Each week the RDH PIRA (Patient Impact & Rise Above) recognition program, sponsored by Water Pik, Inc., features a dental hygiene clinician who excels in their role and goes the extra mile in their job. The past two years have been a challenge for many clinicians and as we return to the operatory, we want to acknowledge those providing patient care—clinicians who are changing their patients’ lives, influencing their patients’ health, and making a daily difference. This week we honor Christina Barker, CRDH, AS, DA, AA.
From the submission nominating Christina
“Christina has been with the private practice of Dr. James McCall in Jacksonville, Florida, for 10 years. She has changed the life of so many patients. Her patient education is second to none. Her dedication to the practice, her patients, and her family is remarkable. There is nothing that Christina feels is out of the scope of her duties in the office. She is always willing to help out no matter what.
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Our office family would not be complete if Christina wasn't here. She is small and mighty; our number one ninja. There have been times when patients have come into the office and Christina has been alert enough to send them right to their medical doctor. She has truly saved the lives of some of our patients.
She is an excellent teacher and even when we’ve gone through very trying times during and after the pandemic, Christina never wavered. She has worked double duty to make sure our patients are always our top priority. Everyone had fears about returning to the office, and Christine was no exception. But even to this day she puts herself last with gowns, unbreathable masks, shields, head caps, and all the other things we need to be safe, and she never complains. She's our biggest cheerleader. Our practice wouldn't be what it is today without her.”
Christina graduated with her AA and EFDA degree from Brevard Community College in 2008. She earned her dental hygiene degree in 2011. She joined Dr. McCall’s office in 2012 and received her local anesthetic license in 2015. She is passionate about patient education and helping patients with their overall health. She feels a sense of accomplishment when a patient feels better after a cleaning.
Since patient care is a priority in Dr. McCall’s practice, Christina strives to make clients feel comfortable and like part of the family. She loves the fact that the team is a family and not just a group of coworkers, and that patients are treated like family, too. Christina is married to her junior high sweetheart, Josh. They have a little girl named Avery Grace and a Maltese named Sully. When she’s not at work, she loves to bake, dance, paint, and play with her daughter.
