Working

Amelia Buell, RDH, BSDH, CCRC

After practicing clinical dental hygiene for almost 20 years, Amelia Buell, RDH, BSDH, CCRC, began having some back and neck problems that prompted her to venture outside of traditional practice. A series of coincidences led her to a research study at the University of Kentucky where she became a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC). Currently, Buell is the study coordinator on the investigation, "Oral Infections: Impact on Gestational Diabetes." She is also currently president of the Kentucky Dental Hygienists' Association and has served as a delegate to ADHA the past several years, promoting the Advanced Dental Hygiene Practitioner.

Buell began having back and neck problems while practicing clinical dental hygiene full time, and they got progressively worse as time went on. One day, her office received a letter recruiting research subjects for the Clinical Research Center at the University of Kentucky. She called the center because she knew the dental hygienist coordinating the study. She spoke to her colleague and, jokingly, asked if there were positions available-and there were. She submitted her application online and was interviewed and hired.

Buell said that her new research role provides more diversity than her previous one. "I have more administrative responsibilities in coordinating the people and tasks that are essential in keeping a study running smoothly," she said.

She also said that "every day is unpredictable in research; something or someone demands attention at any given time of day." Among others, she works with the principal investigator, government agencies, internal review boards (IRBs), recruiters, calibrated examiners, nurse abstractors, data entry persons, lab personnel and study coordinators.

Both of the major studies she has been involved with so far deal with pregnancy, and the nature of these studies has been unique. "Anything can happen during the course of the scheduled study visit, from morning sickness and labor pains to transporting a subject/patient to triage in a wheelchair," she said.

Another difference is her new career's effect on her health and well-being. "I used to feel a constant stress with the time constraints of patient appointment times in the private practice setting that I don't have now," said Buell. "Consequently, since my day involves many activities, my neck and back discomfort have become much more tolerable than in the past."

Clinical research has also been very rewarding to Buell personally. "It is very gratifying when a study subject/patient gives you a big hug and can't thank you enough for you taking the time to explain to them about what is going on in their mouth or for taking the time to do a thorough root planing and scaling," said Buell. "I am able to help people in their understanding of the systemic/oral health connection and actually am involved in the process of bringing science to practice."

A career highlight for Buell was when her name was mentioned in the appendix of the November 2, 2006 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine article "Treatment of Periodontal Disease and the Risk of Preterm Birth," in which she was the treatment hygienist at the University of Kentucky site. "That is a neat feeling!" she said.

Buell plans to stay in clinical research. Since beginning her new career at the University of Kentucky, she finds that she is able to learn something new every day.

"I feel a great sense of pride in my work and in the knowledge that what we learn and are doing here in clinical research is directly beneficial in the clinical setting."

This edition of Working was prepared by Meghan Washington