Shadow Assignment
For my shadow experience, I went to Biddeford Saco Dental Associates. I was paired up with a dental hygienist named Tammy. The dental office was very large with many exam rooms, a large waiting room, and a hallway that was dedicated to sterilization. Seeing how this office ran was very similar to my expectations. The appointment order was very similar to our clinic order. The one thing that was different was that the dentist could come in at any time to do an exam.I thought that was interesting. The office also allowed a decent amount of time for new patients and cleaning appointments. I was surprised to learn that they are building an orthodontist office upstairs. This seemed convenient because you can refer patients to the upstairs portion of the office and ask for second opinions more easily. If I was a patient this would impress me. They also had an endodontist and a dentist that specializes in tooth extractions. This really impressed me.
I could see myself working in an office very similar to Biddeford Saco Dental Associates. I think the amount of staff there would really help an office run smoothly. I just could not see myself working in that location. After graduation, I plan to pass my boards and work in Nh.I would definitely look for an office with the same resources that Biddeford Saco Dental Associates has.
During my shadow, I asked a lot of questions. Some of them were how many patients are seen in a day, does their office provide CE credits, do they do morning huddles and discuss the patients they are seeing that day, and is there adequate amounts of time for each appointment. After I had left, I felt that I had asked some good questions that I will definitely ask in upcoming interviews. I think this was a very good experience to have before I go into different offices for job interviews.
I aspire to be a health professional who takes the time to listen to my patients. I have often been a patient to healthcare providers who lack this. Literature shows that physicians predominantly (69%) interrupt the patients’ opening statement in about 15–18 seconds (Roter, 2006). I know how good it feels to finally find a healthcare professional that listens. It is also important to provide the public with compassionate and competent dental hygiene care founded on evidenced-based scientific knowledge as an essential component of comprehensive interprofessional health care and community-based health care. I think the ethical thing to do is to use the most factual and up to date care. The world of medicine and dentistry changes a lot with new research. It is our job to recognise that.
Work Cited
Asokan S. Art of Listening. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2021;14(Suppl 2):S105-S106. doi: 10.5005/jp-journals-10005-2334. PMID: 35645486; PMCID: PMC9108804.
Roter DL, Hall JA. improving communication in medical visits. 2nd ed. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers; 2006. Doctors talking with patients/patients talking with doctors; [Google Scholar]
