EDUCATION
THE COLLEGE OF GENERAL DENTISTRY
WHAT’S IN IT FOR TECHNICIANS? By Andrea Johnson
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ets start with - Who am I? that is a good question, I am currently a highly specialised orthodontic technician, orthodontic & OMFS laboratory manager, deputy clinical governance lead, quality improvement coach, chair/founder of registered charity Den-Tech, editorial board member of the Dental Technician magazine, advisory & reference group member of CGDent and a part time Masters student. I have previously served as a STEM ambassador, Chair of the OTA, a DTA council member, have taught dental technology in various education establishments, I lecture both nationally and internationally at conferences and events and generally get involved in trying to further and support my profession wherever and whenever I can. Is this who I have always been? No. I actually retrained into dental technology in my early 30’s, I had spent the years previous to this in a variety of different roles, ranging from manufacturing, cleaning and even a milk round for 3 days! But it was predominately, for around 10 years, in various retail management roles. I must admit that it was a little scary in some respects going back to being a student and knowing I would be one of the eldest in the group. However, I needn’t have feared because I was welcomed with open arms and treated as just one of the group. Having said that, I did end up mothering them all to some degree and to this day I am still referred to as ‘mama goose’ by one of my fellow classmates who is now a very successful business owner and company director. I love the bonds that we all built during that time and they have lasted the test of time as we still keep in touch and try and meet up whenever our busy lives will allow. My career in dental technology has been relatively straight forward, I started out in small private denture laboratory and then
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after a couple of years moved into the hospital service training further in orthodontic technology and have not looked back since. I didn’t realise at the time just how much I would enjoy the challenges I would face in the field of orthodontics, especially the more complex and challenging patient cases we see in the hospital service. When I started at my first hospital-based post, my then manager insisted that I become a member of the Orthodontic Technicians Association (OTA) and attend their annual conference. He realised the value of contact with fellow technicians from other labs and the networking opportunities these events provide. Little did I know at that time where that would lead, but I am very grateful for the nudge, because after only 2 years as a member I was approached by the then chair of the OTA and was asked to present at their conference and subsequently to sit on the council. Ultimately, I spent over 8 years on the council serving in a variety of roles including secretary, BSI liaison, newsletter editor, vice chair and finally becoming the OTA’s first female chairperson. My time with the OTA gave me the opportunity to engage with professionals and regulators from across dentistry in a variety of settings, but the common theme I always noticed was the inequalities in the opportunities and engagement offered to our various groups within dentistry and the old fashioned and outdated hierarchy clearly still very present. Throughout my working life so far, I have found that the only true positive and productive way forward is through a strong team working ethic. I have held various managerial roles throughout my working life but I have never considered myself as someone who just manages people, but rather as a leader of a team, and that only through
