!

David