From the start of my veterinary career, I knew that dentistry was my true passion. I genuinely love it and believe it plays a massive role in a pet's health. It was also my dream to earn my Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in dentistry. When I learned that NVA and my hospital, Niles Veterinary Clinic, would sponsor me, I actually went home and cried. Four years later, I proudly became Sally Outhwaite, RVT, VTS (Dentistry).

As NVA’s Dentistry Supervisor, I travel to different hospitals and provide training sessions. My goal is to help teams grow their skills, enabling them to perform dentistry at the highest level and make it a cornerstone of their practice.

Improve your team’s dental skills and knowledge.

I begin the training sessions with general dentistry topics, such as anatomy and functions. We discuss instrumentation (how to care for and sharpen tools), how to probe and chart the mouth, how to identify problem areas, and why it's important to maintain accurate medical records. We also focus on taking X-rays, and I teach teams how to capture those difficult shots.

Learn effective communication techniques and emphasize early intervention.

Teaching effective communication strategies for discussing dental health with clients is equally as important. I emphasize that they should not prejudge clients. You can't assume clients won’t want to pay for dental care until it's a problem. You simply don't know unless you ask.

I encourage starting these educational conversations when pets are puppies or kittens. Clients often think a little bit of tartar is no big deal, but that bacteria sits on the gums, getting into their bloodstream, liver, and kidneys. Why would we let that sit and fester when we could do something about it when they're younger?

I also highlight how humans routinely get their teeth cleaned every six months. Why shouldn't we do the same for our pets? By encouraging regular cleanings starting at a young age, we can prevent significant issues down the line, such as tooth loss, abscesses, or severe bone loss.

The power of getting the entire team on board.

Teamwork in dentistry is essential. I want everyone- from receptionists, assistants, techs, and doctors- to be able to discuss dentistry confidently. When clients call to schedule their appointment, receptionists should be able to explain the procedure, estimate, and the need for X-rays. Assistants should be able to walk into the exam room and discuss the doctor’s grade and go over the estimate. Then doctors really have to make it a priority. When the veterinarians make it important, the client feels that it's important.

Success story.

Each hospital benefits from this training in unique ways. For example, one hospital had X-rays down, but they had never sharpened their instruments. After I went over instrument sharpening, they found it made such a big difference in their cleanings.