Fear is your friend

If you haven’t already, I strongly recommend listening to the January 5, 2026, edition of The Current on CBC, which features an interview with Joe MacInnis.

At 88 years old, Dr. MacInnis has lived a life most of us could not imagine. Widely regarded as one of Canada’s pre-eminent underwater researchers, his career reads like an adventure novel. He built Canada’s first underwater research station, led the team that created the world’s first manned underwater station in the Arctic Ocean, and became the first scientist to dive beneath the North Pole.

Along the way, he even consulted with filmmaker James Cameron while Cameron was preparing to direct Titanic, helping ensure the film authentically captured the spirit and realities of the grand old ship.

Originally trained as a medical doctor, Dr. MacInnis combined his formal education with decades of hands-on experience to help design breathing systems and protective suits that allow divers to operate safely in some of the most extreme environments on Earth—particularly the brutally cold Arctic waters.

One moment from the interview was especially striking. Dr. MacInnis described what it was like to dive beneath the ice at the North Pole—a place where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet, where all time zones converge into a single, small circle. It was the kind of description that makes you stop what you are doing and listen a little more closely.

Interestingly, he explained that being under the ice was not the most dangerous part. The real threat was the water itself. In those freezing temperatures, an unprotected diver would survive mere minutes.

When asked how he could willingly expose himself to such danger, his response was simple and memorable:

“Fear is a friend.”

Dr. MacInnis went on to explain that life is part of a grand continuum. We are here briefly, leaving behind a legacy through our children, grandchildren, and the work we do. Our lives, he suggested, are short blips in time—and if we want to live them fully, we cannot allow ourselves to be paralyzed by fear.

Instead, fear should be treated as a companion. One that walks alongside us, challenges us, and keeps us alert—but one that does not get to decide our path unless we allow it to.

When fear becomes your friend, something interesting happens. You are able to commit to the task in front of you. You plan more carefully. You think through scenarios. You prepare for what could go wrong. Like any good friend, fear asks hard questions—but it does not stop you from moving forward.

So how does this apply to dentistry?

Dentistry today exists in a near-constant state of change. Technology continues to evolve at a pace that feels faster every year, with artificial intelligence now entering conversations that once seemed safely futuristic. Industry consolidation is forcing practice owners to make difficult decisions: Do you align with larger groups, or double down on becoming more competitive and distinctive as an independent practice?

At the same time, global events continue to drive up supply costs, leaving many dentists asking the same uncomfortable questions: How much of this can the practice absorb? How much can realistically be passed along to patients?

Layer on top of that persistent staffing shortages, rising labour costs, and increasing pressure on team morale—and it is no wonder many dental leaders feel stretched thin.

So how do you adapt? How do you evolve? What steps do you take to remain relevant in a profession that often feels like it is moving one step ahead of you?

For many, the most tempting option is to do nothing. To tell yourself things are “good enough” for now. To worry that making the wrong decision could make things worse—so it feels safer not to make a decision at all.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: choosing not to change is still a decision. And more often than not, it is a decision rooted in fear.

Now imagine approaching this differently. What if fear were your friend?

What if, instead of letting it run unchecked in the background, you invited it into the conversation? You acknowledged the concerns it raises. You listened to what it is warning you about—and then you went for a walk with it.

You start asking better questions. You seek out data. You talk things through with your leadership team or trusted advisors. You develop a plan, refining it as you go, making it as thoughtful and resilient as possible.

We know 2026 will bring a mix of new challenges and familiar ones—some of which may feel heavier simply because they have been allowed to linger for too long. Left unchecked, they can wear you down mentally, erode profitability, or both.

The fear of taking action will be there regardless. That part is unavoidable. What is within your control is how you respond to that fear.

Because there’s a meaningful difference between being held by fear or embracing it.

One keeps you stuck. The other helps you move forward—deliberately, thoughtfully, and with purpose. And in a changing dental world, that difference matters more than ever.