Article - Published on 16.9.2021 10.42 # As a dental nurse in oral specialties Keywords: - [oral diseases](< /en/search?q=oral diseases >) - [dental care](< /en/search?q=dental care >) - [nursing](< /en/search?q=nursing >) - ... Show all keywords - [career story](< /en/search?q=career story >) The work of a dental nurse in specialized healthcare requires flexibility, a willingness to learn new things, and the ability to interact with patients empathetically. At the same time, it offers ongoing opportunities for professional development in all areas of oral specialties.  Tarja Niskanen (left) and Riitta Juola will continue their collaboration this fall, working even more closely together at the renovated Park Hospital. Dental nurses **Riitta Juola** and **Tarja Niskanen** have 30 years of experience in the field. Juola and Niskanen have previously worked in the private and municipal sectors. “I feel that moving to specialized healthcare was a step forward in my career. At HUS, you get to work with interesting oral specialties and the most challenging cases,” says Riitta Juola. Riitta Juola works in the Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases Outpatient Clinic for Infections and Dental Care under General Anesthesia; a unit responsible for the treatment of oral and dental diseases under anesthesia in a procedure room and operating room. “A patient treated under anesthesia may, for example, have a fear of the dentist or require extensive procedures, such as the extraction of multiple teeth.” “We also treat what are known as ‘focus patients,’ whose oral infections are examined and treated prior to major procedures, such as cancer treatments or an organ transplant.” ## Ongoing opportunities for growth Working in specialized oral healthcare offers constant opportunities for professional growth, as dental nurses have the chance to work in all areas of specialized oral healthcare. Tarja Niskanen, who works at the Oral Diseases Outpatient Clinic, may spend her workweek performing procedures such as fillings and root canal treatments, treating gum diseases, providing orthodontic care, and administering anesthesia. “This is the best part of this job: every day you learn something new about a specific oral specialty. If you don’t know how to do something, your coworkers are always there to help, and you can figure things out together. Here, a dental nurse is surrounded by an amazing team,” Niskanen says. ## Promoting the patient’s health The work of a dental nurse requires good teamwork skills, flexibility, and a willingness to learn new things. Riitta Juola and Tarja Niskanen believe that this line of work requires, above all, the ability to interact with patients empathetically. The most rewarding thing is when a patient says thank you. “In this work, I feel like I’m really making a difference in promoting patients’ health. It’s rewarding to see when a patient’s treatment is successful and their health begins to improve,” Tarja says. The collaboration between the women will become even closer during the fall when the newly renovated Park Hospital will house the Oral Diseases Outpatient Clinic, the Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases Outpatient Clinic for Infections and Dental Care under General Anesthesia, and the Emergency Care for Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases outside Primary Health Care Service Hours. [See all our open positions](https://ejnv.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/fi/sites/CX_1/requisitions?mode=location) [Read more career stories](/en/about-us/career-hus/career-stories "Career stories") Share the news - [ Share on Facebook (opens in a new window) ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.hus.fi/en/newsroom/dental-nurse-oral-specialties) - [ Share on Linkedin (opens in a new window) ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.hus.fi/en/newsroom/dental-nurse-oral-specialties) Print this page