December 17, 2008 | Modern Hygienist
Career: Listening
Hearing your patients
Listening to patients can lead to unexpected, and sometimes profitable, opportunities.
by Jenee’ Clayton, RDH
At the age of 16, I started down the path of dentistry with a job that included making appointments, filing charts, and dental assisting. Little did I know then that my high school job would lead me into such a rewarding career as a dental hygienist. I currently work in two practices in the twin cities of Texarkana and while I live in Arkansas, I cross the State Line each day to work in Texas. Caring for patients and taking care of their dental needs is very important to me, and a part of doing this well is forming relationships and establishing a trust. That is also important to me.
As hygienists, our patients depend on us, at least twice a year, for thorough care and education about maintaining their dental health. While we take advantage of mentors and continuing education opportunities to learn about providing the best care for our patients, sometimes it’s our patients who can educate us. That is, if we are attentive and willing to listen to them.
Exciting introduction
Over a year ago, a patient asked me if I had heard of “Juice Plus+”. When I told her I was not familiar with the product, she proceeded to tell me all about this dietary supplement made from freeze-dried produce and designed to help people get enough nutrition from fruits and vegetables in their daily diet. Knowing that the majority of people’s diets do not include the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, this news about this product certainly caught my attention. When she went on to tell me about the published clinical studies about the supplement, she really caught my attention, and I was curious enough to seek out more information for myself.
My search went beyond just the literature about Juice Plus+ and I was inspired to learn a bit more about what fruit and vegetables can really do for our bodies, such as providing us with antioxidants and phytonutrients. In my excitement about this product my patient told me about, I even looked into how we absorb the vitamins and nutrients we consume so I could gain an understanding of just how this supplement works.
Getting involved
As hygienists, we all take classes on nutrition in school, but for me, this just took all of that a step further. I was so excited about all of this information I’d just learned, My whole family started on the product immediately and I even decided to become a Juice Plus+ distributor.
Of course, before adding this new business to my schedule, I had to prioritize my time, needs and concerns. As with any business, this new role for me was ready to take up as much of my time and effort as I was willing to give. In order to make it work, I had to give up a couple of things so I could make my new business a priority in my life. I found it important to set goals and reach for them. Sometimes dividing my time between my many priorities can be like walking a fine line, but just like the way I rearranged things to start this business, I know that if and when life throws a curve in the road, I can always re-direct my priorities one more time.
My ears will always be attentive to my patients’ needs and concerns; for if they hadn’t, I might have missed out on this exciting opportunity where I found an exciting new business opportunity.
