What Really Holds You Together?

Here’s a question: What’s the most important part of your office chair? The seat that supports you through back-to-back appointments? The backrest that keeps you upright during those long procedures? The armrests?

Here’s the thing—it’s none of those. It’s the screws. Those tiny, hidden fasteners you never think about. Without them, everything collapses. Life works the same way.

The Invisible Architecture

As dental professionals, you know this better than most. Your patients see the crown, but you know it’s the prep work that matters. They notice the smile, but you understand it’s the periodontal health and the daily habits they don’t think about.

The same is true for your life. It’s not always the big, visible things holding you together. It’s the quiet morning routine before the practice opens. The faith that grounds you when a case doesn’t go as planned. The family waiting for you at home. The friend who checks in. The culture of appreciation at your practice.

These invisible supports shape who you are and how you show up—not just at work, but in every aspect of your life.

Before You Carve the Turkey

This Thanksgiving, before you dig into dinner, take a moment. Look past the obvious things you’re grateful for—the full schedule, the successful cases, the growing practice. Think about the screws: those unseen supports.

The people at home who keep you grounded each day. The support team that keeps your practice running smoothly. Your good health that lets you show up every day. The resilience you’ve built through the tough moments. The values that guide your decisions, even when they’re difficult.

These are the things that keep you together when everything else tries to pull you apart. They’re the foundation that holds steady when challenges come. They deserve recognition—don’t forget to thank them.