Summer Migrant Fluoridation Program
Happy Tuesday!
Today has been a busy day. I got an extremely rude wake-up call from my alarm clock at 5:00 am. (the nerve) since I had to be at my work site by 6:30 a.m. and it's almost an hour away from my house. Exciting announcement alert! I got a job! In the dental field! (Crazy right, when does that opportunity ever present itself for us non-trained pre-dental hopefuls?)
Right when school ended, I contacted every dental clinic in my community asking if they needed any volunteers. I felt pretty defeated when I didn't hear anything back from any of them for a long time. But then miraculously, one contacted me and said that their HR department wouldn't let me volunteer in the clinic (bummer), but they had a job opening for a dental clerk in their summer fluoridation clinic (yay!) I jumped on the opportunity, made a resume, contacted my references and applied the very next day. I then had an interview scheduled within the next week and prepared myself the best I could. I didn't have any clerical experience whatsoever, but I tailored all of my past jobs, extracurriculars, etc., to sound like I had the skills necessary. (And in all reality, these things really did get me prepared. My research experiences taught me how to retain meticulous details, my leadership positions taught me excellent communication skills, and my time spent interacting with children at the Mission of Mercy last month really did make me prepared for this position.)
A couple weeks later, I got the call with the job offer. I was thrilled! I couldn't believe that I had been given the perfect job at the perfect time. The Summer Migrant Fluoridation Program is this amazing program put on for eight weeks in the summer that travels around Michigan and provides dental cleanings and fluoride treatments to the children of migrant workers. My job as dental clerk is to keep track of the children's stats, entertain the children when they're waiting, teach the children proper oral hygiene techniques, and maintain the patient flow.
Today was my first day on the job and I was slightly nervous. Okay, more than slightly. I didn't know if I was going to be able to keep track of everything I had to do, and if I was going to be able to do it well. But now that my first day is done and we are staying over night in a hotel and going back to the school tomorrow, I feel like it was a good day's work. I absolutely loved talking to the children. We discussed everything from what they liked to do in their spare time, to their knowledge of dental hygiene. For some of these kids, this was their first interaction with the dental profession and it moved me so much to be able to experience it.
So now this goes on for eight more weeks! We will be traveling all over the state, so who knows where I'll end up next week. As for now, I'm going to enjoy this hotel room's air conditioning and try to finish some supplemental applications!
Until next time,
PJ
Today has been a busy day. I got an extremely rude wake-up call from my alarm clock at 5:00 am. (the nerve) since I had to be at my work site by 6:30 a.m. and it's almost an hour away from my house. Exciting announcement alert! I got a job! In the dental field! (Crazy right, when does that opportunity ever present itself for us non-trained pre-dental hopefuls?)
Right when school ended, I contacted every dental clinic in my community asking if they needed any volunteers. I felt pretty defeated when I didn't hear anything back from any of them for a long time. But then miraculously, one contacted me and said that their HR department wouldn't let me volunteer in the clinic (bummer), but they had a job opening for a dental clerk in their summer fluoridation clinic (yay!) I jumped on the opportunity, made a resume, contacted my references and applied the very next day. I then had an interview scheduled within the next week and prepared myself the best I could. I didn't have any clerical experience whatsoever, but I tailored all of my past jobs, extracurriculars, etc., to sound like I had the skills necessary. (And in all reality, these things really did get me prepared. My research experiences taught me how to retain meticulous details, my leadership positions taught me excellent communication skills, and my time spent interacting with children at the Mission of Mercy last month really did make me prepared for this position.)
A couple weeks later, I got the call with the job offer. I was thrilled! I couldn't believe that I had been given the perfect job at the perfect time. The Summer Migrant Fluoridation Program is this amazing program put on for eight weeks in the summer that travels around Michigan and provides dental cleanings and fluoride treatments to the children of migrant workers. My job as dental clerk is to keep track of the children's stats, entertain the children when they're waiting, teach the children proper oral hygiene techniques, and maintain the patient flow.
Today was my first day on the job and I was slightly nervous. Okay, more than slightly. I didn't know if I was going to be able to keep track of everything I had to do, and if I was going to be able to do it well. But now that my first day is done and we are staying over night in a hotel and going back to the school tomorrow, I feel like it was a good day's work. I absolutely loved talking to the children. We discussed everything from what they liked to do in their spare time, to their knowledge of dental hygiene. For some of these kids, this was their first interaction with the dental profession and it moved me so much to be able to experience it.
So now this goes on for eight more weeks! We will be traveling all over the state, so who knows where I'll end up next week. As for now, I'm going to enjoy this hotel room's air conditioning and try to finish some supplemental applications!
Until next time,
PJ
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