Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Faith Lao. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Faith, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?
Every patient I meet has a story and their oral health is sometimes a reflection of their past and/or inability to receive care. Many patients I see have not had a dental cleaning their entire life. They are so appreciative of their treatment and can see a visible difference. A particular patient was so happy with her cleaning she started screaming saying “I can smile again. I can smile!” Her reaction made solidified my passion for my career.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I have been in the dental field for as long as I can remember. I began my career as a dental assistant and soon realized I wanted more patient interaction from a provider standpoint. I was interested in the dental hygiene aspect and how I could effectively reach patients. As a registered dental hygienist it is my sole responsibility to help educate, prevent, and treat periodontal disease. Educating and reaching the underserved has been very fulfilling.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
It’s important to remain flexible as a hygienist in this field. There are many aspects of dentistry that are continually changing and keeping an open mind about these changes can make your career flow more smoothly, such as schedule/time constraints, patient volume, metrics, etc. It is also important to remember to always do what’s best for the patient; and the rest will fall into place.
Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?
Absolutely! I find a sense of calm when I’m working and helping motivate patients. I’ve been a hygienist for 5 years, and in the dental field for over 20 so I am certain I would do it all the same!