Wisdom Tooth Trauma = Workplace Wisdom

“Novocaine is really all you will probably need.”

I nodded my head in oblivion as the dentist was talking to me during the prep stage of my wisdom teeth extraction.

There I was, in the dentist chair, feeling vulnerable as I was reflecting on my less than enjoyable experiences in a similar dentist office setting over 20 years earlier enduring many difficult orthodontia procedures. 

However, I was confident I could tough out the wisdom tooth extractions (all four of them) with just Novocaine. 

I really didn’t like the idea of full anesthesia and I mean, how hard could it be? 

The dentist seemed confident, and based on his initial assessment, his recommendation for just Novocaine was good enough for me. 

90-minutes-of-agony later, after writhing in pain, squirming in the dentist chair, completely exhausted from flexing every muscle in my body, watching the concentration on my dentist’s face become even more focused, and after multiple rounds of Novocaine, things did not feel right. 

Three of the wisdom teeth “popped” out in the first 30 minutes…but the fourth one, the lower left tooth, didn’t budge…even after 60 minutes of every trick the dentist threw at it. 

There was blood.

There was mucus.

And yes, there were teeth fragments flying. 

It was ugly. 

I could tell the dentist was getting discouraged, because the last thing he wanted was for me to endure this prolonged procedure. The tension in the room was climbing, and all I wanted to do was cry (ok...I might have cried a little). 

Another dentist came in to assist (2 for the price of 1) and he recommended we get another x-ray of that tooth.

I fully welcomed the x-ray for 2 reasons:

1. I could take a few minutes and rest from the exhausting extraction process.
2. They could pause, assess, and get a clear picture of what was preventing that tooth from coming out.

The x-ray came back a few minutes later and they shared with me something that I never even thought possible.

“It appears the roots of this particular tooth have fused to your jaw bone.”

“Excuse me, whaaa?” (I wasn't able to add a "t" to the end of the word "what" because my mouth was propped open so widely). 

“No amount of pulling on this tooth will work, we will need to try something different.” 

I had no energy left to ask more questions. But I was relieved now knowing the reason why every time they yanked on that tooth, it felt like my toes were curling. 

At this point, all I wanted was to be at home and in my bed, so ANY solution that helped accomplish that goal would be a welcomed solution. 

“Our only option is to completely drill the tooth out.”

2 hours earlier I would have said, “No way.” But at this point in the process I said, “Do whatever it takes.”

They administered a fourth Novocaine shot to that tooth, fired up the drill, and dug deep. 

Later that evening, the dentist called me at home to check on me and told me, “That was the most difficult wisdom tooth extraction I have ever done.” The acknowledgement of the difficulty of that day, the kindness in voice, and the intentionality of that phone call was definitely appreciated.

My hope is that no one since has received a similar phone call. 

I still go to the same dentist office. I trust them because even though the experience I had several years ago was challenging (and unforgettable), they did what was necessary to resolve a complex issue. They navigated, with expertise and care, a challenging situation. They paused midstream and took the time to assess again in order to gain clarity on their next steps. 

Here are three wisdom tooth extraction lessons that may help increase your workplace culture wisdom:

Lesson #1: EVERY person brings to a team and to a company past experiences, uncertainties, fears, and trauma that need to be stewarded with sensitivity by the leader.

Lesson #2: The RIGHT kind of assessment (not just the assessment that is the most convenient or “the one we’ve always used”) is vital to define the current reality and prevent future harm.

Lesson #3: The most appropriate SOLUTION can only be determined when we take the time to combine our competencies, problem solving skills, and commitment to fully care for the needs of others…this is the way of trust. 

If you are a leader who is experiencing a challenging and troubling workplace dynamic:

1. Pause
2. Assess
3. Self-reflect
4. Take action on trust. 

Live out your trust proposition by taking action on truth.