Ageing as a dental professional: how to maintain purpose and identity

We hear from writer, broadcaster and speaker Judith Holder on ageing, identity and why later life deserves a different narrative – particularly for dental professionals working with an older patient base.Judith reflects on a career in television and comedy, and how stepping away from it allowed her to rediscover a sense of freedom, purpose and identity beyond work. These themes might resonate particularly strongly with dental professionals navigating high-pressure careers and thinking about life beyond the clinic.She challenges long-held stereotypes around ageing – particularly for women – and explains why feeling ‘overlooked’ or underestimated is still a common experience. The conversation asks what that means for how dental professionals communicate with and care for older patients.Judith’s turning point came when retirement created space to explore new interests and perspectives, reinforcing the idea that later life can be a period of growth, reinvention and renewed confidence.For dental professionals, the conversation offers a timely reminder that age, identity and lived experience all shape how patients engage with care – and why communication, empathy and awareness matter more than ever.Topics includeWhat ageing really feels like – versus how it’s perceivedChallenging stereotypes around older patients and colleaguesIdentity, purpose and life beyond a high-pressure careerWhy communication and language matter more than we thinkFinding balance, wellbeing and new opportunities later in life.