Hi! My name is Narayani Dhanraj, and I am a registered dental hygienist.
During my first semester in the dental hygiene program, I was asked to think about why I chose dental hygiene as a career path and how would I want my future employers, peers and patients to think of me. After two years of rigorous studying, hands-on clinical experience and being able to manage unforeseeable challenges and obstacles, my answer still remains the same.
The two most important aspects of my life are my family and my career. I consider it very important to find a healthy balance between family and career. For my family, I want to be able to spend adequate time together to live, love and create cherished moments. For my career, I want to contribute my skills to something that will make me happy, and put me in a position to effect change and make a difference in peoples’ lives. A career as a dental hygienist will allow me to establish the right balance between my personal and professional life. More importantly, it will enable me to do what comes naturally to me; teaching and helping people. That’s one of the most genuine and gratifying feeling in the world.
Reflecting on the second question, I want my future employer to think of me a consistently hard-working, knowledgeable and passionate individual. My employer will feel confident in my competencies and the personal code of ethics that governs my attitude and action: commitment, respect and honesty. As for my peers, I would like them to think of me as being dependable, cooperative and always willing to help when necessary. My peers should always feel comfortable approaching me as I am a great team member and an excellent individual. I want all my patients to think of me as someone who always gives 110% of her time and attention by carefully listening to their concerns. My patients should continuously feel that I am committed and patience, and very good at providing them with the best possible oral care while respecting their privacy.
