"Just as blood is a fact of your physical body and nothing you invented, creativity is a fact of your spiritual body and nothing that you must invent." — Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way
It's not just those yellow ribbons welcoming our boys and girls home that make me smile this summer. There is magic in the air. The never-ending rains have brought the magic of summer flowers — the blooms of the pink mountain laurel and orange flame azaleas. Yesterday I saw a white, glistening Indian pipe near a babbling mountain stream while taking my first fly fishing lesson.
It's also time for new directions in the balancing act before the hustle and bustle of fall. It's time to explore new creative interests and catch up on summer reading. Cyrano's, the bookstore near my mountain retreat, was open June 21 from midnight to 1 a.m. to celebrate the release of the new Harry Potter book, Order of the Phoenix. In my cabin, I hear the words of Queen Titania in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream ringing over the Appalachians: "Hand in hand, with fairy grace, Will we sing, and bless this place."
This edition of WDJ is inspired by the summery boughs and the intricate lives of women dentists across the country. Mary Catherine Bateson's book, Composing a Life, talks about the seasons in women's lives — like rich, varied mosaics changing with the seasons. Similarly, this edition of WDJ celebrates the mosaic of magic, wisdom, and power in women dentists' lives — women who are balancing their lives with meaningful work and play!
We feature Dr. Carlene Mendieta, a periodontist in California, who captured both the flight and the insouciance of Amelia Earhart. We also cameo several women dentists exploring new directions outside the dental office, such as deep within the ocean or creating art all around. Our clinical feature is by Dr. Janet Hatcher Rice, the incoming president of the Academy of Laser Dentistry, discussing the magic of lasers in minimally invasive tooth preparations. Then there is more power from Linda Miles about women working with women, and Sally McKenzie guides us with her wisdom about team skills. The magic of creating a beautiful, new smile is reflected in Dr. Debra Gray King's clinical case, featured in the popular TV show, "Extreme Makeover." When Dr. King cemented the case, her patient hugged her in gratitude for the beauty of a glistening, new smile. Read also about the value of study clubs and uses for digital cameras in creating magic for our patients.
We anxiously await your feedback about achieving balance in your life this summer. Send us your nominations by Sept. 1 for recognizing those who support women dentists in all areas of their lives.
Summertime: Fish are jumping!
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Wordsworth says it best in his beloved poem, Tintern Abbey: "While with an eye made quiet by the power of harmony, and the deep power of joy, we see into the life of things."
Visit WDJ's Web site at www.wdjournal.com ... and have a great summer!
Margaret I. Scarlett, DMD
Dr. Scarlett is the editor of Woman Dentist Journal. She can be contacted by email at [email protected].
We welcome letters to the editor. Please email your letters to mscarlett@ pennwell.com. Include your name and the city and state where you practice.
As a leader in dentistry, we want to know about YOU! Please send us a short biographical note and two different photographs of yourself or a colleague to consider for use on a future WDJ cover. Mail them to Dr. Margaret Scarlett, Managing Editor/WDJ, 175 17th St., Atlanta, GA 30309.
We also want to recognize outstanding leaders in dentistry. These can be either women or men who have provided support for women's leadership in dentistry or advanced women's oral health. Leaders will be featured in our November/December issue of WDJ.
Please send the name of the individual, his or her skills, and the reason why you have selected that person, along with your name and contact information. All nominations must be received by Sept. 1, 2003.
