Greetings! Dr. Hennington here! Since 1987, I have had the pleasure of being a dentist and helping my patients lead happier and healthier lives! Living a happier, healthier, and more balanced life is important for all of us, and each profession often comes with physical, mental, and emotional challenges – being a dentist is certainly no exception!
In our day-to-day lives, no matter what we do, we all experience a toll on both our minds and bodies. 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 they 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.
As a dentist committed to the practice of the most conscientious green dentistry, interestingly enough, I have found there are many parallels between the goals and purpose of yoga and green dentistry:
• 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 who work within the dental field 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 I was fortunate to have the Eco-Dentistry Association graciously ask me to lead classes on each morning of an upcoming Green Dentistry Conference in May!
I am thrilled to have this upcoming opportunity, and I truly believe it will be a great way to start the day and prep my colleagues for all the exciting activities the EDA has planned!
If you have never been to a yoga class, I would personally encourage you to take the first step towards finding all of the incredible rewards yoga offers! As always, I welcome any of your questions, comments, and suggestions – please don’t hesitate to talk with me at your next appointment, or connect with us on our Facebook page!