Anastasia Turchetta, RDH

Whether you are a new graduate or seasoned professional, the dental hygiene job market is getting quite competitive. Today’s interview requires more preparation than you may have previously thought. This week’s guest on Straight Talk, 

 on how to “hire for attitude and enjoy the aptitude.”

From the time you meet, the tone for your interview is already in motion based upon what you wear. Dressing for success is a direct reflection on how you may represent that particular practice. Like it or not, image does matter! Immediately following image will be your handshake. Do not underestimate the power of a firm handshake. In only 3-4 seconds, your handshake with a potential employer will reveal more about you than you may realize.

Chaplin, Philips, Brown, Clanton and Stein (2000)

 suggested that people who give firm handshakes are more extroverted, whilst a delicate handshake screams indecisiveness and neuroticism.

Behavior-based interviews are also becoming a powerful tool for interviews. Questions are asked to get an idea of how you may handle certain patient scenarios. Take advantage of this as a way to showcase your communication, clinical skills, and/or flexibility. The key to master this skill is to write down a few of your own questions. This may assist you in knowing if the culture of the work environment is a fit for you. Asking questions about this particular practice shows that you are expressing interest in “the now.” For example, you may ask, “What happens when a patient complains about a service that your dental hygienist has just provided?” or “What are the daily productivity goals in hygiene?” Take a few moments, check out the practice’s web site or social media sites and write down relevant questions about that practice.

ADDITIONAL READING:	How dental hygienists can discover their "zen" with the right instruments

There is an art to getting hired. Clinical skills aside, attitude, image, and practice-centered conversations will give you the opportunity to stand out in a potentially crowded marketplace.

Articles

Whether you are a new graduate or seasoned professional, the dental hygiene job market is getting quite competitive. Today’s interview requires more preparation than you may have previously thought.

Straight talk: What dental hygienists need to know about getting hired

"The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage" - Mark Russell

3 reasons why a Modern Millennial Hygienist does NOT perio chart

 hit social media faster than One Direction selling out a concert! With 160 shares and just over 40 comments 

 alone, we applaud each of you for your insights, relevant points to consider, and sense of humor.

I, along with the editorial team at Modern Hygienist, believe strongly in bringing you all sides of the story and letting you decide what is best for you, your career, and your patients. With that in mind, I’d like to add my opinions and beliefs on the fiercely debated article.

Like most of you, I agree that a complete periodontal charting performed once a year is the standard of care for our patients. It is the bridge for patients to understand their current state of oral health. This measurement becomes a tangible result and evokes emotion as the journey from unknown to known is revealed. Now our patients realistically grasp the essence of ownership because the numbers don’t lie.

Here’s a link to some interesting information

That information led me to Dr. Thomas Nabors who was interviewed in another publication on how MyPerioPath via OralDNA Labs works. When asked what type of patient to considered for testing, Dr. Nabors mentioned patients with pockets of 4 mm or greater with clinical signs of a periodontal infection.

WEBINAR:	Watch Anastasia tackle "The Insane Pain" of hypersensitivity

One of the comments on our Facebook page with a relevant point to consider shared how our insurance codes include periodontal charting. Well noted! Here are links to the descriptions for 

link to our annual fee survey that shows exactly how much dental practices have been charging for D0150 over the last four years

Another point well noted in the Facebook comments was whether or not our ultrasonics or hand instruments cross-contaminate the pathogenic biofilms as our periodontal probes are said to. Add to that my own curiosity … what about flossing the patient?

As many of you know, I’m not one to back away from a controversial topic (after all, we’ve talked about 

 this year already), yet I do believe if it is going to be placed out there, then you should back up your topic with supportive references, resources, proof of a successful protocol, or what it would take to integrate one.

In closing, let me throw out there the other side of the coin. Here are 3 reasons this Modern Hygienist WILL chart.

 It emotionally attaches my patient to their disease and establishes accountability.
	

 Periodontal probing and radiographs contribute to the ongoing evidence of whether disease is present or absent.
	

 It takes a team to integrate the science and protocol with consistency.

Thoughts from Anastasia Turchetta: The other side of the fierce debate on perio charting

Today’s dental hygienist is bold, empowering, embracing a leadership role, entrepreneurial, spunky, and, well … basically all that encompasses a modern hygienist!

, our profession has seven areas of expertise: Clinician, Corporate, Public Health, Researcher, Educator, Administrator, and Entrepreneur. My vision in serving you as editor is to explore each area in collaboration with various colleagues whose expertise will promote thought, engagement and enlightenment for you to apply.

For those of you who do not know my background, I invite you to join me on a brief journey.

I am a practicing clinical dental hygienist for 26 years and began my career path in dental assisting. I was 

y ineffective as a dental assistant. There are only so many times you can pass out during extractions, gag with your patients during impressions, and suck up your employer’s hair with an HVE because you get mentally distracted during an endodontic procedure. Suddenly, you and your boss realize that maybe you are not making a difference in this particular area of dentistry. That said, the opportunity to nurture relationships with patients and inform them about the importance of oral health had me hooked.

I, too, still practice and feel ecstatic on some days and fully frustrated on other days.

I remember the first time I had ever practiced in the assisted hygiene format. This program has more failure than success and I’ve been on both sides of it. I believe in this program fully when communication, appropriate scheduling and team support are the foundation. Fortunately, I had the support and one of the best dental teams to work this with success!

I began to wonder why wasn’t someone speaking on this and sharing how this CAN work from both a business and clinical standpoint? Investing in honing my gift of gab, the professional speaker is born. I began attending Speaking Consulting Network and National Speaker’s Association meetings to initiate the skill sets required. It wasn’t easy!

WEBINAR: Anastasia talks about hypersensitivity and how to control it

In 2007, I was one of five dental hygienists who were selected across the country as finalists for Discus Dental’s Hygienist of the Year … with Modern Hygienist being the presenting publication.

In 2009, I attended an NSA chapter meeting whose topic that day was to “pitch” to selected media professionals. Many in the room had books published and their pitches practiced perfect. Media professionals ranged from Playboy Radio to the Dr. Phil Show and Huffington Post. What did I have to pitch? Without a book, I’m still thinking why can’t our profession go mainstream? What would sit with consumers that we, dental hygienists may still struggle with regarding screening and informing? Yep, you guessed it, I started talking about the relationship between oral sex and oral cancer. The pitch was, “What you don’t know may cost you your life: Oral Sex & Oral Cancer Connection.” In August of 2009, I was a guest on Playboy Radio discussing the risks, symptoms, facts, screenings and treatments for oral cancer!

VIDEO: Anastasia discusses the connection between oral sex and oral cancer

, a weekly video blog where consumers ask me an oral health question or guests are interviewed in effort to create awareness with our patients to ask questions to you, their dental hygienist, first debuted on YouTube.

My affair with social media continues to grow as does the passion to share with our patients that they have a choice.

VIDEO: Anastasia reveals the 6 things	every hygienist should do to grow professionally

The message is simple … our patients are well informed thanks to social media and Google! They deserve to know the options available to them to obtain and maintain health. We are privileged professionals with a responsibility to share this information with them while remaining vigilant to our own dreams.

I am honored to serve you and join you. I fully believe we all need to “Take What You Learn & Make a Difference with It!”