When Krista Dirksen walked into Personal Care Dentistry in 2014 for a job interview for a part-time dental hygienist position, she knew pretty quickly that this was the dental clinic for her. I was interviewing for a part-time job to take over for a hygienist who was on maternity leave, but I felt really at home almost immediately. After a second stint as a fill-in for someone else on maternity leave, they couldn’t get rid of me! Now I’m here five days a week and I love it!
Krista is the Hygiene Assistant Team Leader at Personal Care Dentistry, working with Team Lead Kari Olson in her role. She first learned about Personal Care Dentistry through a classmate from dental hygiene school Jenna Lind who had previously joined the practice. They both went to Argosy University, where Krista earned an AAS degree. I originally went to Normandale Community College to get my general education credits completed before transferring to a four-year school and getting a nursing degree or a psychology degree so I could work with kids. But in the back of my mind was also the idea of becoming a dental hygienist. I had been involved in a bad car accident in high school and I had to have a lot of dental work done. The dentist who did a lot of reconstructive work on my mouth asked me what I wanted to do for a career and I said I was thinking of becoming a nurse. He said I should become a dental hygienist because the hours were better and it was a lot less stressful.
Krista grew up in Burnsville and worked a variety of retail jobs when she was in high school and college. It was a pretty diverse retail career I worked in a prom dress store at the Mall of America for awhile before working at Home Depot in the flooring department. Plus I worked in an office job for an insurance company. I got to meet all kinds of people from all walks of life and that gave me a good foundation for being a dental hygienist I can feel at ease with any patient no matter what their situation or background. That really helps with new patients when they have their first appointment here.
Dr. Walter Hunt’s Golden Rule of Dentistry resonated with Krista when she first started working at Personal Care Dentistry. I was so impressed at how Dr. Hunt placed so much importance on the doctor-patient relationship and how we needed to treat every patient with the highest level of respect.
What impressed Kari even more was that the conversations she had with patients mirrored what she had heard from Dr. Hunt, who founded the practice in 1977. Patients say everyone is so nice here and they feel comforted and truly cared for. Lots of patients have told me that they don’t like going to the dentist but they like coming here.
Krista has found a very supportive team environment at Personal Care Dentistry. The first week I was here, Kari (Hygiene Team Leader) told me that you can ask anyone for help and they will be there for you. I found that to be very true. It’s the most cohesive office I have ever worked in.
Krista lives in Apple Valley with her husband Andy and their two dogs Ralphie (a terrier) and Veronica (a pug) who she describes as a couple of real characters. She and Andy enjoy softball, watching movies, and traveling when they have the time (and funds). She volunteers with the Big Brother program and at a free public clinic in Burnsville.
It’s a long drive from Apple Valley to Roseville every day, but it is worth the drive because of the work I get to do with our patients and the people I get to worth with.
Do You Suffer From Xerostomia?
Do you go through life with your mouth constantly dry? Does it feel like the Sahara Desert has taken up residence in your mouth? If you answered yes, then you may be suffering from xerostomia – commonly called dry mouth. Dry mouth is caused by a lack of saliva. We