Cathy Kionke, Staff Dentist at Delaware Correctional Center in Smyrna, says she was hooked on correctional dentistry from the start.
"I loved the work right away," said Kionke. "I knew a colleague who was working in corrections and was encouraged by his experience, so I started off part-time and moved on to full-time from there. We've had a pretty good experience here at this site. I don't think I’ve ever seen a dentist leave because they didn't like the work or the environment. I've been doing it for seven years and I still enjoy it each day."
Dentistry Without Headaches
Charles King, Regional Dental Director in Alabama, says he appreciates being a correctional dentist because it allows greater focus on patient care without the administrative distractions that can be present in private practice.
"Working in corrections is enjoyable because you get to focus on dentistry without all the additional worries," said King. "You don’t have any of the collection hassles, advertising or patients getting upset about their bills or the countless other things you have to worry about in private practice. In corrections, it's simple – you just come in and all you have to be is a dentist."
Part of a Medical Team
King adds that a unique benefit of correctional dentistry not found in other settings is the chance to be part of a larger medical team. He points to the fact that in the correctional environment, a dentist will work within a facility medical unit featuring not only dental assistants, but also primary care physicians, RNs and LPNs, x-ray techs and other healthcare professionals.
"Here you feel like you are a part of a whole medical team, and you're considered to be a valuable member of that team," said King. "Having the dental function within a medical unit is helpful because in private practice sometimes you need to send a patient to the hospital for tests, then you're waiting on getting those results back and then the patient has to come back in to have the procedure done. In our medical units, we can shorten up that process and complete it in 1-2 hours instead of 2-3 days because we have those capabilities in-house. It just makes the patient care process more efficient since you have all the information you need to treat the patient."
Extensive Support System
Ernest Jackson, Chief of Dental Services in Missouri, points out the CMS support system extends beyond the walls of the medical unit, going across cities and even states given the company’s nationwide presence.
"If a dentist has a question or wants to bounce an idea off someone, they have a whole network of other CMS dentists they can turn to," said Jackson. "Here in Missouri, they can call any of the dentists in our 22 units across the state or they can even contact any CMS dentist across the country. We have an excellent, diverse group of dentists who may have different areas of specialization and experience so our dentists have a vast resource pool they can access at anytime."
Good Communication = Success
Despite all the positives, we all know that no job is perfect. Correctional dentists often find that one quality they may need to exhibit more of in their environment is good communication skills.
Jackson points out many inmate patients have had limited prior dental care or even none at all, so the importance and fundamentals of basic dental hygiene and care may not well understood. However, he states patients are appreciative of the education and treatment and they receive from dental providers.
"When we are able to relieve their pain and show them how to properly care for their teeth, they are really grateful," said Jackson. "It’s nice to be able to make that difference for patients. It's very satisfying to work in correctional dentistry – I never want to go back to private practice."