Robertson 1

Makayla Robertson

McLaughlin

English 12

13 November 2020

Career Interview

Name: Julie Fox

Job Title: Dental Hygienist

Place of Employment: Reichel Dental

Email: juliefox909@yahoo.com

Phone: (814) 434-0166

1. What schooling or training do you have? Was it necessary to obtain this position?

I graduated from Pitt for dental hygiene and received a bachelor's degree for teaching

from Edinboro. Yes training and certification is necessary.

2. How did you get this job?

I left another practice to grow in my field.

3. How long have you worked here?

I spent 17 years in the same office, however I’m not currently working due to covid. I

spent 28 years total in dental hygiene.

4. What qualifications do you need to work in this position? Personal qualities?

You’ll need a certification and a degree along with being board certified. You have to be

a good decision maker and listener. You also have to be good at following rules, trusting

your judgement, taking criticism, and a good people person.

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5. Are there any other experiences, work or non-work related, that have helped you be

successful in your career? ​My parents would set up work and chores to do around the

house taught a good work ethic. This taught a lot of hands on things like being able to get

your hands dirty and not afraid to ask questions. Other things that have been motivation

for this is providing for a family.

6. Would you choose the same career field/job if you were just starting out again?

YES! I love hygiene and the team environment.

7. Is your job what you expected it to be? Why or why not?

Yes, because I had freedom and trust from the people I worked with.

8. What are the biggest challenges of your position?

Sometimes being disrespected by doctors, they may put you in positions you don’t want

to be in, patient compliance, and end up with bad posture.

9. What do you consider to be the best thing about your job?

The teamwork aspect and making the connections with the patients. It’s also a great full

time or part time job.

10. Describe a typical day in your job.

I get up and go to work by 7, set up the room or rooms, review charts, discuss with the

doctor about the incoming patients. Patients meet 7:30AM-1PM then I take a break

followed by more patients 2PM-4:30PM. Between meeting with patients more charts and

scheduling would be done. I usually received around 8-12 patients a day.

11. What do you spend most of your time doing?

I spend a lot of time on clinical work, it’s a very hands on job. Working with patients and

charting take up most of the day.

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12. Where could you progress to in this position?

A certification to anesthesia or even become a public health nurse. Since I had a

bachelor’s degree in teaching I can also teach anything with dental hygiene.

13. How many employees work for this company?

I work with 6 people, the dentist, the hygienist, 2 assistants, the receptionist, and a floater

to help where help is needed.

14. Who do you work with and what is/are those relationships like?

I work with the boss a lot and he may be particular about how things looked in the office

but everyone got along very well and he respected my work. The assistants I consider as

good friends.

15. Is teamwork essential to this position? Explain.

Absolutely it’s extremely important because everyone needs to know their

responsibilities and make the workplace flow. The patients can tell if employees don’t get

along and can cause them to get uncomfortable.

16. How often do you work alone?

A majority of the time I am in the room with the patient.

17. How much of your work is self-directed or regulated by others?

A majority of your work is self-directed as long as your boss trusts you in my case he did

and he trusted me to make my own decisions. He regulated some things like if he wanted

or needed x-rays or if a patient was due for flouride.

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18. Does your company take part in any volunteering or giving back to the community?

My boss volunteered all the time at his church and fed breakfast to the homeless. The

whole crew would even collect clothes for the homeless and donate them for the church

too.

19. What is the beginning salary for someone in this job? Top salary?

Beginning out when I first started it was around $15-$16 an hour however it’s more

around $21-$23 an hour. Top salary really depends on the city; places around here can

make up to $30 an hour and places around bigger cities probably $40-$50 an hour.

20. What advice can you give to me or someone else who is just starting out?

Make sure you have a passion. You have to love your job and have compassion for your

patients, listen, and educate them. You also have to learn what works best for your

patients. It’s best if you educate yourself as much as you can on different techniques. You

have to learn to take criticism but also set up boundaries for it and stand up for yourself

when needed. Always work as a team and don’t work for a doctor that will put you down

or put you in a position you aren’t comfortable with.