Caitlyn Long 

Introduction to Health Professions

November 30, 2023. 

Top-Notch Teeth

            For my interview I contacted Anne Squires, Anne is my friend’s mom who has worked in the dental hygiene field for almost twenty years. Anne has received a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene and is currently working towards a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She works at LWSS with Heartland Dental in the Kempsville office. Anne explained that she was inspired to go into the field after she was 13 years old with braces and her orthodontic assistant was kind and full of personality naturally and she just clicked with her. Anne also loves to help people and had previously worked as a dental assistant which sparked her love for hygiene. At Anne’s current office, she is the OSHA coordinator where she does water testing and works to transition the office into the new corporate standards. Along with being the OSHA coordinator, Anne’s other daily responsibilities include scheduling patients, hygiene supply ordering, taking X-rays, perio-treatment, prophylaxes, and more. While working Anne works primarily alone, she has no hygiene assistants, however, she works alongside with four dentists each having three assistants each, and with five other hygienists. Her favorite part of the profession is the loyalty with her patients through seeing whole families, along with taking excellent care of her patients, and that she works three days a week, Anne said that working five days a week will drain your body out. She said that the craziest thing she has ever experienced is when she was thrown up on twice. However, some challenges she faces daily are the time and pressure she constantly faces. With the time blocks being so tight for each patient, Anne never wants to cut corners, but it always causes her to run behind daily. Lastly, to conclude the interview, she told me to always align myself with positive people because energy matters. She also told me, “If you do honest work for what is best for the best you will always have success.” Anne explained that by always putting my heart into anything and giving 100% always, I will also find success and loyalty in whatever I do. This is very crucial because it applies in everyday life, not just only the dental hygiene field. Overall, my interview with Anne was a success. I learned so much about how a large office operates as well as how her experience as a hygienist shapes her everyday interactions, experiences, and love for the career. Anne has definitely made me love the field even more and has persuaded me this is the field for me.