The career field that I am interested in is a dental hygienist. I am interested in this career field because I want to help people stay hygiene and have clean teeth. Dental hygienist has certain working conditions, post-secondary degree, and an average annual salary.…
Professionalism requires us to maintain appropriate standards and fulfil our responsibilities to learners, institutions and colleagues (Francis and Gould, 2009:10). This is achieved by setting professional and personal boundaries which will enable us to be clear about what our limits are and what our professional role involves.…
It is time for your yearly check up at the dentist to clean and polish your teeth. How do you react? Are you scared to go? You may be thinking about your last trip to the dentist where they poked and picked you with needles. They left you with your teeth hurting and gums swollen. They may have even had to give you a shot in your gums to numb your mouth and you couldn’t talk without spitting everywhere. You are dreading this trip and don’t want to go. You ask yourself, “Is this really going to help me?” Even though going to the dentist may be painful, it does keep your mouth healthy, which is important to live a healthy life. This is what dental hygienist do. Dental hygienists keep patients teeth and gums clean, access patient’s…
When asked to define professionalism, D. W. felt it meant, “Acting in a manner that displays respect” (D. Weeden, Personal communication, May 27, 2015). This includes, but is not limited to; Avoiding gossip, wearing the appropriate attire, having a neat appearance, and reporting to work prepared and on time. Professional responsibility affects D. W.’s work because she feels staff members look up to her for answers, expect her to be approachable, as well as remain calm in problematic situations. Being professional, “Gets you respect from other professionals, I lead by example, therefore people trust me and value my opinions, this has opened many opportunities for me to advance”, D. W. answered in regards to how professional responsibility affects her career (D. Weeden, Personal communication, May 27, 2015).…
Dentists and dental hygienists need to be knowledgeable, compassionate, and confident in treating patients with HIV/AIDS. The treatment of this infectious disease needs to be performed in a way that minimizes risks to other patients and health care professionals. Previous studies have shown an unwillingness of health care professionals in treating such individuals. This study examined the effectiveness of a training program for dental and dental hygiene students at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry (LLUSD) in treating patients with HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this program is to give students knowledge in treating HIV patients, to reduce the risk of transmission of this infectious disease to dental staff and others, and to reduce the stigma associated with treating these patients. This particular study addressed students’ comfort level in treating HIV/AIDS patients in three categories: homosexual/bisexual individuals, intravenous drug users, and individuals who have had blood…
It says a dental hygienist should demonstrate appropriate caring towards patients and respect professional boundaries. They must have the understanding of providing safe and effective patient-centered care in an ethical manner and applying the knowledge of scientific, clinical and technical skills…
Interest in professionalism has grown in recent years, which – at least in part – has…
Professionalism is the conduct or qualities characterized by conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession; exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace. The attitude of those in the medical profession generally is more conservative than in other career fields. Patients expect professional behavior and base much of their trust and confidence in those who show this type of demeanor.…
9 Make sure your personal behaviour maintains patients’ confidence in you and the dental profession (Standards for the dental team- www.gdc-uk.org)…
I remember clearly as a young boy, going to my father’s work, to visit for a routine checkup and people asking me, “are you gonna clean teeth like your daddy?” I would look at them with the utmost confusion, as to why I would want to put my fingers in another person’s mouth. All my life I had been raised around the dental field with my dad asking me every morning and every night if I brushed my teeth and flossed, or standing right behind me watching the brushing strokes to make sure I wasn’t cutting the cleaning short. As a kid I did as I was told but it was never my dream to be a dentist, dental hygienist, or be involved in the dental field in any way. When I was in eighth grade, I fell in love with history and archaeology, and my dad as one…
Professionalism can be defined and perceived in many different ways especially when discussing professionalism within different careers. I believe that professionalism in nursing is the demonstration of proper communication, knowledge, and skill while supporting a team working atmosphere. Proper communication is not only being able to discuss treatment and issues with a patient in a mature manner, but also being able to work with a team of staff members in order to achieve a professional work environment. Communication is vastly important among healthcare workers because miscommunication or poor communication skills could harm a patient physically or mentally. According to The Journal of Trauma Nursing, “Seventy percent of preventable medical errors are a result of poor communication between providers, and more than half of all deaths in the US malpractice lawsuits are attributed to poor teamwork”…
While the word `professionalism' usually refers simply to the quality of being professional, in truth it does not describe a single quality, but rather encompasses many different attributes that together define what a professional is. Throughout my experiences in various physical therapy settings, I was fortunate enough to observe therapists who have not only served as my role models, but have also taught me what professionalism really means. Not only excelling in their duties as physical therapists, every person I've been lucky enough to work with has been kind, accountable, and extremely committed, all of which are traits I have tried to emulate in my work as a volunteer and physical therapy technician. While I observed various displays of professionalism in different physical therapy…
Another part of professionalism is appearance. The appropriate uniform for the occasion, cleanliness and maintaing customs and courtesies. Appearing well rounded and well kept; so no one can second guess a person’s competence. Being a professional really means doing what it takes to allow my peers and co-workers to know me as reliable, respectful and competent. Regardless of where I work and the type of role I fill, this can take on many different forms with the same end result in mind.…
Exceptional dental hygiene care practice can assure that my patients are able to preserve their smile for their lifetime. This is a commitment that involves both the health care provider and the patient. As the dental hygienist, my personal commitment should be to strive for excellent patient care and commitment to continuing education which allows professionals to expand their foundations of knowledge and stay au courant on new developments in this rapidly changing field. My first job was at the age of 18 where I worked part-time as a dental assistant while attending college. At that time, I had recently moved to this country from Brazil and my academic and career objectives were very unsettled.…
The relationship between a healthcare professional and a patient is intended to be beneficial in nature, as the patient has a need for healthcare services from the practitioner who is the healthcare expert and is qualified to help the patient. The ability for the healthcare practitioner to maintain the level of professionalism is very important because this will give assurance to the patient that the healthcare practitioner knows his/her job. A healthcare professional should be able to supply a measure of support and the security of knowing what one is supposed to do (Brechin, Brown & Eby, pp 149). A healthcare professional has to find ways of handling different situations which enables him/her to continue providing healthcare.…