Caitlin Agnew
Dr Caitlin Agnew is a House Officer in the Oral Health team. She talks to us about the enjoyment that working in this team has brought her and discusses her experience so far...
Working in the Oral Health department as a house surgeon is
great because of the large support system as well as the extensive
work experience we receive.
The Oral Health team has a vast range of specialists including
dentists, special needs dental specialists, paediatric specialists,
maxillofacial surgeons, oral medicine specialists, prosthodontists
and orthodontists. We are very fortunate because at the hospital we
get the opportunity to learn from specialists and work alongside
many of them each day. This enables us to broaden our knowledge
base and dental experience.
The dental house officer job is very busy because we see
patients from over three District Health Boards. Our year is split
up into 6 rotations which offer us a wide range of experience in
maxillofacial trauma and surgery, paediatrics, special needs
dentistry, oral surgery and emergency relief of pain. We are also
involved in the treatment of cardiac patients and work in a very
interesting head and neck cancer clinic. It is great to have a
change at the beginning of each new rotation!
At the hospital we get to help those people who can't afford
regular dental care through our relief of pain and cardiac services
and this is a very rewarding part of our job. Additionally, we have
the chance to sharpen our minor oral surgery skills.
Each Friday morning we have an education meeting for an hour.
Here we listen to lectures from our staff and various guest
speakers. This meeting always generates a great learning
environment and many debates. It allows us to keep up to date with
new advances in the industry and helps us to revise numerous
educational topics.
To work as a dental house surgeon, you need to have completed a
5 year Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree (BDS). In New Zealand you
have to face the cold and head down south to Dunedin, as this is
the only place you can study dentistry. This degree combines the
theoretical and practical aspects of dentistry exceptionally
well.
It has been great this year being able to attend conferences,
such as the annual Dental Hospital conference where we can interact
with like minded professionals, work hard and also get to know one
another on a social level.
Dentistry offers a rewarding and worthwhile career to anyone who
has an interest in and a concern for the needs of people; an even
temperament and a sense of precision. As a profession, Dentistry
gives an unusual opportunity to contribute to a person's
appearance, well-being and general health. One of its great
attractions is its emphasis on caring for people and encouraging
them to find the means to care for themselves. I love working with
people and the challenges I face every day in my chosen career.
Dentistry is a constantly changing profession and is a career
which offers many different opportunities after completion of the
under-graduate degree.
I have been very busy this year working full time as well as
being on call once or twice a week but when I get the chance I love
to get outside to go for a run and to play tennis.
I am also about to start playing in a netball team with
friends. I try to make time to go out for coffee and
dinner and also to fit in non-work related reading. Most of our
team socialise together by going for after work drinks on a Friday
in Newmarket.