Working

Hollie Harrington, BS, RDH, is a public health hygienist for the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDOH). As a former public school teacher, she knows the value of education. After earning her bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Science from North Dakota State University, Harrington taught in North Dakota high schools. The sister of a dental hygienist, Harrington first considered joining the oral health profession after a bad toothache sent her to the dentist.

“While [I was] teaching high school in a small rural community, the school secretary sent me downtown to a young dentist who set up a satellite dental clinic in our town. He diagnosed my abscessed wisdom tooth and proceeded to extract it that very afternoon,” Harrington explained. The dentist checked on her progress throughout that weekend, and the two went on their first date the next week. “As we continued to date, I would spend countless hours correcting papers and working on lesson plans while he sat and watched me work. Many times each month, he would suggest I go back to college to change professions so I would have more available ‘free’ time. Although I enjoyed my teaching profession, I gave this new idea plenty of thought.”

As a new teacher in the district, Harrington spent much of her time there in some fear of the “pink slip,” a non-renewal notice for public school teachers whose services would no longer be required due to low enrollment. “Since I was new to this school district, I had little seniority in their system. I felt it was in my best professional interest to re-educate myself before I was downsized,” Harrington said. “I never did get a ‘pink slip,’ but to this day, I have never regretted that decision to return to college. I feel proud and privileged to have worked in more than one great profession. I always thought I would someday teach dental hygiene, but so far I am kept busy enough with my family and my present occupation.”

Harrington earned her dental hygiene degree from the North Dakota State College of Science in 1993. She started her work in public health while at her first dental hygiene position. She worked in a three-dentist practice Monday through Thursday, and would perform public health work on Friday only. Her contract with NDDOH was around $2,000 at that time. Her duties were to visit area elementary schools and teach students about the importance of dental health, and to monitor the fluoride mouth rinse program in her region.

Since then, Harrington has moved to the eastern part of the state and worked for two other dentists. One of them died suddenly, and the office staff had to try to find another dentist to replace her. The other dentist retired at the ‘young age’ of 76. Harrington found herself, once again, trying to find another job with a replacement dentist.

“Through both of these experiences, I was challenged to find work to keep my bills paid,” she said. “I also struggled to keep current with my continuing education credits and maintain my professional skills. I continued working for the NDDOH, increasing my contract to $10,000+ dollars. Later in 2006, I found a private dental office that needed a hygienist one day a week.” Today she works in both places; in private practice one day each week, with her public health contract keeping her busy the other three or four days.

“With public health, I usually set my own schedule, and I work at my own pace. My contract with the NDDOH is larger this year than it has ever been. I am privileged to travel across our great state of North Dakota, educating school students, administrators and faculty about dental care issues,” Harrington said. “I also facilitate the fluoride varnish program to train pediatric doctors and their physician’s assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and licensed practical nurses. I perform extensive training for our public health nurses and educate Head Start staff about dental issues.”

Harrington explained that the NDDOH’s Oral Health Program currently operates under a grant. “As part of our grant, I am able to go out to selected elementary schools and apply fluoride varnish and sealants on their students’ teeth. The schools have been selected based upon the 50 percent or greater Free and Reduced Price-Meal Program through the ND Department of Public Instruction, due to their family’s economic status. Each public school distributes our consent forms, and when a positive consent is given, we apply varnish to children in preschool through sixth grade. If the positive consent is given, we also apply sealants on students that are in second and sixth grade. There never really is a typical day in public health. Every day is different.”

On days when Harrington travels to the schools, she loads her equipment early in the morning. Upon arrival, she unloads her equipment including a large dental chair (for the patient), a portable light and her own rolling chair. She also brings a portable dental unit and a large tote that holds all her supplies like instruments, gauze squares, fluoride varnish and Fuji Triage sealant materials. After checking in at the school office, she goes through the paperwork from parents. She sets up her equipment and retrieves the students from class. At the end of the day, she sterilizes her unit, and packs and loads up for the next day.

“Working at our local dental office seems so simple, since I can show up and go right to work. It may seem like easier work in private practice; however the rewards are much greater providing services in a school-based program. Many of these students would not have any dental care except for our program. Since their families may be on North Dakota Medical Assistance, they may be denied dental care due to their economic status,” Harrington explained.

Outside of her work in public health and schools, Harrington remains active in her state and national dental hygiene associations; she utilizes these networks to educate other dental hygienists on the opportunities for work and service in public health. Harrington just ended her term as president of the North Dakota Dental Hygienists’ Association (NDDHA), and under her guidance, the group initiated changes in the wording of the state practice act. This change allows public health hygienists to work in schools or public health settings. The NDDHA also added its name to the Mandated Reporting Bill, a list of professionals who are required to report suspected abuse of children and adults.

“I began my term with many hygienists who thought they had the ‘corner on the market’ for dentistry,” Harrington said. “Slowly I have opened their eyes to small opportunities in public health and public service. Together our organization donated a sizeable amount of money and clothing to a North Dakota school with 60 percent to 75 percent of its students living in poverty.”

The community in which Harrington lives is the location of the North Dakota Veteran’s Home, and many of the veterans badly need dental care. She explained that they often “fall through the cracks,” because they don’t work in jobs where they have medical/dental benefits, and they don’t receive state assistance. To help fund services for these veterans, Harrington applied for a $5,000 Wrigley Foundation grant through the ADHA website.

“When I was accepted as a grantee, I asked the dentist to allow me to perform prophylaxis work on each veteran we saw. That opened my schedule for a few more hours in the dental office and gave our veterans the preventive and restorative dental work they so desperately needed,” she said. She applied for another Wrigley grant this past year. In order to qualify to receive services, the patients cannot have private insurance, pension money or state medical assistance that could cover their costs. In the future, Harrington hopes to go out and screen residents at long-term care facilities in the state to determine the need for dental work or care for their residents. “If I am fortunate enough to receive funding for 2012, the money will be used for senior citizens so they can come in to our office for dental work.”

Harrington explained that her passion for education and service comes from enduring difficulties in life. “I realized that most of my life has not turned out exactly like I had it planned! I have had many times when I was asking ‘why me?’ and not all of my experiences have been positive lessons in life. Yet through it all, I have grown in ways I never could have imagined,” she said. She also credits bosses and colleagues for constant encouragement, as well as her husband and daughter for always being “at home waiting for my arrival after being out of town for a few days.”

Harrington advises dental hygienists interested in opportunities outside of private practice to join their state and national associations “immediately, especially if you are underemployed or unemployed.” She recommends reaching out to colleagues at dental meetings and letting them know if you are looking for work.

“I never expected to have two professions nor find myself either underemployed or unemployed for that matter,” Harrington said. “I never thought I would do grant writing or public health work since my college classes only prepared me for an operatory in private practice. However, my perseverance has come from parents who taught me from early on that life will not give you the success you would like… In my life, I have been fortunate to surround myself with people and professionals that share my passion for oral health.”

Harrington believes it is important for dental hygienists to be aware of the realities of the job market, and to be up-to-date on their education. “Always realize you can be replaced. There is very little job security in today’s job market, so ask yourself what talent and skills you bring to your office. If they downsized the staff at your office, would you make the ‘cut’?” she said. “Stay on top of your education. You probably wouldn’t want a surgeon to operate on you if they just picked up a few credit hours to keep their license current. Your patients deserve the same. As our patients get more computer savvy, you could be replaced by someone who remains current and is willing to try new equipment or products.”

Harrington also suggests getting involved on any state oral health boards or dental coalitions and networking with people who have jobs to which you aspire. “These people that sit around the table will be the ‘movers and shakers’ that will probably determine the future of our dental hygiene profession. If you aren’t at the table, don’t expect to get a plate,” she said.

For more information on Harrington or her career, please email her at eharr@drtel.net.

This edition of Working was prepared by Mariam Pera.