Katie Dawson, R.D.H., B.S.
Oakland, CA
Dental Hygienist

While her lifelong dream is to one day be a backup singer for Luther Vandross, dental hygienist Katie Dawson appreciates the work she currently does each day with patients of all ages. "I like being in an atmosphere where you can make a positive difference. Most people are afraid of the dentist, but if you can put them at ease, the benefits of prevention and oral health are endless," she said.

She especially enjoys introducing young children to the dental chair. "We try to get them to want to do what their parents are doing. We count teeth with them and shine the light in their mouths. When it's time to have their teeth really checked, they can't wait for the appointment," she said.

For elderly patients, Ms. Dawson said, her focus is on cleaning teeth so food is appetizing. Recalling an elderly man in a wheelchair, she said, "After I finished cleaning his teeth and handed him a mirror, a big smile appeared on his face. That was a pleasant experience for me. No one wants to eat when there is pain in the mouth. I hope to be able to provide relief from pain and discomfort."

Her career in dentistry began when her brother, Dr. Robert Flennaugh, a general dentist in Seattle, Washington, who also practices dentistry for the Seattle Seahawks football team, suggested she consider the benefits of a flexible and independent profession. "I went back to school and graduated when I was 30, when everyone else in the class was 20 or 21," she said, adding that at that time she was recently divorced and caring for her young son, Tony.

Now Ms. Dawson is vice president of the American Dental Hygienists' Association, which is 38,000 members strong. She's also past president of the National Dental Hygienists' Association and served as the hygienist representative on the Dental Board of California, a governor-appointed position. "I love volunteering in my professional associations. It satisfies the lawyer in me. I like to debate and challenge issues adversely affecting consumers," she said.

She's also chair of the planning committee for her 40th high school class reunion. "Our class was unique because we experienced the Kennedy assassination together in 1963. I remember how everyone in the school just fell apart," said Ms. Dawson, who expects to become a grandmother in March 2004.