TOMS RIVER RESIDENT FINDS BALANCE BETWEEN MOTHERHOOD AND CAREER AS A DENTAL HYGIENIST

PARSIPPANY, NJ (November 25, 2003) – For some women, motherhood, continuing adult education, and professional careers are mutually exclusive life choices. However, Toms River resident Dorothy Tsavlis has found a perfect opportunity for advancing her career while also spending quality "mom" time: Dorothy is one of several thousand New Jerseyans who have chosen to become a dental hygienist.

For fifteen years, Dorothy worked as a registered dental assistant (RDA) in a private dental office. After the birth of her son, she began looking for a job that would pay more than her previous salary while also offering a flexible schedule.

"I was familiar with the responsibilities of a hygienist, so it was an easy decision for me to pursue an advanced degree in this specialty," said Tsavlis. Once enrolled at Middlesex County College, she applied for, and was awarded a scholarship from the Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey Foundation (Delta Dental Foundation) to help with her education. "The scholarship was very helpful in offsetting the cost of completing the required courses," she said.

Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey (Delta Dental) recognizes dental hygienists as important members of the dental health team, and also as licensed professionals committed to improving the nation's oral health. Each year, New Jersey and Connecticut's leading dental benefits provider awards scholarships to students like Tsavlis, in dental hygiene and dental assisting programs.

"Our Foundation supports a variety of initiatives in the state that improve oral health through education, said Diane Belle, vice president, Delta Dental Foundation. "We have partnered with several schools to provide hardworking students with an opportunity to enter, or advance within, this worthwhile field."

Delta Dental reviews applications from those attending New Jersey schools and post-secondary institutions and awards scholarships, based on qualifications and financial need. To date, students of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), various New Jersey-based community colleges, the Bloomfield Health Careers Foundation, and other public-education institutions have benefited from the Delta Dental scholarship program.

Tsavlis is currently enrolled as a second-year student in the Middlesex County College Dental Auxiliaries Education Department. This program prepares students to become a licensed professional, working under the supervision of a dentist, to perform services that detect, prevent and treat diseases of the mouth. In addition to taking courses in dental hygiene and the dental sciences, Tsavlis will also train on state-of-the-art equipment in an on-site dental hygiene clinic and laboratories, and gain field experience in local hospitals and public schools.

Upon graduation from the two-year program, Tsavlis will have earned an associate in applied science degree, and will be qualified to take the state and the National Board examinations for licensure to practice as a registered dental hygienist (RDH). She plans to return to work in a private dental office.

"I would definitely recommend a career as a hygienist," Tsavlis said. "It allows you to be independent and make your own hours, and at the same time, feel good about helping people."

Benefits of a Dental Hygiene Career
There are many advantages to pursing a career in dental hygiene:

• High hourly wages. Although salaries vary by responsibilities, state regulations, and practice setting, dental hygienists generally earn a minimum hourly wage of $28 to $32.
• Flexibility. A wide variety of practice settings and the options of full-time, part-time, and weekend and evening hours allow dental hygienists to choose a schedule that fits best with their lifestyle, and gives working mothers the opportunity to coordinate their professional job with their family responsibilities.
• Opportunity to help others. Dental hygienists are constantly working with people, building trust as a care provider and helping them to maintain and improve their health.
• Job security. The dental hygienist is currently a high-demand position, which provides career stability and mobility. Preventive dentistry has helped to create widespread value and necessity for dental hygiene services, and resulted in an older population that will retain their teeth longer. Trends towards group practices and alternative public service settings also contribute to the increasing demand for dental health care professionals.
• Respected status as a health care professional. Dental hygienists are valued members of the oral health care team, with education and clinical training in a highly skilled discipline.

Sources:
www.ada.org/public/education/careers/hygienist_bro.asp
www.adha.org
www.bls.gov

Delta Dental established the Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey Foundation in 1986. Its mission includes promoting and assisting educational projects devoted to the enhancement of dental health and research programs designed to increase public awareness of the general benefits of good health, and to improve dental health through the science of dentistry. Each year, the Delta Dental Foundation provides financial support to various organizations throughout the state.

Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey, Inc., is New Jersey’s and Connecticut's leading dental benefits carrier, providing coverage to more than one million people through contracts with employers in New Jersey and Connecticut. The Delta Dental Plan system is a national network of independently operated, not-for-profit dental service corporations specializing in providing dental benefits programs for employee groups throughout the country. For more information visit us on the Web at www.deltadentalnj.com.