In my nearly 17 years in the dental field, I have witnessed remarkable transformations and discovered my own true passion. Starting as a dental assistant in Olympia, Wash, I quickly became enamored with the intricacies of dentistry. Little did I know then that this profession would evolve from a mere job to a deep-rooted love that extended far beyond the confines of a clinical setting.
Tina Saw, DDS
Following dental school, my path mirrored that of many dental graduates: I became an associate and eventually opened my own private practice. Starting from scratch, I relied on my belief that treating patients well would attract them to my practice. And it did. Through word-of-mouth alone, my patient base grew steadily, even without extensive marketing efforts.
Despite my success, however, an underlying sense of dissatisfaction gnawed at my heart. Dentistry was meant to be about more than fixing teeth; it was about helping people achieve healthier, more radiant smiles. I had entered this profession with a genuine desire to make a positive impact, but the monotony of reparative care, not well care, left me wanting more.
In dentistry, there exists a void in becoming well-rounded providers and true partners in our patients’ oral health. This realization compelled me on a journey to develop Oral Genome—an innovative preventive solution aimed at enhancing patient understanding and engagement in their oral well-being. I sought to redefine dentistry as a collaborative endeavor, fostering a lasting connection with our patients and serving as their advocates for oral health.
Through Oral Genome, dentistry can break free from its limited boundaries and become a catalyst for holistic oral health. Seventeen years ago, I was a young dental assistant. I’ve come a long way. I would never have envisioned my career to lead to a commitment to revolutionizing dentistry and making a lasting difference in the lives of countless individuals.
