Paul Healy’s orthodontic practice is a hive full of industrious workers. One day I meet three members of the team. Mia Pontes Marques, Lucy Robertson and Bec Davies.
A: It’s really nice to see you and talk to you. You are working here today but there was a time before you started here.
A: I want to go back in time. When you were at school which is probably around here did you think one day I want to work at an orthodontic practice.
L: For me my initial industry was not dental at all but I knew when I was younger my fall-back plan was dental. So my plan was musical theatre but there is an expirery date with musical theatre. When you get older your body doesn’t work the way it is meant to. You can’t always be in your best physical health. My back-up plan was always dental.
A: So, this is plan B.
Laughter.
L: Well, it is but a really good plan B.
A: Was it plan A for you?
M: For me it was. When I was 15, I wanted to be an orthodontist and I managed to be an orthodontist in my country. Here I’m not there yet but I am happy working in orthodontics anyway.
A: Can I ask you what country?
M: Brazil.
A: So, you were an orthodontist in Brazil?
M: Yes.
A: So, you’ve come here
M: Yes, Australia has a way of life that matches mine.
A: And you. What was your plan A?
B: In high school I wanted to work with animals.
A: No animals in this practice.
Laughter
B: So, I did that study but I just wanted to try something completely different. I guess it wasn’t my plan A but I love it.
A: So how did you finish up here. Did you see and ad in the paper or...
B: Yes. I was working at Subway and I saw a traineeship and I jumped on it. And I’ve nearly been here two years.
A: And you. Did you see and ad or did you know someone?
L: Someone approached me actually and they said we have heard good things about you and I’d worked in customer service and my role here as treatment coordinator is very much face to face. So yes I was approached and had an interview and I loved it from the get go.
A: When you were in Brazil did you think about becoming an orthodontist here?
M: Yes.
A: How much study would that involve?
M: Quiet a lot. I still have to clear the ADC to become a dentist first.
A: Can you imagine working here as an orthodontist?
M: Yes. It is my passion. I don’t have to prove anything anymore. I work for twenty years in my dream profession but I miss it and I like it. I just want to do what I love. Everything I do here I love but I don’t do everything I love.
A: What is your role at the moment?
M: I am a lab technician. I make appliances, retainers.
A: When you working with Paul Healy do you ever say that is what I would do or I wouldn’t do it this way. Do you ever give him advice?
Laughter
M: I am learning. Quiet a lot. Looking at the final result and the way he works I am learning. But here I am a dental technician, not an orthodontist.
A: Do you remember the day you came for an interview here?
M: Yes. I came for a dental assistant interview but I sold myself as a dental technician because I knew what I wanted to do.
A: Did they know you were an orthodontist in Brazil?
M: They knew that because of my resume and I made clear I would never interfere in anything because here I am not a dentist. I would never try to make decisions or influence anything.
A: I would say you are all part of a team and all of you have to play your part.
And you, what do you remember of your interview? The day you turned up?
B: I was quite anxious actually. Very anxious?
A: What were you thinking about?
B: How much I wanted the job. To get into something different. And I was also a patient here.
A: That would help you get the job. And also turning up on time and being neat and tidy.
More laughter.
A: You have all made the jump from working elsewhere to working here. Was it a big jump?
B: It was a good jump.
A: Difficult or easy jump?
B: A different language.
L: Yes, a lot of different terms. For someone who doesn’t know the dental world. Yes, a different language.
A: Was it a different language for you?
M: No, the language is just the same.
A: Accept it is English.
M: When we study, we read a lot of English. English and Spanish. The terminology was very familiar. Very similar they all come from Latin.
The three workers I met all help people smile proudly. They all have a story to tell. It’s the story of their life.
A: It’s really nice to see you and talk to you. You are working here today but there was a time before you started here.
A: I want to go back in time. When you were at school which is probably around here did you think one day I want to work at an orthodontic practice.
L: For me my initial industry was not dental at all but I knew when I was younger my fall-back plan was dental. So my plan was musical theatre but there is an expirery date with musical theatre. When you get older your body doesn’t work the way it is meant to. You can’t always be in your best physical health. My back-up plan was always dental.
A: So, this is plan B.
Laughter.
L: Well, it is but a really good plan B.
A: Was it plan A for you?
M: For me it was. When I was 15, I wanted to be an orthodontist and I managed to be an orthodontist in my country. Here I’m not there yet but I am happy working in orthodontics anyway.
A: Can I ask you what country?
M: Brazil.
A: So, you were an orthodontist in Brazil?
M: Yes.
A: So, you’ve come here
M: Yes, Australia has a way of life that matches mine.
A: And you. What was your plan A?
B: In high school I wanted to work with animals.
A: No animals in this practice.
Laughter
B: So, I did that study but I just wanted to try something completely different. I guess it wasn’t my plan A but I love it.
A: So how did you finish up here. Did you see and ad in the paper or...
B: Yes. I was working at Subway and I saw a traineeship and I jumped on it. And I’ve nearly been here two years.
A: And you. Did you see and ad or did you know someone?
L: Someone approached me actually and they said we have heard good things about you and I’d worked in customer service and my role here as treatment coordinator is very much face to face. So yes I was approached and had an interview and I loved it from the get go.
A: When you were in Brazil did you think about becoming an orthodontist here?
M: Yes.
A: How much study would that involve?
M: Quiet a lot. I still have to clear the ADC to become a dentist first.
A: Can you imagine working here as an orthodontist?
M: Yes. It is my passion. I don’t have to prove anything anymore. I work for twenty years in my dream profession but I miss it and I like it. I just want to do what I love. Everything I do here I love but I don’t do everything I love.
A: What is your role at the moment?
M: I am a lab technician. I make appliances, retainers.
A: When you working with Paul Healy do you ever say that is what I would do or I wouldn’t do it this way. Do you ever give him advice?
Laughter
M: I am learning. Quiet a lot. Looking at the final result and the way he works I am learning. But here I am a dental technician, not an orthodontist.
A: Do you remember the day you came for an interview here?
M: Yes. I came for a dental assistant interview but I sold myself as a dental technician because I knew what I wanted to do.
A: Did they know you were an orthodontist in Brazil?
M: They knew that because of my resume and I made clear I would never interfere in anything because here I am not a dentist. I would never try to make decisions or influence anything.
A: I would say you are all part of a team and all of you have to play your part.
And you, what do you remember of your interview? The day you turned up?
B: I was quite anxious actually. Very anxious?
A: What were you thinking about?
B: How much I wanted the job. To get into something different. And I was also a patient here.
A: That would help you get the job. And also turning up on time and being neat and tidy.
More laughter.
A: You have all made the jump from working elsewhere to working here. Was it a big jump?
B: It was a good jump.
A: Difficult or easy jump?
B: A different language.
L: Yes, a lot of different terms. For someone who doesn’t know the dental world. Yes, a different language.
A: Was it a different language for you?
M: No, the language is just the same.
A: Accept it is English.
M: When we study, we read a lot of English. English and Spanish. The terminology was very familiar. Very similar they all come from Latin.
The three workers I met all help people smile proudly. They all have a story to tell. It’s the story of their life.