Dear RDH:
I have read the Commentary by Heidi Jones in the April 1996 issue and fail to understand what she is really trying to say. Does she think that most of us didn`t go through the same experiences she did? (Except that some of us didn`t have the benefit of fathers who were dentists, had no assisting background, and had to work to pay tuition in addition to completing the difficult program.)
It seems to me that Ms. Jones has a self-concept problem. Why else does she need to explain receiving a "B" rather than an "A" in oral histology or the unfair tactics of the instructor (but congratulations, Heidi, for being the only student to answer the granuloma question correctly!).
Ms. Jones likes to talk about the fact she is a professional. Most hygienists I know are very professional and demonstrate it on a daily basis as they work with patients. Most don`t need to elucidate every aspect of their educational background to do it.
Kathy Jackson, RDH
Denver, Colorado