DARW Contest Winners 2023

 

Grand Prize #1: Sonshyne Clark

Practice Name: Dental At Your Door

Tell us why you are nominated this dental assistant:

“I have the most extraordinary dental assistant!!! I prefer to call her my Oral Health Patient Navigator. Sonshyne, pronounced “Sunshine” is truly what her name implies. She works inside Colorado’s homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters and residential substance abuse treatment facilities utilizing pop-up clinics every day. She does interview style medical histories with each patient. We believe that patients are more truthful and elaborate more about their health and dental history in a one on one style instead of handing them a form to fill out on their own.

Sonshyne has taken mental health classes to relate more to our underserved patients and keeps up with the hygienists in discussions about proper patient care. She has believes strongly in our unique practice philosophy of quality over quantity with each patient. Sonshyne is our mobile equipment maintenance and repair person. Sonshyne has a mind-blowing work ethic and has never missed day in 4 years including this week with a broken wrist and nose after a snowboarding accident this past weekend. Her dedication to Colorado’s most vulnerable population deserves a huge recognition from someone other than me who praises her all the time.”

 

 

Grand Prize #2: Heather King

Practice Name: White Rock Family Dental

Tell us why you are nominated this dental assistant:

“Heather ALWAYS has the most positive attitude; not only toward patients, but to all of us that work along side her. As a single mom, Heather works hard to balance work while making sure her kids feel her love and support more than only financially. Heather has had important losses in her life, but without speaking to her on a more personal level, one would never know this about her as she exudes light any happiness. Heather is one of the most reliable, hard-working individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with.

During my recent end of year review, I shared my respect and appreciation of Heather telling the doctors that I believe she is the most valuable member of our 17 person team. Heather is always doing the right thing for patients as well as the business; Heather helps anytime she is able and even recently went back to get her EDDA, just because she wanted to better herself. She was not looking for a new job or a raise in getting her EDDA, she simply wanted to be better. THAT is something that cannot be beat. I have worked with a number of Dental Assistants in the 19 years I’ve been out of school and Heather is truly the top of the list.”

 

 

11 Honorable mentions:
Estefany Rosales – Enable Dental
Jacque McKinney – Alexandroff Dental
Lori Hawk – Capital Community Dental Clinic
Susan Lowery – Aria Care Partners
Camille Sanders – Misericordia Dental Clinic
Krystle Cole – Timber Kids Pediatric Dentistry
April Woods – McPhee Dental Group
Jessica Ross – Primary Health Network
Nicole Cook – Britten Periodontics
Angie Rumsey – Cashmere Dental
Stephanie Oxford – Pacific Dental Group

 

 

We want to give a special thanks to everyone who participated this year because none of your submissions went unread. The dental community is amazing, and we wanted to take a moment to thank all dental assistants for all the hard work they do. Your work is truly invaluable, and we appreciate you more than words can express 💜. If you didn’t get an opportunity to nominate a dental assistant this year, don’t worry because will be doing this next year as well! Just watch out for our emails and we will be sure to keep you updated.

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