Prepare to progress
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 19th March 2020
Career progression is important for people in any industry. The majority of individuals will want to improve their knowledge and skills over the years in order to get better at what they do. In dentistry, there are several things you can do to increase your development and get the very most from your career.
Get motivated
People in all roles within dentistry have different motivations for their career goals. For example, they might want to move into more senior positions with more responsibility and greater satisfaction. They may want to take on new roles entirely like moving from dental nursing to practice management. They may be motivated by an increase in pay or the opportunity to get involved with a new field of dentistry like orthodontics or implants. They might simply want to be the best that they can be.
It’s important to identify what it is that drives you and to use that to really push you forward. This is exactly what Laura-Leigh Jenkins has done over the past few years. Currently an Area Manager for Wales within the Rodericks Dental group, she started as a receptionist with no previous dental experience just a few years ago in 2016!
“My motivation for advancing my career so quickly was my son,” she says. “I wanted to be able to give him a better life. This, combined with the support of my colleagues, kept me going through even the most challenging times.”
Seize opportunities
Once you’ve set a goal and you know what motivates you, the next step is seeking out opportunities to help you achieve your aspirations. This will likely involve continuous training to strengthen existing skills and accomplish new ones. It also requires you to make the most of the opportunities that present themselves. Whether this is a new role that takes you out of your comfort zone or a lateral move to gain experience, it’s important to seize chances that come your way.
Laura-Leigh shares her progression in dentistry so far and the opportunities she was able to take advantage of:
“After working on reception for 6 months, I wanted a bit of the action and asked to become a dental nurse. I was able to focus one day a week on reception and 2 days on my training.
“Only a few months later, my practice team asked me to cover the practice manager’s role during maternity leave. I was a little concerned about whether I had enough experience to do this and if I could work full-time. However, with encouragement from colleagues, I went for it while still studying, until I qualified as a dental nurse. I enjoyed the management aspects so much that I covered temporary positions in other practices before returning to Cefn Coed Dental Practice. More recently, I took on the role of area manager. This has given me massive career progression in just three and a half years in dentistry!”
Overcoming challenges
Anyone looking to push themselves and progress in their career will inevitably face challenges along the way. These might be clinically focused, involve time pressures if studying and working, or relate to maintaining a healthy work-life balance when taking on more responsibilities. As Laura-Leigh goes on to reiterate, the support of family and colleagues can help to overcome any hurdles.
“The biggest challenge I faced was time management,” she comments. “I had a toddler at home, management responsibilities at work and a dental nursing course to complete. Finding a balance between home, work and education was hard, but my team at Cefn Coed were amazing. They really supported me, lifted me up on bad days and shared the workload. A buddy helped me throughout my dental nurse training and the dentist I worked with made me the dental nurse I am today.
“The Head Office team were fantastic as well. I could call with any concerns and they would actively help me overcome the problem. Rodericks also fully supported my career progression by providing the time I needed to perform my roles and complete my learning. Dawn Farrell [Chief Operating Officer] personally came to my practice and saw the potential in me to become an area manager before I had even considered it myself. She supported me no end and gave me the push I needed to take the most recent career step into area management.”
Share your ambitions
In order to get the right support and be offered opportunities that suit you, it’s important to share your aspirations with your manager or principal so that they understand what you’re striving for. As Laura-Leigh concludes:
“For anyone considering a similar carer pathway, make sure you tell someone about your ambitions! If your manager knows where you want to go, they will help you get there. I was listened to and supported 100% over the past few years and I’m proud to have gone through massive career changes in such a short space of time.”
For more information on the career opportunities available at Rodericks, please visit www.rodericksdentalcareers.co.uk,
or contact Ashley Lillyman at recruitment@rodericksdental.co.uk or on
01604 970988 (option 1)
#wearerodericks
