CCD: Tell us about your experience. What were your responsibilities?
MS: For seven months of my senior year, I would intern at Cerillo Family Dentistry on Mondays and Fridays through a class at my high school called “Executive Internship.” Seeing as I plan on entering the dental field, this was a great experience for me, as I got a lot of hands on experience and understanding of what a job in dentistry might entail. At first I only watched Dr. Cerillo and his dental assistants do different procedures, such as cavities fillings, exams, X-rays, root canals, implants etc. Throughout the procedures, they would walk me through what they were doing and why. Soon, they allowed me to help take part and pass materials, input patient info into the computer, and more. I would also help clean rooms, clean the tools, and bring patients back into the rooms to be seen.
CCD: What was the best thing about the experience? What was the worst?
MS: The best thing was the opportunity itself; it’s not easy for many high school students to get internships, especially ones that were as hands on as mine was. The worst thing was having to go on slow days. When no one is there and everything is clean and there’s nothing to do it could get a little boring. But most days were filled with appointments.
CCD: What was the most memorable part of your experience?
MS: The most memorable moment was seeing how happy patients were after receiving essential care. The moment they knew the pain would be over or when you could see that they finally enjoyed their smile due to new dentures or implants.
CCD: What advice would you give to another student about making the most of an internship, job, or other career-related experience?
MS: I would say to really connect with the staff to keep those networking options available. Be kind, do your job to the best of your ability, and enjoy it.
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