Working

Donna Grzegorek, RDH

Donna Grzegorek's career in dental health started early in life. "When I was 14 years old, I was asked to work for an orthodontist whose family I babysat for. Dr. John Napolitano [DDS] recognized my interest in dentistry and enthusiasm for life. He spent many hours educating me on the fundamentals of the dental/orthodontic field . . . . It was this fantastic opportunity that motivated me to attend dental hygiene school [at William Rainey Harper College in suburban Chicago] immediately after high school graduation."

In the early 1980s, while studying speech pathology at Augustana College in Illinois, Grzegorek divided her time between attending classes and working as a dental hygienist for a local dentist. "I enjoyed my studies, but realized that pursuing my master's degree in speech pathology would pull me away from my love of dentistry and dental hygiene." Following her stint at Augustana, she focused on orofacial myology, which allowed her to pursue her interest in both dentistry and speech pathology. After completing three one-week internships in orofacial myology/myofunctional therapy, Grzegorek returned to Napolitano's orthodontic practice and worked as a clinical dental hygienist and myofunctional therapist. She soon accepted the additional responsibilities of office manager.

Since 1991, Grzegorek has been working as a clinical dental hygienist with a general practitioner, Greg Tehle, DDS. In this position, she uses her training/certification in nitrous sedation, local anesthetic delivery, and diode laser use. In addition, she created, implemented, and provides training for the practice's nonsurgical periodontal program. As an approved speaker for the Academy of General Dentistry, Grzegorek also offers lectures/training to staff for continuing education credits. She continues to devote one day per week to Napolitano's practice so that she doesn't lose her orthodontic "edge."

In 2003, Grzegorek began working as a part-time dental hygiene educator for OraPharma/Johnson & Johnson. She meets with dental hygienists and dentists to train them to use specific products and to integrate those products into the practice. She typically "shadows" the dental hygienists, meets peer-to-peer with dental hygienists and dentists, assists in writing soft-tissue management protocols, moderates dinner programs, and conducts dental hygiene forums. "I have an amazing opportunity to positively affect the performance of the health care provider," she says. She works as a dental hygiene educator one day per week and conducts dinner meetings at least once per month.

Recently, Grzegorek assisted Napolitano in developing and rolling out a new business model for an established company now called Innovative Orthodontics. As chief operating officer, Grzegorek has the responsibilities of overseeing the operations of the project, hiring and supervising training of new employees, reviewing production reports/statistical analyses and proposing resolutions, and collaborating with the chief executive officer on practice-growth goals.

From time to time, Grzegorek also works as a consultant. The opportunity to consult first presented itself in 1991 when a dentist friend asked Grzegorek to assist with some administrative functions in her practice. "I quickly realized that there was a niche in the marketplace that an experienced hygienist could fill in a dental office for a dentist who would prefer to perform dentistry rather than manage his or her business. I soon found myself drawn to the tasks I was most familiar with--assessing the hygiene department and the productivity/efficiency of general office function." She recently completed a two-month practice assessment for a general practitioner. She finds consulting particularly rewarding. "The skill set required to perform this task encapsulates the 30 years I have experienced in dentistry, the 25 years I've experienced in dental hygiene, and the 44 years I've experienced in life."

Though she sometimes finds it difficult to manage all of the work-related commitments she has made (she typically works at least 60 hours a week on job-related functions), Grzegorek says she would not change her life. "I've always been a multitasking person. It's essential that I be challenged, as boredom is my downfall."

Even with her many job- and family-related responsibilities, Grzegorek makes time to volunteer at a senior assisted-living facility near her home. She also teaches oral care to students during National Children's Dental Health Month in February.

Twenty-five years after she started working as a dental hygienist, Grzegorek's enthusiasm is as great as ever. "Dental hygienists are finally being recognized as the unique health care providers we truly are. With the development of the advanced dental hygiene practitioner (ADHP), we will be given the opportunity to provide expanded oral health care and 'wellness' to persons who might not otherwise be able to receive/afford care of this magnitude. I look forward with great anticipation to the next 25 years in dentistry. It's going to be an exciting time."

This edition of Working was prepared by Julie Edwards