These textbooks offer new, refreshing information on professional competencies, evidence-based decision making, technology and the ethical responsibilities that should be considered and conducted in the professional careers of dental hygienists and applied into practice every day.
These textbooks offer new, refreshing information on professional competencies, evidence-based decision making, technology and the ethical responsibilities that should be considered and conducted in the professional careers of dental hygienists and applied into practice every day.
SAVVY SUCCESS: Achieving Professional Excellence and Career Satisfaction in the Dental Hygiene Profession Volume I: You-Roles-Practice Environment
SAVVY SUCCESS: Achieving Professional Excellence and Career Satisfaction in the Dental Hygiene Profession Volume I: You-Roles-Practice Environment
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Overview
These textbooks offer new, refreshing information on professional competencies, evidence-based decision making, technology and the ethical responsibilities that should be considered and conducted in the professional careers of dental hygienists and applied into practice every day.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781477253601 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 07/20/2012 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 30 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
Read an Excerpt
SAVVY SUCCESS
Achieving Professional Excellence and Career Satisfaction in the Dental Hygiene ProfessionBy Christine Hovliaras
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2012 Christine HovliarasAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4772-0582-2
Chapter One
Defining Who You AreBy Christine A. Hovliaras, RDH, BS, MBA, CDE
Learning Objectives
The student dental hygienist and dental hygiene professional will learn the following key objectives from this chapter:
1. Identify who you are, what made you select the dental hygiene position you currently hold, determine the type of dental hygiene professional you want to become and what it takes to continue to empower yourself in the profession.
2. Identify the key elements that allow dental hygienists to continue to work in the dental hygiene profession.
3. Create a list of personal and professional traits that you believe will help you to continue your career as3. a dental hygienist.
Overview
Discovering a path in the dental hygiene profession does not end in dental hygiene school. It is a life-long journey that requires some introspection, research and personal and professional development. It is a wonderful journey that connects professionals in a diverse and dynamic field that offers new opportunity to expand one's career and provide our patients an environment of health and oral wellness. Those who have lost that spark of passion and inspiration in this field for dental hygiene may find renewal in taking continuing education courses to enhance their knowledge base and by researching new roles that will assist their pursuit of the right avenue in the dental hygiene profession.
Dame Margot Fonteyn was once quoted: "The one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one's work seriously and taking one's self seriously. The first is imperative and the second disastrous."
We may not all agree that taking one's self seriously is disastrous. In my career, it has proved necessary in order to take myself seriously many times to achieve goals and access opportunities that I felt I had to achieve.
Most dental hygiene professionals and those pursuing a degree in it are serious about work. From the first day of the first course dental hygiene students take in approved dental hygiene programs, they know that this is a healthcare profession that requires its practitioners to have knowledge of gross anatomy, oral-systemic link, pharmacology and dental-medical recommendations, to name but a few fields of study it encompasses. It is a serious profession; one in which practitioners have the power to influence outcomes of either one patient at a time or entire communities. What is required to prepare for this responsibility and the exciting challenges ahead? Dental hygiene professionals need to spend time considering where their careers might go and who those careers might influence.
Defining Who You Are
"Compassionate, caring and kind?"
"Optimistic, energetic and persuasive?"
"Diplomatic, reserved and flexible?"
What short strand of words defines each individual? Everyone at one point or another in their personal development considers who they are. If they don't spend time thinking about it, a wise parent, friend or teacher along the way is certain to introduce the topic!
If professionals could engage someone else to write about them, that story would emerge quite different from the one they would write on their own. In order, to be accurate and true to ambitions that best fit individual personality, it is good to do some self-searching.
No matter in what area of the profession a dental hygienist resides – a student, a new clinician, or an experienced professional – it is certain that the individual probably entered the profession with a lot of curiosity, a measure of ambition and a desire to help others. These were some of the top characteristics mentioned to me as I conducted interviews with more than 45 dental hygiene professionals for this new first edition textbook. These are the characteristics that led many individuals into the profession and helped them keep their careers fresh and exciting.
Why Become a Dental Hygienist?
Mary Calka, RDH, a graduate of the Fones School of Dental Hygiene at the University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT, recalled that her earliest career goal was to help others.
"I wanted to work with people and do something that would help improve their health or quality of life," said Calka, who started her career as a dental assistant following high school. After working as a dental assistant for a few years, she decided she wanted to do more. "I became a dental hygienist," Calka continued.
Carlos Sanchez, RDH, BSDH, MPH, a 2008 graduate of the dental hygiene program at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry, also started as a dental assistant – 12 years before he graduated from dental hygiene school.
"As early as I can recall, my niche has always been helping people out, particularly in a medical sense. I grew up in a family of dental healthcare professionals," Sanchez commented. His father and brother are dentists and a few aunts are dental hygienists. The family didn't force him into the field, Sanchez noted; he was just exposed to it at an early age.
"I wanted to place myself in a unique situation to enrich the lives of others," he said.
Justin Bordessa, RDH, who has practiced since 2004, felt drawn to dental hygiene after struggling with oral health issues in his teens. He noticed during numerous recall visits "that the employees at the dental practice liked their positions and being at work. That initially sparked my interest." He eventually took a position as a sterilization assistant in a private dental practice to further explore oral healthcare options.
What fired his ambition was his interest "to help people not go through the problems I went through." It was the same year that a dental hygiene school opened at Santa Rosa Junior College (CA), in his home town – talk about coincidence.
For 29-year career veteran Donna Grzegorek, RDH, a person entering dental hygiene should be a health advocate.
"We have to practice what we preach. As healthcare providers, we must be committed to life-long learning. We have to have a burning desire to provide the most effective, comprehensive and updated therapies available and that requires a constant search for new information," Grzegorek said.
"The most successful dental hygienists I have encountered were enthusiastic, passionate and responsible. I viewed them as very intelligent, detailed individuals who were able to communicate effectively and who provided leadership when called upon to do so," Grzegorek concluded.
These stories are similar to my own. My passion for the dental hygiene profession began when I was 14 years old and in stainless-steel braces on my maxillary arch. I had a wonderful orthodontist who had a dynamic dental team, and they took great pride in reinforcing good oral hygiene habits with their patients. Besides their never-ending encouragement to keep my mouth biofilm-free, the thing that most influenced me to become a dental hygienist was a before-and-after picture on the operatory wall that said it all.
The picture revealed several things. First, it showed before-and-after shots of a patient with good oral hygiene; one side captured her tenure with orthodontics, and the other side showed her smile after the orthodontics were removed. In this picture, there was no gingivitis or development of plaque biofilm on the orthodontic bands and wires, and after the braces were removed, the teeth were beautiful and straight. The other picture was of another patient who did not conduct good oral hygiene practices at home. There was gingivitis and an accumulation of plaque biofilm on every tooth, the orthodontic bands and wires. In the shot showing when the braces were removed, there was decalcification on the enamel and a significant amount of gingivitis. I only had to see that picture once! I became a fanatic about cleaning my teeth. I used a floss threader and performed fabulous brushing technique so I would not look like the patient with poor oral hygiene. My smile and having healthy teeth were very important to me.
After my braces were removed, my teeth looked fabulous and white, and I was proud that I took very good care of them. At that time in high school, my aspiration was to be a lawyer. After my experience with braces, becoming a dental hygiene professional overcame the desire for a law degree.
I actually applied to two dental hygiene programs – one was at the Forsyth School in Boston and the other was at Fairleigh S. Dickinson, Jr., College of Dental Medicine (FDUCDM) in New Jersey. I was accepted to Forsyth, but didn't know if I wanted to go to Boston to go to school. I did not get accepted to Fairleigh Dickinson's Dental Hygiene Program that year, but decided to begin my prerequisite courses for the four-year degree at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU). After a year, I reapplied to the dental hygiene program. I did get accepted for the dental hygiene program in September 1982 and jumped in with both feet to become the best dental hygiene student I could become. It was a big "status thing" to become accepted in dental hygiene on our campus. There were a lot of applicants, and only a small number of dental hygiene students were accepted into the program. Plus, we had a wonderful dental school program, and the dental students worked with the dental hygiene students on certain rotations. It was a fabulous place to go to college.
It was in the plan for me to go to FDUCDM and through that decision, the rest of my opportunities followed me. Prior to beginning my first year of dental hygiene school, my mother, Ruth Ann, suggested that I get a job as a dental assistant to make sure that dentistry was the right career option for me. I agreed with her and began working part time during the summer at the lucrative dental practice of Drs. Cohen and Schwartz in Budd Lake, NJ. Little did I know they had a periodontist in the practice with whom I would become friends. His name was Dr. Jeffrey M. Gordon and he also worked as faculty in the Department of Periodontology at FDUCDM.
Dr. Gordon was the best mentor I could ever have. He is a fabulous periodontist, great dental researcher and a wonderful role model. I also worked with Dr. Ira Lamster in the FDUCDM Dental Research Center, with Dr. Gordon. When they started a practice together in 1983, I had the honor of working with them the first year as their receptionist and dental assistant. Dr. Lamster left the practice after a year, Dr. Gordon took it over, and I continued to work with him for 16 years.
Interestingly enough, Dr. Gordon had trained with Dr. Socransky at Forsyth School of Dental Medicine. He left Boston and came to New Jersey. Talk about timing and making decisions. If I had not met Dr. Gordon, I would not have gained the opportunities in dental research and periodontology as a dental hygienist. My experiences starting in his practice as his receptionist, dental assistant and then dental hygienist, paired well with making it a success through hard work and perseverance. I began working as a research dental hygienist at FDUCDM for five years testing an antibiotic, clindamycin, on refractory periodontitis patients and then testing oral care products on reducing plaque and gingivitis. These research efforts led to publishing and presenting our research at the American Association and International Association for Dental Research Meetings from 1984-1989. It was an exciting time, and our research center at FDUCDM was well respected. I accomplished all of this while pursuing a Masters in Business Administration at night at FDU School of Business for four years and working two jobs in clinical practice and research and a part-time clinical instructor position in the dental hygiene department.
After five years at FDUCDM, I left my position in 1989 to pursue a Clinical Research Scientist position with the Warner-Lambert Company. The dental school closed in 1990. I closed one door, and another door of opportunity opened for me. I continued to work with Dr. Gordon for 16 years as his dental hygienist – what a great journey it was!
Keeping Professionals in the Dental Hygiene Field
Opportunity is the primary element that keeps professionals in any line of work, and it is no different for careers in dental hygiene.
Grzegorek described her personal success story as an evolutionary process "that will continue to unfold until the day I retire!" She added: "I have said yes to every professional opportunity that came my way." A life-long learner, Grzegorek's desire to persistently improve herself professionally "has put me in proximity with some of the brightest leaders in the profession."
When asked how she achieved career success, Grzegorek described it like this: "I consider myself to be at the helm of my ship sailing the sea. I am determined to dock at every destination point. I want to experience it all!" Calka, who has been an RDH for 28 years, always felt there were other aspects of the profession to explore and let her curiosity guide her information gathering. This willingness to ask questions and provide her own input led her to many wonderful opportunities.
"When I was a dental hygienist in private practice, one of the sales representatives had complimented me saying that every time she sent me product samples, I was the only one who called her back to let her know that something had changed," Calka shared. "That was when I was invited to be on the Oral-B advisory board. It was a two-year commitment that allowed me to learn more about corporate integration and how corporate and dental hygiene work together."
The board was comprised of 10 dental hygienists from across the country who met twice a year with the upper management and development staff. Calka enjoyed the interaction on marketing strategies and new developments.
Calka's experience on the Oral-B advisory board further fueled exploration of other areas of dental hygiene. She eventually took a part-time position in product education with OraPharma, Inc. "My role was to go into various dental practices and teach the staff the proper use of the product, ARESTIN®," she commented. Everyone could benefit by following Calka and Grzegorek's examples. As opportunities arise, take them. One never knows where opportunities will lead and what lessons may be learned along the way. A chance opportunity may lead dental hygiene professionals to meet someone they otherwise may not have encountered. It is good to be confident about capabilities and experience, but I have learned it is also good to be humble at the same time. I always am learning something from others within the dental profession and in business.
The Dental Hygiene Position You Hold
The many options available in dental hygiene today will be covered in Chapters 2 and 5, however, it bears mention at this point that roles in this profession suit a variety of professional work styles.
Calka, for example, wanted to get into a community health setting. "It was the only part of the dental hygiene career path I had not touched on at that time," she recalled. With some help from colleagues and friends in the profession, she found entry into community health centers.
"Now I manage and work with the public school system in a mobile dental hygiene program," she said, explaining that she and her team move the equipment during the school year from school to school. The program delivers a variety of preventive care from examinations and fluoride treatments to applying dental sealants. In the months when school is not in session, Calka works in the community health center in Norwalk, CT, treating a variety of patients from children to the elderly to those who have been diagnosed as HIV positive.
Sanchez, who is currently working as a clinical dental hygienist in a private dental practice and as a clinical instructor at the USC School of Dentistry, is plotting a similar course. He recently completed a Master in Public Health degree.
"I want to reach out to some of these communities and populations that are underprivileged," he commented. "Dental hygiene offers a unique ability to interact with individuals. I am constantly interacting with people from all walks of life. You get different perspectives on life. You get to know your patients. I hope to be a positive impact on them – and vice versa."
Bordessa daily makes in-roads to understanding patient reaction to treatment as a clinician in a general practice that offers sedation dentistry.
"Sedation dentistry attracts patients who can be fearful or phobic. By developing my verbal and non-verbal skills and clinical approach, I have improved their attitudes toward oral health in general, making their visits easier. This helps to ensure a long-term professional relationship in which I can do my best to keep them healthy. Along with this comes the reputation of being gentle," Bordessa explained.
Grzegorek works in a private practice and also offers dental hygiene consulting services when called upon by dentists who know of her work. In addition, she is a myofunctional therapist and uses that expertise in conjunction with her dental hygiene work in an orthodontic practice. She works five days in dental hygiene, splitting her time between the orthodontic and a general practice. She also lectures for VELscope, an oral cancer detection device manufacturer, and offers consulting to other private practices and some corporations.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from SAVVY SUCCESS by Christine Hovliaras Copyright © 2012 by Christine Hovliaras. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Chapter 1: Defining Who You Are Christine A. Hovliaras, RDH, BS, MBA, CDE....................32Chapter 2: Professional Roles in Dental Hygiene Christine A. Hovliaras, RDH, BS, MBA, CDE....................42
Chapter 3: Mentoring Christine A. Hovliaras, RDH, BS, MBA, CDE....................82
Chapter 4: Career Success: Elevating Your Dental Hygiene Position to the Next Level Christine A. Hovliaras, RDH, BS, MBA, CDE....................92
Chapter 5: Other Career Opportunities in the Dental Hygiene Profession Christine A. Hovliaras, RDH, BS, MBA, CDE....................102
Chapter 6: Career and Professional Development Christine A. Hovliaras, RDH, BS, MBA, CDE....................146
Chapter 7: Searching for the Right Dental Hygiene Position Christine A. Hovliaras, RDH, BS, MBA, CDE....................172
Chapter 8: Career Tools Christine A. Hovliaras, RDH, BS, MBA, CDE....................179
Chapter 9: The Job Interview: Keys to a Win-Win Deal Christine A. Hovliaras, RDH, BS, MBA, CDE....................196
Chapter 10: Career Business Savvy – Protecting Yourself Christine A. Hovliaras, RDH, BS, MBA, CDE....................205
Chapter 11: The Vision and Future for Dental Hygiene Harold A. Henson, RDH, MEd....................218
Chapter 12: Population Health Considerations for Improving Oral Health Ellen J. Rogo, RDH, PhD....................226
Chapter 13: Business Etiquette in Dental Hygiene Practice Janice Hurley-Trailor, BS....................241
Chapter 14: Leadership in Dental Hygiene Carol A. Jahn, RDH, MS....................252
Chapter 15: Dental Hygiene is a Business in Dentistry Christine A. Hovliaras, RDH, BS, MBA, CDE, and Colleen Rutledge, RDH....................265
Chapter 16: Assisted Dental Hygiene Richard A. Huot, DDS....................296
Glossary of Terms....................305
Index....................347
Author Biography....................359
SAVVY SUCCESS Textbooks & Faculty Guide....................360
Continuing Education with SAVVY SUCCESS....................361