The people you know... Natalie Albert
Introducing you to the people of Webster
By: Stephanie Kiszczak
Issue date: 4/28/05 Section: Culture
- Page 1 of 3 next >
Senior Natalie Albert has dealt with a lot of big mouths the past six years, and plenty of small mouths, too.
"It's a gross job, but it doesn't bother me," Albert said of her part-time job as a dental assistant. "I've seen it all - from a healthy mouth to a not healthy mouth."
Albert, a public relations major, works at Gene C. Cohen Family Dentistry, 15510 Olive Blvd. She's been there for 4 1/2 years and has plenty of stories to share.
"We've had patients pass out in the office," Albert said, recalling a visit with a patient who swore they smelled bug spray in the office. "We were having a normal conversation. I went to get the doctor and by the time we came back, she was having a seizure."
Since everyone in the office is required to take a CPR class, Albert said everyone in the office was quick to act.
"We definitely had to call the ambulance," Albert said.
As it turns out, the patient had just gotten her nails done before
going to the dentist and had an allergic reaction.
Caring for patients
Albert said she has several responsibilities in the office. It's her job to set up the patient rooms, prepare the trays for the upcoming procedure, bring the patient back to the room, clean the room and write up patient charts.
"You have to talk to the patient, you have to basically cater to their every need once they sit in that chair," Albert said.
She also takes impressions and pours up the models in the lab in the back of the office. Albert said she is meticulous when it comes to cleaning her room.
"You gotta put your barriers on your little room," said Albert, who completed the dental program at St. Louis Community College-Forest Park. "You know there's a possibility where there are droplets of blood. The room has to be sanitized."
In addition to room sanitation, a pet peeve of Albert's is when other dental assistants fail to clean their rooms properly.
"I worked with girls that just don't clean their room good," Albert said. "But they didn't go to Forest Park."
"It's a gross job, but it doesn't bother me," Albert said of her part-time job as a dental assistant. "I've seen it all - from a healthy mouth to a not healthy mouth."
Albert, a public relations major, works at Gene C. Cohen Family Dentistry, 15510 Olive Blvd. She's been there for 4 1/2 years and has plenty of stories to share.
"We've had patients pass out in the office," Albert said, recalling a visit with a patient who swore they smelled bug spray in the office. "We were having a normal conversation. I went to get the doctor and by the time we came back, she was having a seizure."
Since everyone in the office is required to take a CPR class, Albert said everyone in the office was quick to act.
"We definitely had to call the ambulance," Albert said.
As it turns out, the patient had just gotten her nails done before
going to the dentist and had an allergic reaction.
Caring for patients
Albert said she has several responsibilities in the office. It's her job to set up the patient rooms, prepare the trays for the upcoming procedure, bring the patient back to the room, clean the room and write up patient charts.
"You have to talk to the patient, you have to basically cater to their every need once they sit in that chair," Albert said.
She also takes impressions and pours up the models in the lab in the back of the office. Albert said she is meticulous when it comes to cleaning her room.
"You gotta put your barriers on your little room," said Albert, who completed the dental program at St. Louis Community College-Forest Park. "You know there's a possibility where there are droplets of blood. The room has to be sanitized."
In addition to room sanitation, a pet peeve of Albert's is when other dental assistants fail to clean their rooms properly.
"I worked with girls that just don't clean their room good," Albert said. "But they didn't go to Forest Park."
