We would like to recognize and thank our dental assistants for their hard work and for going above and beyond to keep our college community safe, especially during the pandemic. During the past year and a half, they took on different responsibilities with courage. They have had important roles in helping the college continue to offer the best possible educational experiences and extraordinary patient care.
Starting in June 2020, the dental assistants in the Lincoln clinic took on the role of runners to help minimize clinic traffic and reduce the spread of aerosols. They implemented an ingenious call system to communicate with students and faculty – they placed lights in each cubicle and the color of the light communicated what was going on in the cubicle and what was needed of the runner.
"If a cubicle had a red light, the runner knew there was an emergency. A green light meant the student needed to see their faculty member. A blue light indicated the student needed something from the runner," said Becky Case, dental assistant specialist.
The idea for the call system came from brainstorming sessions that included the dental assistants, plus Julie Heyl and Rhonda Simpson. The team decided on the most effective, economical option that was also the most convenient for students – students could easily roll their chairs to the lights and quickly tap them.
"It wasn’t unheard of to have five to eight blue lights on at one time, so we started using dry erase boards when making our rounds, kind of like waitresses," Becky said. "We’d go to a cubicle and write down what was needed, and then on to the next cubical. Due to this process, we were able to quickly and efficiently get the students what they needed."
"On the runner side, it was a long haul. It wasn’t unheard of for us to get 25,000 steps in," Becky said.
Another innovative change was the use of multi-pocket aprons.
"The aprons provided us with the capability to keep the little things that students needed regularly close at hand so we didn't need to run to our carts," Becky said.
Students and faculty were grateful for the dental assistants' extraordinary efforts. To show their appreciation, the dental classes of 2021 and 2022 gave the dental assistants gifts and said,
"We acknowledge the effort you put in each day, managing multiple cubicles and helping to tie up loose ends while running for the various items and faculty we need throughout each appointment. We are genuinely grateful for all that you do and for the positive attitudes you continue to bring to work each day. It makes every day more enjoyable for all of us! We know the people make the difference, and you’re some of the people who help set our school apart!"
While the dental assistants have shown amazing resilience, flexibility and creativity in their new roles, they are excited to transition back to their normal responsibilities.
"Normally, we are chairside with the students and we help with the more involved procedures like crowns and bridges. We provide dental expertise, an extra set of skilled hands, and help teach students how it’s going to be in the real word because they will be employing dental assistants," Becky said.
The college is extremely grateful to have an incredible, dedicated team of dental assistants who play an important role in our students' educational experiences.
"Our team wouldn't have made it through this period without each other. We got through countless hours and miles by working together and encouraging each other," Becky said.
