---
title: Before You React... Hit Pause!
description: You get some bad news. What do you do? HIT PAUSE! Take some time to think, then respond as best you can.
image: https://www.actdental.com/hubfs/Screenshot%202025-03-15%20at%205.41.18%20PM.png
---

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# Before You React... Hit Pause!

 

It’s a typical day at the office, then suddenly…you get some bad news. Two hygienists called in sick, and now you’re short-staffed. Not only is your schedule jampacked, but a patient just walked into your practice, and they want to be seen ASAP.

Before you react, **hit pause!**

We’re not the best versions of ourselves when we react right away. If you respond immediately, you’re bound to say something you’ll regret. When you’re hit with bad news, it’s okay to say, “Let me get back to you on that.” Walk away, and take a breather.

This is easier said than done! Dentists hate spaces in teeth, and they hate spaces in conversation. Believe me when I say this: the greater gap between stimuli and your response, the better your response will be.

You hit the pause button. Now what? How do you respond? That’s something I discussed with Katrina Sanders. Listen to [our full conversation](https://www.actdental.com/blog/675-how-do-i-respond-within-my-core-values-when-bad-things-happen-katrina-sanders) about responding within your core values.

Learn to embrace the space. You got this!

 

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[![Kirk Behrendt](https://www.actdental.com/hubfs/Screenshot%202024-01-06%20at%2011.40.13%20AM.png) ](https://www.actdental.com/blog/author/kirk)

### [Kirk Behrendt](https://www.actdental.com/blog/author/kirk)

Kirk Behrendt is a renowned consultant and speaker in the dental industry, known for his expertise in helping dentists create better practices and better lives. With over 30 years of experience in the field, Kirk has dedicated his professional life to optimizing the best systems and practices in dentistry. Kirk has been a featured speaker at every major dental meeting in the United States. His company, ACT Dental, has consistently been ranked as one of the top dental consultants in Dentistry Today's annual rankings for the past 10 years. In addition, ACT Dental was named one of the fastest-growing companies in the United States by Inc Magazine, appearing on their Inc 5000 list. Kirk's motivational skills are widely recognized in the dental industry. Dr. Peter Dawson of The Dawson Academy has referred to Kirk as "THE best motivator I have ever heard." Kirk has also assembled a trusted team of advisor experts who work with dentists to customize individual solutions that meet their unique needs. When he's not motivating dentists and their teams, Kirk enjoys coaching his children's sports teams and spending time with his amazing wife, Sarah, and their four children, Kinzie, Lily, Zoe, and Bo.

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