LEADER IN THE FIELD

I'm sure your wondering why I placed a picture of myself on this blog. The reason behind it is to show my smile and more importantly my teeth. I am very interested in becoming a certified Dental Hygienist. That being said my leader in the field assignment consisted of interviewing my dental hygienist Samantha Wood. Recently we had got to know each other quiet well being that I did my 40 hours of shadowing with her and then I decided that she would be the perfect person for me to interview.
Samantha started college in the spring of 1996. At the time she had a newborn baby and found that to provide for her child, and future family she needed a stable income. Samantha completed all her prerequirements for the Dental Hygiene program at OU. During this time she unplanningly found herself pregnant again with her second child, which put a setback on her schooling. With having to stay home and take care of a toddler and infant, Samantha and her husband were living tightly on 1 income. Samantha was finally able to get help with her to young daughters from family and apply to the Dental Hygiene program in December 1999 for the fall semester of 2000. Luckily she recieved a letter in the mail asking for her to come in for an interview. While in the interview Samantha vividly remembers the doubt in the panel of instructors and directors of how she could possibly be able to raise two very young children and go to school full time. With the doubt in so many people she set out to prove them all wrong. While in Dental Hygiene school Samantha was unable to work being that school and her children took up all her time which she was extremely devoted to. Samantha graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2002 with a Bathelors of Sciences in Dental Hygiene. She currently works for a phenomenal dentist, Dr. Neifeh on 122nd and Penn. She is now divorced and has 3 girls. Her job duties include but are not limited to most importantly cleaning teeth, taking x-rays, keeping patients records, teaching appropriate dental hygiene, and making visual assessments. When asked what she enjoyed most about her job, Samantha responded "Building a relationship with all her patients." She says that it is a blessing to come to work everyday and adores her co-workers. She works 7:30 am- 4 pm Mon-Thurs and 7:30 am until noon on Friday.
Overall, I found this interview and visual of my surroundings to be a very big eye opener. It got me wondering if this is really the field for me, to appreciate the people who dedicate their lives to it and all the time that goes in to the education and continual learning of a certified Dental Hygienist.

FUTURE @ OU

My current path at OU has taken a complete u-turn. I came over in the spring 2010 as a transfer senior to take 1 class and applied to the Dental Hygiene program. After not getting accepted to the program I feel like I'm wasting my time this semester. The more I look back on my decision to come to OU to go to the Dental Hygiene after not getting accepted makes me rethink my career path. I tried to prepare myself for the worst case scenario (getting declined) but it never hit me until I actually got the letter in the mail. If I could do anything at OU I would like to be in the Dental Hygiene program, excel in my studies, and most importantly graduate with a degree from this prestegious school. I'm now currently scouting for other options I can take in regards to a career. I find interest in Criminal Justice, Juvenille Corrections, child development and maybe something else in the health sciences field. I look forward to seeing what my future holds!

ATTITUDE

ATTITUDE makes up both our inner and outer self. "Our attitudes are our most important assets" is a statement that clearly defines us as a person. Our attitude is seen by all we come in contact with and usually determines a good or bad first impression. This quality in an individual is very important when trying to build relationships with others. I believe to have a positive atmosphere among people a universal positive attitude is absolutly essential. The negativity or positivity can either make or break a team. From previous experience I think a positive attitude promotes togetherness, unity, and everyone having a voice that's is heard within the group, likewise, I have found that a negative attitude hinders productivity and sort of "shuts things down." A saying that I always remember when it comes to attitude is that "If momma ain't happy, noones happy."
There is one person inparticular who comes to my mind when I think about someone who has influenced me because of their attitude: my co-worker and right hand man while at work, Cheryl. Cheryl is a very dedicated person who is commited to giving every member expert customer service. She always comes into work with a smile on her face, regardless what the situation, and always looks for the positive side of problems which makes her a pleasure to be around 5 days a week.