Future Oral Health Workforce Day Inspires Next Generation at Lakeshore Community Health Care

On Tuesday, April 15, Lakeshore Community Health Care’s (LCHC) Dental Clinic in Sheboygan opened its doors to 22 Wisconsin high school students for Future Oral Health Workforce Day. This Northeast Wisconsin Area Health Education Center (AHEC) event successfully introduced students to career pathways in dental assisting, dental hygiene, and dentistry through professional presentations and hands-on experiences. 

Comprehensive Career Insights from Practicing Professionals 

Kristin Stearns, LCHC CEO and Northeastern Wisconsin AHEC Board Treasurer, welcomed students at noon, setting the stage for an immersive journey into dental healthcare careers. The day began with three compelling healthcare professionals who took center stage, each sharing their unique professional pathways and hard-earned wisdom. Their stories brought real-world perspective before students even picked up their first instruments. The hands-on experience that followed was expertly led by LCHC’s Dr. Casey Wilson, Julie Risse, Heather Mulder, and Noelle Boeldt.  

Dental Assistant Melissa Jeske brought fifteen years of expertise to her presentation. When asked to explain what dental assistants do, she responded with a memorable quip: “The better question is what doesn’t an assistant do?” This perfectly captured the versatility of the role as she went on to explain that dental assistants serve as the backbone of any practice, handling everything from assisting with procedures (fillings, crowns, root canals, and dentures) to managing administrative tasks like scheduling and ordering supplies. 

Jeske shared her unique career path, which began with military service in high school, followed by training at Lakeshore Technical College and on-the-job experience. Her career has spanned general dentistry, pediatrics, orthodontics, teaching, and management, including her current role dental assisting with LCHC School Mobile Dental Program. 

Students learned that dental assisting offers an excellent work-life balance with most offices closed on weekends and holidays, competitive wages, and often four-day work weeks. Jeske emphasized that the profession offers growth opportunities and can serve as a steppingstone toward careers in hygiene or dentistry. 

Dental Hygienist Jen Dewey, RDH, followed with a compelling overview of the hygienist profession. She highlighted several compelling reasons to consider this career path: the ability to have both immediate and long-term impact on patients’ health, competitive to excellent pay ranges, better work-life balance than many other healthcare fields, and greater professional autonomy. Dewey emphasized that dental hygiene is a hands-on, stable, and recession-proof career that continues to evolve with cutting-edge technologies. She detailed the specific duties hygienists perform daily and illustrated how teamwork is essential in providing comprehensive patient care. 

Dewey mapped out the career pathway: high school graduation, college prerequisites (typically at community colleges), the HESI A2 entrance exam, followed by dental hygiene programs at technical schools like Fox Valley Tech (Appleton), NWTC (Green Bay), and Lakeshore College (which will restart its program in 2026). She noted the significant demand for hygienists, with most graduates entering practice immediately. 

Dentist Dr. Sara Grady completed the presentations with an engaging discussion about dentistry. She cleverly illustrated the social importance of oral health by showing a family photo to students. When she asked, “What do you notice about this photo?” students immediately identified the father’s missing tooth. Dr. Grady then pointed out that the father was also missing an eyebrow – a powerful demonstration that smiles are a critical social aspect of our health, often noticed before other features. 

Dr. Grady explained that dentists are doctors specializing in oral health, including teeth, gums, bone, and soft tissue. She outlined ideal candidate traits: compassion for patients with dental anxiety, enjoyment of social interaction, problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, manual dexterity, and appreciation for both science and art. She described various dental specialties before detailing the educational path: a four-year bachelor’s degree, the DAT entrance exam, and four years of dental school. Dr. Grady shared how global outreach helped her discover that general dentistry was her calling rather than orthodontics as she had initially expected. 

Hands-On Experience: Theory into Practice 

Following the presentations, LCHC’s professional staff guided students through nine specialized stations where they gained 15 minutes of hands-on experience with each of the following: 

• Dental Assistant stations: Impressions, Suctioning, Temporary Crowns 

• Dental Hygienist stations: Sealants, Polishing, Scaling 

• Dentist stations: Filling, Mirror, Drilling 

These practical activities allowed students to experience firsthand the skills required in each dental profession. Students were full of smiles and grateful for the hands-on learning experiences. They even got to bring home their first impressions.  

A Statewide Initiative with Local Impact 

The Sheboygan event was part of a broader Wisconsin AHEC initiative, with similar Future Oral Health Workforce Day workshops hosted across the state in Milwaukee, Keshena, Fennimore, Janesville, Eau Claire, and Rice Lake. 

The participating students demonstrated remarkable dedication to exploring oral health careers, with one student traveling 75 miles to attend. Special thanks to Delta Dental for providing gas cards to support student transportation. The strong interest in oral health careers was evident, with some schools sending as many as four students to participate in this valuable opportunity. 

Recognizing Our Participating Schools 

• Appleton East High School 

• Fond Du Lac High School 

• Green Bay Preble High School 

• Horace Mann High School, Fond du Lac 

• Kiel High School 

• Laconia High School 

• Manitowoc Lincoln High School 

• Oostburg High School 

• Peshtigo High School 

• Plymouth High School 

• Sheboygan North High School 

• Sheboygan South High School 

• Westfield Area High School

Building Wisconsin’s Oral Health Future  

This successful collaboration between Northeastern Wisconsin AHEC, Wisconsin AHEC, Lakeshore Community Health Care, and Wisconsin Department of Health Services represents an investment in Wisconsin’s future oral healthcare workforce. By providing high school students with professional insights, clear educational pathways, and hands-on experiences, the Future Oral Health Workforce Day helps develop the next generation of dental professionals for our communities. 

Celebrating Our Future Oral Health Professionals 

Congratulations to all the high school participants who earned their Future Oral Health Workforce Day Certificate at LCHC on April 15! By investing time in this experience, these students have demonstrated they are curious learners and leaders preparing for future healthcare careers. Their willingness to expand their network and knowledge sets them apart as Wisconsin’s promising next generation of dental professionals. 

Northeastern Wisconsin AHEC extends sincere appreciation to the Lakeshore Community Health Care team for their professional presentations and exceptional hands-on learning experiences that made this event a success. Northeastern Wisconsin AHEC also extends its thanks to event sponsor Delta Dental, as well as to Festival Foods and Just Orthodontics for their generous cookies and bottled water donations.