--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can no longer remain within our exam…" description: "\"We can no longer remain within our exam rooms and ignore what happens in our communities. As physicians and dentists, we must have a presence in both p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2db/vivek-murthy-4508_dentists_we-can-no-longer-remain-within-our-exam_844803.jpg" --- # We can no longer remain within our exam rooms and ignore… ![“We can no longer remain within our exam rooms and ignore what happens in our communities. As physicians and dentists, we must have a presence in both places. Our sacred responsibility is both to help the patient in front of us and also to safeguard the health of the nation.” quote by Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2db/vivek-murthy-4508_dentists_we-can-no-longer-remain-within-our-exam_844803.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2db/vivek-murthy-4508_dentists_we-can-no-longer-remain-within-our-exam_844803.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2db/vivek-murthy-4508_dentists_we-can-no-longer-remain-within-our-exam_844803.jpg) > “We can no longer remain within our exam rooms and ignore what happens in our communities. As physicians and dentists, we must have a presence in both places. Our sacred responsibility is both to help the patient in front of us and also to safeguard the health of the nation.” [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physicians must engage beyond clinics, addressing community health and national wellbeing. **In simple terms:** Doctors should act in both offices and communities. Key Takeaway Balance patient care with public health duties. Themes public health professional responsibility community engagement Mood concerned motivated Type advocacy ethical When to use this quote - clinic work - community outreach - policy advocacy - health education Key Concepts social determinants population health ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can clinicians integrate community work into busy schedules? - What policies support physician involvement in public health? A Different Perspective Limited resources may hinder dual roles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dentists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dentists/) [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Physicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicians/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [Dentists tell you not to pick your teeth with any sharp metal object. Then you sit in their chair and the first thing they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/dentists-tell-you-not-to-pick-your-teeth-with-any-sharp-metal-object/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [I hate dentists. That's why my tooth fell out. I was in the middle of a root canal and wouldn't go back, so it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-moss/i-hate-dentists-that-s-why-my-tooth-fell-out-i-was-in-the-middle-of-a/) [Kate Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-moss/) > [If you just heard 90 percent of dentists recommend something, it's too statistical. Nine out of 10 says: Well, it's just virtually everyone. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-luntz/if-you-just-heard-90-percent-of-dentists-recommend-something-it-s-too/) [Frank Luntz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-luntz/) > [Tooth decay was a perennial national problem that meant a mouthful of silver for patients, and for dentists a pocketful of gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-wallis/tooth-decay-was-a-perennial-national-problem-that-meant-a-mouthful-of/) Claudia Wallis > [Dentists seem to me very orderly, businesslike people who appear to become somewhat bored with the routine of their work after a period of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/dentists-seem-to-me-very-orderly-businesslike-people-who-appear-to/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [We have this culture of financialization. People think they need to make money with their savings rather with their own business. So you end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/we-have-this-culture-of-financialization-people-think-they-need-to/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [There are only two kinds of men who become dentists. The ones who love it and ones who get miserable. Think round and you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-allingham/there-are-only-two-kinds-of-men-who-become-dentists-the-ones-who-love/) [Margery Allingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-allingham/) > [“Brave out-of-the-box thinkers are transforming and renewing the conventional practice of dentistry. While most of their work is still not mainstream, these dentists and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-artemis/brave-out-of-the-box-thinkers-are-transforming-and-renewing-the/) Nadine Artemis > [Blessed are they who hold lively conversations with the helplessly mute, for they shall be called dentists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/blessed-are-they-who-hold-lively-conversations-with-the-helplessly/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [Guitar makes even have a word for these baby-boomers-who-alwyas-wanted-to-be-great-guitarists-and-now-have-the-money-to-indulge-those-dreams: dentists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-brookes/guitar-makes-even-have-a-word-for-these-baby-boomers-who-alwyas/) Tim Brookes > [If a dentist makes his money off people with unhealthy teeth, why should I trust a toothpaste that 4 out of 5 dentists recommend?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-dentist-makes-his-money-off-people-with-unhealthy-teeth-why/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only people who need degrees are dentists and brain surgeons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/the-only-people-who-need-degrees-are-dentists-and-brain-surgeons/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [It turns out dentists don't like it very much when you show up for a cleaning in full vampire gear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/it-turns-out-dentists-don-t-like-it-very-much-when-you-show-up-for-a/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [“Do you know why people hate the dentist? Visit this blog to get the detailed report on dentist and why people hate to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dental-made-easy/do-you-know-why-people-hate-the-dentist-visit-this-blog-to-get-the/) [Dental Made Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dental-made-easy/) > [Photographers, along with dentists, are the two professions never satisfied with what they do. Every dentist would like to be a doctor and inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/photographers-along-with-dentists-are-the-two-professions-never/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) ## More by Vivek Murthy > [I think people often forget how powerful they are. Sometimes it just takes one voice to save a life. When we speak up we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/i-think-people-often-forget-how-powerful-they-are-sometimes-it-just/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [We don't do enough to help older people recognize how much they matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/we-don-t-do-enough-to-help-older-people-recognize-how-much-they-matter/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [When I was Surgeon General, I spent a lot of time talking to people in living rooms and town halls all across the country,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/when-i-was-surgeon-general-i-spent-a-lot-of-time-talking-to-people-in/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [We can experience an erosion of self-esteem when we're lonely, as we come to believe that it's because we're not likable or because something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/we-can-experience-an-erosion-of-self-esteem-when-we-re-lonely-as-we/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [Climate change poses a serious, immediate and global threat to health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/climate-change-poses-a-serious-immediate-and-global-threat-to-health/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [I trained in internal medicine, and I expected most of my time would be spent on diabetes or heart disease or cancer. What I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/i-trained-in-internal-medicine-and-i-expected-most-of-my-time-would/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [I do not intend to use the Surgeon General's Office as a bully pulpit for gun control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/i-do-not-intend-to-use-the-surgeon-general-s-office-as-a-bully-pulpit/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [We know that chronic loneliness has consequences. It certainly depresses our mood. And in terms of our health, people who struggle with loneliness also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/we-know-that-chronic-loneliness-has-consequences-it-certainly/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [Gun violence is a problem that this country should be addressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/gun-violence-is-a-problem-that-this-country-should-be-addressing/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [You can be surrounded by many people but still feel quite lonely if you don't have strong connections and if you feel you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/you-can-be-surrounded-by-many-people-but-still-feel-quite-lonely-if/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [When people tell you that you're less-than and that you don't matter and that you're inferior, you internalize some of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/when-people-tell-you-that-you-re-less-than-and-that-you-don-t-matter/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [Service is a powerful pathway of getting out of loneliness. It takes the focus off of you and puts it onto someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/service-is-a-powerful-pathway-of-getting-out-of-loneliness-it-takes/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [Addiction is a chronic disease of the brain and it's one that we have to treat the way we would any other chronic illness:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/addiction-is-a-chronic-disease-of-the-brain-and-it-s-one-that-we-have/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [A lot of people have misconceptions about what the surgeon general does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/a-lot-of-people-have-misconceptions-about-what-the-surgeon-general/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [I firmly believe that everybody in America needs a safe place to walk or to wheelchair roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/i-firmly-believe-that-everybody-in-america-needs-a-safe-place-to-walk/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) [Explore all 110 Vivek Murthy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) ## More Dentists quotes > [Dentists tell you not to pick your teeth with any sharp metal object. Then you sit in their chair and the first thing they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/dentists-tell-you-not-to-pick-your-teeth-with-any-sharp-metal-object/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [“Do you know why people hate the dentist? Visit this blog to get the detailed report on dentist and why people hate to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dental-made-easy/do-you-know-why-people-hate-the-dentist-visit-this-blog-to-get-the/) [Dental Made Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dental-made-easy/) > [It turns out dentists don't like it very much when you show up for a cleaning in full vampire gear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/it-turns-out-dentists-don-t-like-it-very-much-when-you-show-up-for-a/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [The only people who need degrees are dentists and brain surgeons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/the-only-people-who-need-degrees-are-dentists-and-brain-surgeons/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [If a dentist makes his money off people with unhealthy teeth, why should I trust a toothpaste that 4 out of 5 dentists recommend?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-dentist-makes-his-money-off-people-with-unhealthy-teeth-why/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Guitar makes even have a word for these baby-boomers-who-alwyas-wanted-to-be-great-guitarists-and-now-have-the-money-to-indulge-those-dreams: dentists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-brookes/guitar-makes-even-have-a-word-for-these-baby-boomers-who-alwyas/) Tim Brookes > [Blessed are they who hold lively conversations with the helplessly mute, for they shall be called dentists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/blessed-are-they-who-hold-lively-conversations-with-the-helplessly/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [“Brave out-of-the-box thinkers are transforming and renewing the conventional practice of dentistry. While most of their work is still not mainstream, these dentists and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-artemis/brave-out-of-the-box-thinkers-are-transforming-and-renewing-the/) Nadine Artemis > [There are only two kinds of men who become dentists. The ones who love it and ones who get miserable. Think round and you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margery-allingham/there-are-only-two-kinds-of-men-who-become-dentists-the-ones-who-love/) [Margery Allingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margery-allingham/) > [We have this culture of financialization. People think they need to make money with their savings rather with their own business. So you end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/we-have-this-culture-of-financialization-people-think-they-need-to/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Dentists seem to me very orderly, businesslike people who appear to become somewhat bored with the routine of their work after a period of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/dentists-seem-to-me-very-orderly-businesslike-people-who-appear-to/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [Tooth decay was a perennial national problem that meant a mouthful of silver for patients, and for dentists a pocketful of gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-wallis/tooth-decay-was-a-perennial-national-problem-that-meant-a-mouthful-of/) Claudia Wallis > [If you just heard 90 percent of dentists recommend something, it's too statistical. Nine out of 10 says: Well, it's just virtually everyone. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-luntz/if-you-just-heard-90-percent-of-dentists-recommend-something-it-s-too/) [Frank Luntz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-luntz/) > [I hate dentists. That's why my tooth fell out. I was in the middle of a root canal and wouldn't go back, so it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-moss/i-hate-dentists-that-s-why-my-tooth-fell-out-i-was-in-the-middle-of-a/) [Kate Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-moss/) > [Photographers, along with dentists, are the two professions never satisfied with what they do. Every dentist would like to be a doctor and inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/photographers-along-with-dentists-are-the-two-professions-never/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 20 Dentists quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dentists/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We can no longer remain within our exam rooms and ignore what happens in our communities. As physicians and dentists, we must have a presence in both places. 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