The Compliance Divas Podcast
Our podcast covers current topics such as infection prevention and control, OSHA and HIPAA compliance for dentistry. We discuss the latest regulatory information, answer frequently asked questions and give suggestions for dental practices to make compliance easy and sustainable. The Compliance Divas are a trusted source for consistent, accurate information based upon current guidelines, standards, science, and recommendations.
The Compliance Divas Podcast
#154 Dental Assistant's Celebration Continues
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The Divas continue to celebrate Dental Assistant Recognition Week (DARW) this month with Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC from Heartland Dental. Check out this episode to learn about Sherrie's successful career in the DSO world. Sherrie's experience mentoring and training dental assistants across the country will inspire you to continue growing and learning as well!
- Dental Assisting National Board (DANB): https://www.danb.org/
Welcome. I'm Leslie Cannon. I'm Mary Gavoni.
SPEAKER_00I'm Linda Harvey. I'm Olivia Wan. And together we are the Compliance Divas.
SPEAKER_03Welcome to the Compliance Divas Podcast. This is Linda Harvey, and I will be your moderator for this episode. As the Compliance Divas, we bring clarity and simplicity to compliance to navigate the regulatory world to keep you on track. We invite you to subscribe to our podcast through your favorite podcast channel or on our website, thecompliancedevas.com. We also invite you to submit any questions that you might have to support at thecompliancedevas.com. And at the end of today's session, please scroll down to the bottom of your podcast app and give us a rating or a like. Well, this wraps up the end of March. And we know we started off this month honoring Dell Assistant Recognition Week. And as such, we believe that Dell Assistants recognize and we believe that Dell Assistant should be recognized on an ongoing basis. So as such, we have a very good friend of ours today joining us, Sheree Busby from Heartland Dental. Welcome, Sheree. Hi, thank you for having me. I really appreciate it. Sheree, can I ask you just to give a brief introduction about yourself? I know the divas have some questions, so don't give away too much information, but maybe you know how how did you become a dental? Well, just tell us what you're currently doing. Just tell us your current job now. Then we'll go back.
SPEAKER_04Um currently I am the dental assistant training developer for Heartland Dental. And it's an amazing ride. It's just, I'm so honored to be able to hold this position within our company. And um I get to touch so many people every day, and you don't even think about that, you know, because it's a lot of times it's a lot of virtual stuff, but it's it's really great, and I'm so honored to be able to do it.
SPEAKER_03Wonderful. We're honored that you could join us because we want to continue recognizing a key member of the dental team. Leslie has some questions for you about your background. So Leslie, can I ask you to kick it off for us?
SPEAKER_01Cherie, thanks for joining us today. I'm curious, how did you become a dental assistant and then make your way eventually to the position that you hold now with Heartland?
SPEAKER_04Uh well, it's kind of funny because um I just kind of fell into the DA position, and my kids were babies, and I was a single mom, and I needed to find some way to support all of us, right? So I went to a career counselor and um she says, maybe you should do healthcare. You seem like a nurturing kind of person. I thought, okay, health care. And that kind of we went through the jobs and everything, and we thought about nursing, and I'm like, oh no, there's bedpans and nasty stuff. I don't want to do that, right? So she says, Well, how about dentistry? I thought, dentistry? I never even went to the dentist until I was an adult, right? So I didn't have any experience to draw from or anything, but I found that I liked it and I just liked teeth, right? So I um I started working as a dental assistant when I was still in school. So it was it was pretty easy for me. And then the way I got to where I'm at now is I'm a student. I have been a student, I've been in dentistry. I can't believe I'm gonna say this out loud and proud, but 42 years. And I've been learning for 42 years, right? You just have to continue learning. And I I as a person, I find that things are I'm I'm a bit lazy, if you will, right? And I want to do things that are more efficient and um make it easier for myself. And so people started to notice things that I was doing that were maybe odd or different than they did, and it just started a mentoring. Like they're like, well, how do you do that or why do you do that? And then I found that mentoring is just comes natural to me, you know, like I'm I'm just a teacher. And so I just started my journey, and and then um over the years, I just kept learning everything that there was to do in the dental office. And then this actually, because I went a little bit beyond that to learn some leadership things. And when I finally joined Heartland Dental, we had an orientation class. At this time, there was less than 200 opposite. So I've been with Heartland Dental for the past 15 years, and um, we went to this orientation class. And in that orientation, one of the ladies that I had worked with previously was teaching this class. And so we went around and they said, So, where do you see yourself in five years? And I just started laughing. I said, Teaching this class. And they're like, What? I'm like, that's a bit ambitious. And the presenter's like, oh no, you don't know this girl, she'll be teaching this class. And la la, there I was. Uh a little while later, um, I started teaching um other classes, but I was running around my region doing like in-office mentoring and phone calls and that kind of stuff. So then um while I was doing that um mentoring, they asked me to teach a business class. I'm like, you know, I'm a dental assistant for this company, right? And they're like, no, you'll do fine. I'm like, okay. So I started teaching the business class, and then the next thing I was asked to do was to go to Effingham, Illinois and teach the um the new employee orientation. I'm like, you know, I'm a dental assistant, right? And they're like, yeah, you could do this, you'll be fine. So I started doing that, and then one thing led to the other, and then the next thing I I um I did that for about two years. And then that led to my current position. And now I'm it's been in this position for the past 10 years. So I'm like, who knew? Who knew it was gonna happen like that, right? Just say yes.
SPEAKER_01That's an amazing journey, Cherie. And you know, when you and I met at uh Chicago Midwinter, I could tell you have such a heart for helping people find their way and their path through dentistry and to develop people who maybe never had any leadership thoughts in their mind as a career path to help bring that out in people. And I thought, oh, this is so unique because a lot of people go into dental assisting thinking that's all there is.
SPEAKER_04Oh, you were so right, and there's so much more, so much more.
SPEAKER_01Thanks so much, Sheree.
SPEAKER_03You're welcome. It reminds me of this. Is the Paul Harvey saying, and that's the rest of the story, and there's always the rest of the story, there's always more, Sheree. We're always doing more. And I can remember when we were both, I was not a dentist, I was a hygienist and a consultant, but I can remember when we were both baby professionals, I'll say in dentistry. You always had that drive, you always had that desire to mentor. And you saw yourself going into offices and doing, you know, private practices at a time. But now with Heartland, you've had, like you said, the opportunity to unpack so many people that you'll never know that ripple effect. And that's just a really very rewarding thing for someone with a big heart like you. So we're especially thrilled to celebrate you during this month.
SPEAKER_04Thank you. That's real sweet to say. You're welcome.
SPEAKER_03Olivia has some questions for you as well.
SPEAKER_00Cherie, your story is great. So I'm really enjoying learning more about you. And I understand that Heartland Dental is a large organization that employs a lot of dental assistants, but how have you been able to advance the knowledge of Heartland Dental Assistance?
SPEAKER_04Wow, in a lot of ways, actually. So it's really hard to narrow down for that question. But um, I was thinking about this the other day, and there's like right now 3,500 plus dental assistants in our organization. Like that is a serious amount of people, right? And um, so uh along with my team, I'm not a one-woman show by any means. Sometimes I feel like I am, but I'm not. Um, we created a training program that spans over six weeks. And I'm really, really proud of this program because it it really goes on to um helping the the to teach the systems and the the the reason why things are like they are, right? The why in the systems for people who are just coming on Heartland Dental. And it could be like they are experienced or not. So the program uh accounts for all of those um training needs that are within there. So I'm really, really excited about that. And to be honest, my brain was just downloaded. This was the second program that we built. The first one covered um went for a year, and we found that a year is way too long. You needed like smaller segments, right? So um this one has been adopted company-wide, and we're two and a half years into it, and it seems to be going really, really well. The next thing that I'm really proud of, and probably this is the most thing that I'm proud of, is I have an amazing bench of people. Like being able to influence them and to help them grow is one of the that's really why I do what I do, is to watch other people grow, right? To see them. And so one of the advantages of being in the DSO or even in large practice is there's others that you can mentor. And so I have a group of about 75 or 80 dental assistants that are all over the country. And these people, they just do they do exactly that. Some of them go into other offices and mentor, um, but the majority help support classes. So we have virtual and in-person classes that these people, excuse me, go into and support. And not only does that help them um feel fulfilled, right? Because they get off, they get to go do something, they have their group, their community that they support each other and they're so nurturing. This group is, but they in turn are growing other people. So they were my our bench is growing because they are learning these skills and paying it forward. So that's the really, really the best part of what I do is seeing somebody else grow. And then the second part of that is that the creation of Heartland Demo University. And this is really, it's an industry-leading um thought, or if you will, or process um that helps to continually to grow because as a dental assistant, the thought is that I'm gonna learn how to make a great crown. I'm gonna learn to make a great temp, I'm gonna set up well, I'm gonna support my doctor. But then once they get to that level, they don't feel like they're growing anymore, right? They just feel stagnant, if you will. So Heartland Dental University is designed to help the experienced team members um grow um personally and professionally. So they will have like leadership skills and things like that that are not normal part of dental assistant education. So it's very cool. And the goal is by the time that they graduate from Heartland Dental University, they'll they should have enough credits for a bachelor's degree. You know what I mean? So it's it's going to be a large amount of educational opportunity. So I'm very, very proud to be on the ground floor, if you will, of all of those things.
SPEAKER_00I'm very impressed, Cherie. I love how you express how meaningful it is to have good leadership and not just leadership, but continuing to mentor. So when you bring in young assistants or less experienced assistants, they are continuing to grow. And then even after they've become very skilled and in their careers longer, you're continuing to motivate them. And then we recognize education is key. So I find that really interesting that you've developed the Heartland University with your company. Um, I think that this is really something that other assistants should look at, even independently. You know, we encourage people to listen to our podcasts because it's a form of education, it's a way to keep growing professionally and striving to stay on top and current with information. So I I love your story and I appreciate you taking the time.
SPEAKER_04You're welcome because it's really all about education, is the the building block of what we do, right? Because if you learn something and you implement that, right, the key to education is the implementation. So if you implement that, then you're feeling fulfilled within your your soul is being fed, if you will. So it's just so vital. And I I'm just so fortunate to be able to be able to do this.
SPEAKER_03I'm just continuing to be impressed as long as I've known you, just to see all these details and hear them again, Cherie. And and like Olivia, it's so meaningful to just listen and hear how we are elevating dental assistants and their knowledge and their information and empowering them because I've often said we know there's a leader of the practice, and in private practice, that's the doctor, the owner doctor, or doctors. However, everybody's a leader in their own role. Absolutely. Absolutely going on in that operator that you need to take charge of, whether it's a patient who's misbehaving or you know, or something that's, you know, that you need to take you need to take ownership of it and take care of the situation and address it in a comfortable, professional way. And so this is empowering them with those leadership skills to do that at all levels. So it's beautiful, wonderful.
SPEAKER_04Thank you. And it it really is because it's part of the personal growth. And once they feel that confidence, right? Once you feel that confidence, then you're able to step forward and and support at a higher level. So it's really empowering. It gives me goosebumps to think about it.
SPEAKER_03It does, it does, me too. But but listen, before we talk further, Mary has a question for you. Okay.
SPEAKER_02I have a couple of questions for you, and I too have goosebumps because uh knowledge is power, and so many times dental assistants are not empowered. And I love what you what you said about the confidence factor. I can go back to, and I have a few more years in dentistry, and so does Leslie than than you do, but started out as an office-trained assistant where I knew absolutely nothing about dentistry, but I had that quest for that knowledge and and confidence and knowing um why I was doing what I was doing. And I think what you're doing at Heartland is so, so important because we can't keep losing these great and talented dental assistants to dental hygiene or to dental school. We need to keep enough of them um within the dental assisting profession, but we have to make it better for them. And I think that's one of the great things you're doing. So, congratulations to you for being a speaker at the Chicago Midwinter Meeting. It's one of the premier meetings, um, dental meetings in the US. Um, I'm curious to know what kinds of things, topics, subjects, what were your dental assisting audiences wanting to learn? What did they share with you?
SPEAKER_04Well, it's so funny that you asked that question because really I'm working with the Illinois Dental Assistants Association, and I'm I've had to step back a little bit from the national, but I've been very involved with the educational components of both of the organizations for a long time. And so we did a poll. Like I made a Google poll and everything, and I'm like, I want to know what you want to know about, right? Because that's the things that we're gonna talk about. Um, we want to host a series of webinars, and it was funny because this will do my diva my diva partners here so good. They wanted more on infection control, so yay, I was loving that, right? Um, but they also want more on implants, clear liner therapy, and restorative dentistry. And um, it's so funny that I have, I'm really proud, I have a um a class on restorative res on resin restorations, and I presented this class on Friday, and there was a dental assistant on there, actually, there were two or three that had like 20 years of experience. And she's like, you told me things that I didn't even know or I didn't think of uh during this class. And so there's always some little tidbit of things, and I had to learn, right? When I was creating the content for that class, I had to start learning about um, it's really based on patient postoperative sensitivity, like what causes that? So I had to do some research, and I'm like, if I'm learning at my experience level, then that means that other people don't know either, because especially within Heartland Dental, if I don't know, they don't know because I don't put it out. Right. So I'm really, really proud of that. And so those are the types of things that the people are wanting. And I'm hoping that in my third career, I'm gonna have cover those things and I'm gonna leave infection control to you guys because you do such a great job. But I do um put those things within all of the programs, so it's really just the runs the gamut of all things dentistry that they want to know.
SPEAKER_02Well, I think that makes you a very powerful educator, Cherie, in that you ask them what it is that they want rather than you deciding or assuming what they want or need to know. You ask them, you got input from them, and that just makes it so much more meaningful to everybody who participates. So we're we're elevating you to diva status because of all the the great things that you're doing. And thank you.
SPEAKER_04Oh, thank you.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, thank you for for spending time with us today.
SPEAKER_04Well, I appreciate the invite.
SPEAKER_03Shari, I'd like to circle back for a moment before we do a roundwalk and see what other questions we might have for you. Um, on your six-week training course, I believe you said it was for dental assistance of all backgrounds. Can you share with us what types of topics and are they all virtual or some of them might be in person?
SPEAKER_04Well, actually, it's a blended learning approach. Okay. So, as an example, one of the um modules, like we we have our own um LMS learning platform. And as an example, one of the modules is um X-ray guidelines, and that is like really heavy into radiation safety. So not only do they have to learn radiation safety, which everybody needs that, but they have to take their FMX and they go back to their doctor and have a conversation and say, hey, let's look at these x-rays. Tell me, if I'm experienced, then tell me what your treatment plan for predictability would be. What are what do you see that I could should be seeing on these x-rays? And how do you want me to talk to the patients about it? If it's a new team member that are a new dental assistant, maybe their conversation goes to um a technique, like, okay, how what can I do so that I can open up these contexts a little bit more or get the you know, get the the apex of 15, whatever that would be, right? So it's a blended learning approach and it happens through every section of the the six weeks. So they have a block of um e-learning followed by a bigger block of hands-on things that they would do. So because it's a blended approach, it helps the the person, the new hire, if you will, become more comfortable with their doctor because I don't care how much experience you have, you're new to that doctor. You have a brand new relationship. And what to learning, like it wouldn't it be so cool if they could put your hand on your head and do the Vulcan mind meld, and all that information comes through, right? But that's not how it happens. So you have to have a conversation, and not everybody is comfortable having those conversations. So being prompted with specific topics to talk about is the most important part of that six weeks.
SPEAKER_03That's very interesting.
SPEAKER_04I hope that answered your question. Oh, to a T.
SPEAKER_03Because it helps us all understand how you're managing that. And and with that, you know, even knowing how that sets them up to get into the Heartland Dillon University and do more leadership because you're starting at that baby step, and that baby step is a conversation. You can't be fearful of your doctor because you're you've never worked with that individual before. You have to get comfortable. It's more than just sitting silent, you know, knee to knee, you know, waiting for them to tell you to do something. It's it's it's getting that relationship going on to the right start. This helps them to become empowered. Mary, did you have a thought on that? Well, yes.
SPEAKER_02Um, I've that is such a great approach, um, going with a blended learning experience because we know everybody has different learning styles. I I love that. What um do you know? Do you keep statistics on what percentage of your um dental assistants go on to become certified or become registered or an EFTA in a particular state where they're at?
SPEAKER_04Well, I don't know statistics on on those specific things, but I I can tell you that more and more states are having EFTA. You would not believe the amount of email that I get. Tell me how to get this training, right? Tell me how to get it. And I'm back in Florida now. Um not far from my buddy Linda here, but in Florida it's kind of new. In Illinois, it's new. So the state approved programs, there's very few, right? Very few. So based on that, um, and then how do I uh where do I find information on how to pass um the CDA, right? So based on those questions, I get a lot. I mean, there's a lot of people, and there's a lot of need, there's a there's a thirst and a want. You know what I mean? They people want to grow. And and that's why that's why a dental assistant, the only reason that they leave the chair, the doctor chair, to go to hygiene is because they feel like they're not growing. And I know you were all my hygiene friends. I I get that, right? But I started hygiene school and I hated it because it to me it was the same thing all the time. Whereas I was so used to having all these different procedures, right? So I think about it differently than you do, but it's just really difficult to um to help people to understand that there is growth there. And I now that you've asked that question, I'm gonna have to do some research and find out percentages.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that would be interesting to know. And I do know that the dental assisting national board has initiated a work group to look at the issue of trying to standardize some of the dental assisting functions, whether they're basic or um expanded functions in every state, so that then there's a little more reciprocity, if you will. I mean, that's how the level of dentists and dental hygiene, and it may be an answer to um some of the shortages. Um, I know that I come from Michigan, I live in Kansas now, but I come from Michigan where our registered dental assistant credential was so restrictive that somebody maybe who came from Minnesota who had an RDA would almost have to go back to school sometime to do it. And that's a deterrent. I I think we need to do more recognition of um experiential learning, of course, um, with that um didactic support, but they these dental assistants want the acknowledgement, they feel much more empowered when they do have that credential behind their name, they feel great about themselves, and we want to help support that.
SPEAKER_04I agree, and I'm so happy that they're doing that. And and just to make um continuing education mandatory throughout the country, even if it's my my choice would be infection control, but it's and I think that that's the first one that will happen. It will be like mandatory infection control across the country. That would just be so helpful because you know you learn from the person who taught you in your office, and they have bad habits, like all of us.
SPEAKER_02Learning is not always high-quality learning. Correct.
SPEAKER_03Exactly, exactly. Um, Diva's anybody else have a question for Leslie?
SPEAKER_01Well, it's more of a statement for Sheree. I noticed that your title, your professional title in your organization is dental assistant training developer. But as I get to know you better, you're really a dental assistant developer.
SPEAKER_04Oh, I love that. Thank you. I would agree. That's awesome. Yeah, ditto, yeah. That is awesome. Maybe I'll just change that for my my forever thing, right? Dental assistant developer.
SPEAKER_03Well, Shri, we have time for one more question. I just would like to ask you, what advice would you offer any dental assistants who are listening to our podcast for themselves and their career, or maybe they can offer to their fellow dental assisting teammates?
SPEAKER_04Okay, I have three things. Number one, always be learning. And I feel like that sometimes, and I and I get this, especially from seasoned team members going through my core essentials program. They're like, Yeah, I already know how to do that. So can I just have credit? Like, you don't know what you're gonna learn until you do it. So there's going to be something, some pearl of wisdom that's included, but always be learning, always be learning, and then be open to going back and implementing that, right? The next one I would say is say yes to new opportunities, especially if it's something that stretches you. Because I'm gonna tell you, you learn more things when you're outside of your comfort zone that help you to grow than anything else. So say yes to more opportunities. And then here's the biggest one, and that's the hardest. Don't be afraid to fail. That is the hardest one, right? Because this is so tough. But I'm telling you, if it wasn't for the amount of times that I messed up and I failed, I would not have made it to the compliance divas podcast today, right? Because I had to mess it up and I am not that unusual. Most people do learn more from when they fail. And you have to be able to move forward from that failure. You can't let it devastate you, you can't let it stop you in your tracks. Because I'm telling you, I love infection control more than the average person. And I write this minute I should be underneath the OSHA jail for all the stuff that I did that I did not know, right? But once I started learning from those things, once I started being okay to fail, then I'm able to keep growing and then in turn grow others. So those are my three things. Always be learning, say yes to new opportunities, and don't be afraid to fail.
SPEAKER_03Beautiful. Well said. And we would bail you out of the OSHA jail anytime. So I'm not sure. So on that beautiful note, thank you for joining us. It's a pleasure as we continue to celebrate the Dell Assisting teams everywhere. As the Compliance Divas, we bring clarity and simplicity to compliance to navigate the regulatory world to keep you on course. We invite you to subscribe to our podcast through your favorite podcast channel or app or on our website, the compliancedevas.com. If you have any questions, please feel free to submit them to support at thecompliancedivas.com. And don't forget to scroll down at the bottom of the app and give us a rating or a like. We'd love to hear from you. And we look forward to seeing you in the next episode.