Okay, so that might have been released before some of you were born, but you should check it out because it’s a great song. But really, there are so many things I wish I knew when I was in hygiene school that could have made starting my career smoother. Hi, I’m Jillian! I am here on behalf of DHN’s Dental Bestie, Heartland, to help you transition from DH Student to RDH, as seamlessly as possible! Think of me as your very own Dental Bestie, helping you prepare for what’s to come! Let’s start with my top 3 tips…

1. Build a strong resume before graduating

2. Learn to network – both virtually and in person

3. Seek out education beyond clinical topics (professional and personal development)

Let’s talk about #3 today: I have been a hygienist with Heartland Dental for 11 years and one of my passions is sharing my experiences with students to empower them to build a career they love with an employer they love. And I am proud to be a part of our 2nd annual SPARK: A Heartland Dental Summit for hygienists and hygiene students.

What Is Spark?
SPARK is a unique opportunity for hygiene students to network with leaders in clinical hygiene, recruiters, doctors, and administrators to learn about topics that will take them from good clinicians to great ones. One of our founding doctors, Dr Bill Bloink, always reminds us that “dentistry is more about people than it is teeth.”

SPARK is an event that exposes students to topics that will help them learn to take care of people, and not just their patients, but their team members as well. When I decided to become a dental hygienist, I did not realize that I was signing up to be a leader in my practice. But as providers we, should be, and are looked at as leaders on our teams and with our patients. Building leadership and communication skills is something I wish I would have exposed myself to in hygiene school. I wish I would have known to look for opportunities like SPARK. Not only are these types of events important to build skills, but they are great networking opportunities to help launch your hygiene career. As a student, I did not realize all the options that are available for hygienists and different career path opportunities that exist. I also did not realize I could and should be looking for a job before I took my boards. Can you imagine what a great feeling it would be to have already secured a job before taking boards?

Joining these networking events is a great way to become exposed to those opportunities and make connections for future jobs or projects. These are also events that help build a strong resume. So, click the link, invite a friend, expand your network and knowledge, and join us for SPARK. You can sign up through April 10th…you’ll be so glad you did, you’ll be calling me & Heartland Dental your dental besties, too!

Jill Ulrici, RDH.
Heartland Dental Regional Hygiene Mentor of Operations