Portland observer., May 25, 1983, Page 25, Image 25

Portland Observer, May 26, 1983 Section II Page 13
Dental careers
Dental Assistants
D e n ta l assistants w o rk w ith d e n tis ts as th e y e x a m in e a n d tre a t p a tie n ts .
T h e assistant m akes th e p a tie n t c o m fo r ta b le , p rep ares h im fo r th e tre a tm e n t
an d o b ta in s his reco rd s. T h e assistant hand s th e d e n tis t his in s tru m e n ts , a n d
keeps th e p a tie n t's m o u th cle ar. T h e y p re p a re m a te ria ls fo r m a k in g im p res
sio ns a n d r e s to ra tio n s , ta k e a n d process X - r a y s , a n d p r o v id e o r a l h e a lth
instruction.
M a n y d e n ta l assistants le a rn th e ir skills o n th e jo b . A n in cre asin g n u m b e r
a re tr a in e d in c o m m u n ity co lleg es o r v o c a t io n a l s c h o o ls . M o s t p ro g ra m s
ta k e on e year to c o m p le te , b u t others a re tw o -y e a r p ro g ra m s th a t lead to an
A sso cia te degree.
H ig h schoo l students in terested in careers as d e n ta l assistants s h o u ld ta k e
courses in b io lo g y , c h e m is try , h e a lth , ty p in g a n d o f fic e p rac tice s.
Dental Hygienist
D e n ta l h y g ie n is ts a re o r a l h e a lth c lin ic ia n s a n d e d u c a to rs w h o h e lp th e
p u b lic d e v e lo p a n d m a in ta in g o o d o r a l h e a lth . D e n ta l h y g ie n ists p e r fo r m
p r e v e n tiv e a n d th e r a p e u tic s e rvices u n d e r th e s u p e r v is io n o f th e d e n tis t
w h ic h c a n in c lu d e c le a n in g te e th ; in s tr u c t in g o n h y g ie n e a n d n u t r it io n ;
a p p ly in g flu o rid e ; ta k in g X -ra y s ; ta k in g d e n ta l a n d m e d ic a l h isto rie s.
D e n ta l hygienists m ust be licensed, a n d m ust g ra d u a te fr o m a n accre d ited
d e n ta l hygiene school an d pass e x a m in a tio n s .
C o m p le t io n o f a n A s s o c ia te d e g re e p r o g r a m is u s u a lly s u f f ic ie n t to
p rac tice in a p riv a te d e n ta l o ffic e b u t a fo u r -y e a r degree is o fte n re q u ire d to
te a c h , w o rk in schools o r p u b lic h e a lth p ro g ra m s .
C u r r ic u lu m consists o f such subjects as a n a to m y , p h y s io lo g y , c h e m is try ,
p h a r m a c o lo g y , n u t r it io n , h is to lo g y , p c r io d e n to lo g y ( t h e s tu d y o f g u m
diseases), d e n ta l m a te ria ls a n d c lin ic a l h ygiene.
P e o p le w h o w a n t to b e co m e d e n ta l hygienists s h o u ld e n jo y w o rk in g w ith
o th e r s , be n e at a n d c le a n , h a v e g o o d m a n u a l d e x te r it y a n d g o o d h e a lth .
H ig h s c h o o l s tu d e n ts s h o u ld s tu d y b io lo g y , c h e m is tr y , h e a lth , m a th a n d
speech.
Behavioral Sciancas
T h e O re g o n S ch o o l o f D e n tis try is o n e o f tw o u n its in th e c o u n try c o n ­
d u c tin g research o n b ru x is m , h a b itu a l g rin d in g o f te e th . T h e p ro je c t uses a
sp ecially designed m uscle a c tiv ity re c o rd e r a n d uses hypn osis as an im p o r ­
ta n t p a rt o f the tre a tm e n t to m o d ify th e h a b it p resent in an e s tim a te d 20
percent o f th e p o p u la tio n .
Oral surgery
N e w te chn iqu es are being used in th e S c h o o l o f D e n tis try to reco nstru ct
ja w s . U s in g th e new tre a tm e n t o r a l surgeons can re c o n s tru c t larg e p o rtio n s
o f th e ja w even w h en th ere has been r a d ia tio n tr e a tm e n t. A new d a c ro n
Shelee Doyle, dental hygienist at Albina Human Resource Center, treats young patient.
(Photo: Richard J Brown)
m esh tra y replaces the use o f m e ta l o r b o n e tra n s p la n ts . T h e tra y has an
I
a d a p ta b le shape a llo w in g th e surgeon to f ill it w ith b o n e m a rr o w
th a t
Dental Laboratory Techniciens
A lth o u g h n o m in im u m fo r m a l e d u c a tio n is needed to e n te r th is o c c u p a ­
tio n , a h ig h schoo l d ip lo m a is an asset. M a n y le a rn th e ir c r a ft th ro u g h o n -
s o lid ifie s q u ic k ly .
D o yo u ever w o n d e r w h e re false te eth co m e fro m ? W e ll, th ey c o m e fr o m
th e -jo b tra in in g . A m o n g the p e rs o n a l q u a lific a tio n s th a t e m p lo y e rs lo o k fo r
th e skills o f a D e n ta l l a b T e c h n ic ia n . Besides m a k in g d e n tu re s , th ey d e v e l­
in selecting train ees are a hig h degree o f m a n u a l d e x te rity , g o o d c o lo r p e r ­
o p p o rc e la in c ro w n s , brid es a n d d e n ta l o r th o d o n tic a p p lia n c e s . T h e ir to ols
c e p tio n , p a tien ce an d an in c lin a tio n fo r d e ta ile d w o r k . H ig h S c h o o l stu ­
are sm all h a n d in s tru m e n ts such as w a x spatulas an d c a rve rs . T h e y also u t il­
dents in terested in careers in this o c c u p a tio n a re a d vise d to ta k e courses in
ize e le c tric lathes, d rills , h ig h -h e a t fu rn a c e s , m e ta l-m e ltin g torches an d
a r t, c ra fts , m e ta l s h o p , m e ta llu rg y an d science.
o th e r sp ecialized la b o r a to ry e q u ip m e n t.
In 19 78, th e re w ere 4 7 ,0 0 0 persons in this p ro fe s s io n . M o s t w o rk is in
pected to e x celle n t th ro u g h o u t th e 1980s. E m p lo y m e n t is expected to g ro w
Jo b o p p o rtu n itie s fo r w e ll-q u a lifie d d e n ta l la b o r a to ry te ch n icia n s a re e x ­
c o m m e rc ia l la b o ra to rie s , e ith e r as em plo yees o r as o w n e rs o f th e business.
faster th a n the a v era g e fo r a ll o c c u p a tio n s d u e to th e e x p a n s io n o f d e n ta l
H o w e v e r , a few larg e la b o ra to rie s e m p lo y o v e r 2 0 0 te ch n icia n s.
p re p a y m e n t plans a n d th e in cre asin g n u m b e r o f o ld e r p e o p le w h o re q u ire
A b o u t 8 ,5 0 0 d e n ta l la b o r a to ry tech n icia n s w o rk
in d e n tis ts ' o ffic e s .
d e n tu re s. In a d d itio n to jo b o p p o rtu n itie s c re a te d b y g r o w th , m a n y o p e n ­
O th e rs w o rk fo r h o sp itals th a t p ro v id e d e n ta l services fo r th e F e d e ra l G o v ­
ings w ill occur each year because o f th e need to rep la ce te ch n icia n s w h o die
e rn m e n t.
o r re tire .
want to manage a
million dollar restaurant?
Health Careers
H e a lth careers are a m o n g the m ost r a p id ly g ro w in g ca ree r fie ld s . N o t a ll
h e a lth careers a re in h o sp itals o r clinics; th ere a re o v e r 2 0 0 careers related to
h e a lth an d o n ly n in e o u t o f e very 100 h e a lth care w o rk e rs are p h ysician s.
H e a lth careers co ver ev ery ta le n t an d in te re s t. S o m e re q u ire as little as
With average sales over the $1 million mark, many individual McDonalds*
restaurants have larger sales volumes than most private businesses and many
corporations You can be par, of our success story as a McDonalds Restaurant
Manager
Through our Management Development Program you II learn everything
you II need to know This is a carefully conceived program specifically designed
to give future managers a full understanding of the McDonalds operation A
McDonalds Restaurant Manager takes on the responsibility for personnel func­
tions accounting and budgeting inventory and quality control, sales analysis,
profit margins, and community relations
Its a big job With a bright future Bu, its hard work You must have the
ambition, energy and determination to succeed in a top management position
To let us know if you d like to share in the success of one of our operations,
please call us or send your resume or letter of introduction
th re e m o n th s o n -th e -jo b tra in in g w h ile o th ers d e m a n d years o f stu d y .
T h e h e a lth fie ld o ffe rs the o p p o rtu n ity to h e lp o th e rs , p e rs o n a l sa tisfac­
tio n , ac tiv e in v o lv e m e n t, steady in c o m e , g o o d frin g e b e n e fits , ad v a n c e m e n t
o p p o rtu n itie s a n d jo b a v a ila b ility .
A m o n g th e h e a lth careers are:
D isp en s in g
o p tic ia n : O p tic ia n s
fill
eye
glass
p re s c rip tio n s
m ade
by
o p to m e tris ts o r o p th a m o lo g is ts .
M e d ic a l reco rd s te c h n ic ia n : Files a ll p a tie n ts ’ reco rd s.
M e d ic a l la b o r a to r y
w o rke rs :
P re p a re
• 'm e d ia '’
fo r
specim ens;
aids
m e d ic a l te c h n o lo g is t. C y to te c h n o lo g is ts screen m ic ro s c o p ic tissue sam ples
fo r ca n ce r. H is to lic te chn icians cut an d stain ¡issues fo r s tu d y .
E E G te c h n ic ia n : Uses an E E G m ach in e to m easu re p a tie n ts ' b ra in w aves.
D ie te tic te c h n ic ia n : W rite s p a tie n ts ' d iet h is to ry a n d helps p a tie n ts select
fo o d fo r re q u ire d diets.
R a d io lo g ic te c h n ic ia n : T a k e s an d d e velo ps X -r a y s .
in the Portland area, pleas« send your resume or letter of introduction to:
R e s p ira to ry te c h n ic ia n : Uses lu n g -te s tin g e q u ip m e n t to d iag n o se an d
treat h e a rt-lu n g p ro b lem s.
f
i
f
i
Jodee Robey, Personnel Manager, McDonald's Corporation, 2700 NorthuD
Way, Bellevue, W A 98004.
O n e o f the m ost ex citin g aspects o f h e a lth careers is research. S ince 1957,
w h en O re g o n 's firs t o p en heart surgery was p e rfo r m e d a t th e O re g o n
H e a lth Sciences U n iv e rs ity H o s p ita l, advan ces m a d e o r used in th a t h o sp ital
h a ve b e n e fite d thou san ds o f p a tien ts w ith sick hearts.
In 1964, D r . C h a rle s D o tte r
I M cD on a ld s
A great American success story
aved a w o m a n 's leg using a c a th e te r o f his
o w n design to o p en a b lo c k e d a rte ry . N o w O H S U 's c a rd io lo g is ts D rs . M a r k
M o r t o n an d J o h n M c A n u lt y a re using b a llo o n d ia la tio n to a v o id s u rg ery.
An jttifmative »ct'On employer
c 1981 McOonjid s Corporation
»