The Dynamic RDH revolutionizing the way preventive dentistry is practiced, bridging innovation and evidence-based care to transform patient outcomes and professional standards
The Dynamic RDH revolutionizing the way preventive dentistry is practiced, bridging innovation and evidence-based care to transform patient outcomes and professional standards
Motivational Speaker | Practicing RDH | Author | Founder of Thrive in the Op® and The Functional RDH® Career Coach | Product Reviewer | Dental Marketing Strategist
Motivational Speaker | Practicing RDH | Author | Founder of Thrive in the Op® and The Functional RDH® Career Coach | Product Reviewer | Dental Marketing Strategist
My journey to the dental field began in the 6th grade. I remember the moment I was sitting in science class and we were discussing how teeth formed. I knew at that moment that I wanted to be a dental clinician. My initial goal was to become a dentist. A higher power had a different plan. Dental school was not an option for me, as our finances were restricted.
My mom was a single mom with absolutely no help from my father. She worked three jobs to keep our lights on; sometimes, that wasn’t enough. We often counted coins and filled the gas tank five dollars at a time. I’ve been on my own financially since I was 12. I learned to look at money very differently than your average adolescent. This experience has allowed me to become a budget master and fueled my diligence in paying off over $95K of student loans in 3.5 years.
Additionally, childhood equipped me to be a time management ninja. I was accustomed to working multiple jobs to pay for school. I learned how to do things fast and with great attention to detail. I took my reputation of “get the job done efficiently and effectively” seriously then and still do to this day.
I am grateful that I inherited my mom’s reliance, her ability to hustle harder than ten men building a pyramid, her laughter, her love for children, and of course, dogs. Every single day, my mom would say to me, “You can be anything you want to be. I don’t care what you do for a living as long as you go to college.” I was the first to graduate college in my family.
My journey to the dental field began in the 6th grade. I remember the moment I was sitting in science class and we were discussing how teeth formed. I knew at that moment that I wanted to be a dental clinician. My initial goal was to become a dentist. A higher power had a different plan. Dental school was not an option for me, as our finances were restricted.
My mom was a single mom with absolutely no help from my father. She worked three jobs to keep our lights on; sometimes, that wasn’t enough. We often counted coins and filled the gas tank five dollars at a time. I’ve been on my own financially since I was 12. I learned to look at money very differently than your average adolescent. This experience has allowed me to become a budget master and fueled my diligence in paying off over $95K of student loans in 3.5 years.
Additionally, childhood equipped me to be a time management ninja. I was accustomed to working multiple jobs to pay for school. I learned how to do things fast and with great attention to detail. I took my reputation of “get the job done efficiently and effectively” seriously then and still do to this day.
I am grateful that I inherited my mom’s reliance, her ability to hustle harder than ten men building a pyramid, her laughter, her love for children, and of course, dogs. Every single day, my mom would say to me, “You can be anything you want to be. I don’t care what you do for a living as long as you go to college.” I was the first to graduate college in my family.
Meet Amber Auger
MPH, RDH
Dental Hygiene School
On my first day as I worked on the clinic floor, I was questioned if I had made the right decision.
Throughout high school, I worked as a waitress to pay my bills and save for college. In my senior year of high school, I had a cortisone shot in my scaler hand. Lynn, my clinical instructor, looked at me with deep concern, “Are you sure you want to be a dental hygienist? I am concerned you will not be able to do this full-time.” I remember this moment and the internal spark that ignited within me. “Oh, I am sure,” I said with the confidence of a mighty warrior ready to take on the challenge. I knew I was made for this.
As my peers enjoyed their social lives while in school, I enjoyed the quiet study lounge in the campus library. Or at least I pretended to. To pay for loans, I had to work while attending school full-time. The years that I was a dental hygiene student were the most challenging years of my life, as most hygienists report. I struggled with unbearable anxiety.
After failing an exam — I mean full-blown fail, like a 30% — my professor called me into her office. She asked me each question verbally without the multiple-choice options that had been on the written format test. To my surprise, I answered every question correctly. She knew what she was doing and referred me over to campus services to be tested for a learning disability. This hurt my ego.
I had spent my entire academic life failing tests and then making up for it with class participation and homework. I was an honor student who lacked the ability to comprehend what the question was asking. I went through two days of testing to be told that I scored off the charts in my social ability *flips hair and smirks* and scored low on my ability to comprehend the questions. I was diagnosed with a comprehension learning disability; this is why I struggled with testing.
I couldn’t determine what the question was asking. This, coupled with the debilitating anxiety of trying to keep up with the natural ability of my peers, was devasting for me.
Overall, this diagnosis allowed me more time on tests, which was life-changing. My professor changed my life, and without her, I would not have been able to pass boards. Having the knowledge of what I needed to be successful with testing enabled me to continue my education and achieve a Masters of Public Health degree.
On my first day as I worked on the clinic floor, I was questioned if I had made the right decision.
Throughout high school, I worked as a waitress to pay my bills and save for college. In my senior year of high school, I had a cortisone shot in my scaler hand. Lynn, my clinical instructor, looked at me with deep concern, “Are you sure you want to be a dental hygienist? I am concerned you will not be able to do this full-time.” I remember this moment and the internal spark that ignited within me. “Oh, I am sure,” I said with the confidence of a mighty warrior ready to take on the challenge. I knew I was made for this.
As my peers enjoyed their social lives while in school, I enjoyed the quiet study lounge in the campus library. Or at least I pretended to. To pay for loans, I had to work while attending school full-time. The years that I was a dental hygiene student were the most challenging years of my life, as most hygienists report. I struggled with unbearable anxiety.
After failing an exam — I mean full-blown fail, like a 30% — my professor called me into her office. She asked me each question verbally without the multiple-choice options that had been on the written format test. To my surprise, I answered every question correctly. She knew what she was doing and referred me over to campus services to be tested for a learning disability. This hurt my ego.
I had spent my entire academic life failing tests and then making up for it with class participation and homework. I was an honor student who lacked the ability to comprehend what the question was asking. I went through two days of testing to be told that I scored off the charts in my social ability *flips hair and smirks* and scored low on my ability to comprehend the questions. I was diagnosed with a comprehension learning disability; this is why I struggled with testing.
I couldn’t determine what the question was asking. This, coupled with the debilitating anxiety of trying to keep up with the natural ability of my peers, was devasting for me.
Overall, this diagnosis allowed me more time on tests, which was life-changing. My professor changed my life, and without her, I would not have been able to pass boards. Having the knowledge of what I needed to be successful with testing enabled me to continue my education and achieve a Masters of Public Health degree.
Public Health
Speaking
As a new grad, one of my employers, Dr. Tony Lepore, identified a “fire to educate” inside of me. I remember him telling me that he could see me becoming a dental speaker and consultant. At the time, I laughed in his face. You see, I was the student who would sweat four days before a five-minute presentation to my peers. There was no way I could be a dental speaker.
Then, in 2013, I became a spin instructor to pay for grad school. I taught six classes a week surrounded by mirrors in my spandex. It turns out that having your rear end in the spotlight helps you conquer your fear of public speaking.
As I focused on getting my Masters Degree from 2013 to 2015, I also worked full-time in a downtown Boston dental practice.
In January 2016, I attended my first Career Fusion conference. I was surrounded by leaders in the industry who believed in my vision. This was the rocket ship I needed to open doors I would never have imagined myself.
In September 2016, I had my first speaking engagement in front of 300 dental professionals. It ended with a standing ovation. I realized that Dr. Tony was right the entire time.
Since then, I was fortunate to find two long-term mentors: Josey Sewell and Jackie Sanders. These two hygienists have created tremendous opportunities for others in the dental field by always leading with their hearts.
I enjoy speaking for many reasons. Overall, I love sharing the latest in oral science, and I am passionate about providing practical applications for implementing new technology into each practice’s workflow.
Time is our biggest struggle as clinicians; my time management systems ensure that the clinician does not compromise patient care. Instead, we focus on preventive education to prevent oral and systemic diseases. As health care providers, the world needs us to level up the standard of oral health prevention.
As a new grad, one of my employers, Dr. Tony Lepore, identified a “fire to educate” inside of me. I remember him telling me that he could see me becoming a dental speaker and consultant. At the time, I laughed in his face. You see, I was the student who would sweat four days before a five-minute presentation to my peers. There was no way I could be a dental speaker.
Then, in 2013, I became a spin instructor to pay for grad school. I taught six classes a week surrounded by mirrors in my spandex. It turns out that having your rear end in the spotlight helps you conquer your fear of public speaking.
As I focused on getting my Masters Degree from 2013 to 2015, I also worked full-time in a downtown Boston dental practice.
In January 2016, I attended my first Career Fusion conference. I was surrounded by leaders in the industry who believed in my vision. This was the rocket ship I needed to open doors I would never have imagined myself.
In September 2016, I had my first speaking engagement in front of 300 dental professionals. It ended with a standing ovation. I realized that Dr. Tony was right the entire time.
Since then, I was fortunate to find two long-term mentors: Josey Sewell and Jackie Sanders. These two hygienists have created tremendous opportunities for others in the dental field by always leading with their hearts.
I enjoy speaking for many reasons. Overall, I love sharing the latest in oral science, and I am passionate about providing practical applications for implementing new technology into each practice’s workflow.
Time is our biggest struggle as clinicians; my time management systems ensure that the clinician does not compromise patient care. Instead, we focus on preventive education to prevent oral and systemic diseases. As health care providers, the world needs us to level up the standard of oral health prevention.
2019 Award of Distinction Recipient
The Sunstar/RDH Award of Distinction program has been a recognized pinnacle of the profession since 2002. To date, 133 registered dental hygienists have been honored for their achievements in their communities and within their personal platforms.
The Sunstar/RDH Award of Distinction program has been a recognized pinnacle of the profession since 2002. To date, 133 registered dental hygienists have been honored for their achievements in their communities and within their personal platforms.
Thrive in the Op®
Thrive in the Op® was created throughout the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. It is a program that has lived in my heart since 2018, and the pandemic was the extra push I needed to complete the start-up process. This community-based course is everything that I wish I’d had throughout my career.
I’ve always been the dental hygienist that comes into work bubbly and excited to start the day, yet there was a season of my clinical career where I found it extremely challenging to be myself. After two consecutive employers who did not align with the basic standards of treating periodontal disease, I felt defeated. I would recommend treatment as advised by the AAP, ADA, and ADHA, but my peers down the hall would not practice the same way.
After practicing for three years, I was told, “You will get used to the real world honey. You are too passionate. Don’t tell the patients their gums are bleeding. You’re too high energy; tame it down. You’re young; you haven’t learned yet.”
I feared what frequent office moves would do to my resume as I had changed offices twice in 2.5 years, but I knew I didn’t want to stay in a toxic work environment where the office manager would stand outside of my room and question why I didn’t recommend whitening services to the 83-year-old.
I thought long and hard about leaving the op, but a small voice kept reminding me that I was made to be a clinician. So I decided to look at potential employers differently and started interviewing them; I created a method of interviewing that worked well for me.
I now ask myself, “How would this office enhance my natural gifts and promote my learning in a safe, non-judgmental environment?” And I set crystal-clear boundaries on what my non-negotiables were. In doing so, I have found a clinical job that allows me the autonomy I have always desired, and I practice in a way that I am proud of.
My Thrive in the Op® program was created to bridge the gap between the education we receive in hygiene school and real-world applications. It is designed to equip clinicians with every single clinical, business, communication, and scientific resource that I have learned in the past 12 years of my dental hygiene career. In addition, clinicians that are part of Thrive receive mentorship and weekly live coaching where any and all questions can be addressed.
Joining Thrive in the Op® is a lifetime membership program, so as modules are added and content is updated, participants have access to continuous learning potentials.
Thrive in the Op® was created throughout the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. It is a program that has lived in my heart since 2018, and the pandemic was the extra push I needed to complete the start-up process. This community-based course is everything that I wish I’d had throughout my career.
I’ve always been the dental hygienist that comes into work bubbly and excited to start the day, yet there was a season of my clinical career where I found it extremely challenging to be myself. After two consecutive employers who did not align with the basic standards of treating periodontal disease, I felt defeated. I would recommend treatment as advised by the AAP, ADA, and ADHA, but my peers down the hall would not practice the same way.
After practicing for three years, I was told, “You will get used to the real world honey. You are too passionate. Don’t tell the patients their gums are bleeding. You’re too high energy; tame it down. You’re young; you haven’t learned yet.”
I feared what frequent office moves would do to my resume as I had changed offices twice in 2.5 years, but I knew I didn’t want to stay in a toxic work environment where the office manager would stand outside of my room and question why I didn’t recommend whitening services to the 83-year-old.
I thought long and hard about leaving the op, but a small voice kept reminding me that I was made to be a clinician. So I decided to look at potential employers differently and started interviewing them; I created a method of interviewing that worked well for me.
I now ask myself, “How would this office enhance my natural gifts and promote my learning in a safe, non-judgmental environment?” And I set crystal-clear boundaries on what my non-negotiables were. In doing so, I have found a clinical job that allows me the autonomy I have always desired, and I practice in a way that I am proud of.
My Thrive in the Op® program was created to bridge the gap between the education we receive in hygiene school and real-world applications. It is designed to equip clinicians with every single clinical, business, communication, and scientific resource that I have learned in the past 12 years of my dental hygiene career. In addition, clinicians that are part of Thrive receive mentorship and weekly live coaching where any and all questions can be addressed.
Joining Thrive in the Op® is a lifetime membership program, so as modules are added and content is updated, participants have access to continuous learning potentials.
As part of my bachelor’s program with the University of New Haven, I had the opportunity to visit Romania. Our group spent two weeks in Bucharest, Romania, serving in an orphanage. This trip was life-changing and is one of the many reasons I pursued a Masters of Public Health degree. Since Romania, I have provided preventive dental hygiene services in Kenya, Santiago, and the Dominican Republic. My goal is to continue to lead dental mission trips to serve those with limited access to care. As a recipient of public health services as a child, I am honored to be able to give back in this way.
As part of my bachelor’s program with the University of New Haven, I had the opportunity to visit Romania. Our group spent two weeks in Bucharest, Romania, serving in an orphanage. This trip was life-changing and is one of the many reasons I pursued a Masters of Public Health degree. Since Romania, I have provided preventive dental hygiene services in Kenya, Santiago, and the Dominican Republic. My goal is to continue to lead dental mission trips to serve those with limited access to care. As a recipient of public health services as a child, I am honored to be able to give back in this way.
If you are ready to invigorate your career, sign up for Thrive in the Op® today!
If you are ready to invigorate your career, sign up for Thrive in the Op® today!
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