We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Melissa Alt a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Melissa, appreciate you joining us today. How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?
The year was 2010. I was 20 years old and was employed as a certified post-partum doula. Because that’s a normal job you get after high school, right? I did really well all throughout school – Honor Society, band, chorus and theater nerd, but college never seemed to be on my horizon. I had no idea what I even wanted to do. So, instead of caving and just going to community college, I got a decent-paying job for an 18-year-old and I traveled. I did the “young adult” thing. But the doula-ing got old pretty quick. I was a glorified, wildly over-qualified babysitter but was counted on to do everything else under the sun that most certainly did not fall under my job description. Then one day out of the blue, I received a text from an acquaintance telling me that her and her husband were moving and the dental practice she worked at would need a replacement so would I be interested in potentially working as a dental assistant? My immediate thought was – HARD PASS. However! I realized that it would probably be a good idea to keep an open mind and just go and see what it was all about. And that was my introduction to dentistry…ok but the other side of dentistry. The working side! After years of assisting (which I ended up loving!), I decided to enroll in dental hygiene school to take things one step further. I’ll spare you the details of those delightful few years but almost 7 years into being a dental hygienist I have never looked back. It’s not an easy career – physically and mentally, but it’s fascinating, keeps me on my toes and when I can help a patient achieve health, it makes it all worth it.
Melissa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m just a girl from New Jersey who married a nice boy, got two cats and a Shiba Inu pup and is obsessed with all things teeth. I am so grateful for the opportunity that was given to me all those years ago and I’m happy I took the leap out of my comfort zone. Working in dentistry has shown me that people want to be seen. They want to be heard, taken care of with respect and dignity. When patients perceive that you really do care about not only their oral health, but their overall health as well, they’re more willing to listen and appreciate the education I can provide. The era of the guilt-tripping hygienist is over! That is strictly forbidden in my operatory. I love helping my patients understand the links (yes many links!) between their oral and systemic health. Sometimes it takes the smallest of changes in someone’s routine or diet to tip the scales toward health and when one patient is back on that road, it makes everything worth it.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
To build a good reputation, it takes a smile, a solid handshake, confidence (even if it’s fake!), and reliability. Ok, there’s a lot more things but those are probably the most important!
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
The most important resource for me was finding mentors in the dental hygiene community. They’ve helped me break out of the operatory into writing, creating, selling, presenting, training and teaching. Frankly, they helped me inject some life back into my career when I was feeling bored and burnt out. I wouldn’t be where I am today or have had many opportunities without them.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: melissa.alt.rdh, deptofdentalhygiene
- Linkedin: Melissa Alt
Image Credits
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