Professional

Development Plan
NANCY SARAHI SERNA CABRERA
AUGUST 2019
Nancy S. Serna Cabrera
• My name is Nancy Sarahi Serna Cabrera. I’ve always
liked to helped people in any way I can. After high
school I wasn’t sure what to do. My mom advised me
to do something in the healthcare field. Undoubtedly, I
registered myself in the dental assisting program at
Renton Technical College in 2014. After working for a
year as a dental assistant I was eager to learn more
about dentistry. I came to the conclusion of going back
to school to become a dental hygienist. By that time, I
had realized that I was in love with dentistry and the
impaction that it had on people’s life. Working as an
assistant also made me realized that one of the barriers
to dental care was language.
• My mission is to provide comfortable quality care for
all patients. As well, to helped them understand and
accomplish their oral care goals, and guide them to
health. With patience and positively I would like to
create a trustful relationship with my patients. My
fluent Spanish will also allow me to rich out to the
Latino and Hispanic community.
Professional Aspect
Characteristic
Strengths: I have the basic
knowledge of cavitron
usage.
Weaknesses: I haven’t had
enough practice with the
cavitron.
Opportunities: Having four
clinic session a week.
Theats: Patients cancelling
appointments.
Goals & Actions
Goal: Be more comfortable
and successful in using the
cavitron.
Action:Asking for help and
observation for every
patient that I’m using
cavitron on.
Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Strengths: Knowing the basic skills
of the cavitron and its tips.
Examples of improvement:Knowing
when to use right and left tips and
being able to use them in the
correct area.
Most significant accomplishment:
Being able to do a periomaintance
patient cleaning in 40 minutes.
New goal and actions for next
quarter: To keep improving by
timing myself.
 Professional Aspect
Characteristic
Strengths: Knowledge in
how to give an injection.
Weaknesses: I haven’t had
much experience with
anesthesia.
Opportunities: As I see
more patients in clinic, I will
be able to practice my
anesthesia skills.
Threats: Patients not
showing up to
appointments.
Goals & Actions Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Strengths: I have had good feedback
from instructors.
Goal: I would like to be
more comfortable giving Examples of improvement: Try to go
injections to patients. slower at first penetration.
Most significant accomplishment:
Action: Offer patients This quarter I passed all of my
anesthesia when is needed. injections.
New goal and actions for next
quarter: TBD
 Professional Aspect
Characteristic
Strengths: Knowledge of
how to hold the instrument,
fulcrum, and where to use
it.
Weaknesses:I haven’t had
enough practice with hand
instruments.
Opportunities: Having at
least one patient to clean a
week.
Threats: Not having enough
instructor time to observe
me.
Goals & Actions Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Strengths: Hardwork.
Goal:I would like to get Examples of improvement: passing
better at hand my quarterly requirements.
instrumentation.
Most significant accomplishment:
Finishing my cavitron check offs for
Action: Ask instructor to quarterly and two-year
observe me every time I requirements
hand scaled for feedback.
New goal and actions for next
quarter: TBD.
 Personal Aspect
Characteristic
Strengths: Desire to be
healthy so it doesn’t affect
my career or performance.
Weaknesses: Busy schedule.
Opportunities: I live with my
mom who makes
homemade food everyday.
Threats: Tempted to eat out.
Goals & Actions
Goal:I would like to eat
more healthy.
Action: Try to meal prep so I
can eat healthier
homemade foods.
Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Strengths: self-discipline
Examples of improvement: I have
been packing my lunch a night
before so I can just grab it in the
morning.
Most significant
accomplishment:no eating out for
a whole week.
New goal and actions for next
quarter: TBD.
 Personal Aspect
Characteristic
Strengths: I want to be
healthy.
Weaknesses: Tired about
school days.
Opportunities: I have a gym
buddy that pushes me to
workout.
Threats: Busy schedule.
Goals & Actions
Goal:I would like to
maintain a good strong
healthy body.
Action: Workout five days a
week Most significant accomplishment:
Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Strengths: Motivation for a
healthy body.
Examples of improvement: Being
able to lift more weight
Working out 5 days a week for 2
weeks.
New goal and actions for next
quarter: Keep pushing myself to
workout five days a week and try
to accomplish my goal next
quarter.
 Personal Aspect
Characteristic
Strengths: Desire to be with
my family and friends.
Weaknesses: Some days I
will be several assignments
and projects that require a
lot of time.
Opportunities: Some weeks
I don’t have much class
work to do.
Threats: Unplanned
situations.
Goals & Actions
Goal: I would like to be able Strengths: Willing to sacrifice to
to spend more time with
friends and family.
Action:I will schedule times
to study, go to school, and
family/friends time.
Evaluation
(self-assessment)
spend sometime with family and
friends.
Examples of improvement:
scheduling time for my family has
been successful.
Most significant accomplishment:
I have been able to dedicate at
least one day a week to my family.
New goal and actions for next
quarter:TBD
 Core Strengths
Characteristic
Strategic
Strengths: I'm very good at
planning
Weaknesses: Sometimes
things don’t go as planned.
Opportunities: Everyday at
clinic I have the opportunity
to practice this.
Threats: There will be
patients that prevent me to
do this.
Goals & Actions Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Goal: My goal here is for patients Evidence of achievement: Staying on
appointments run smoother and time and getting everything done
use time wisely. that was planned for the day.
Action: Plan patient’s Self-assessment: I will reflect on my
appointment a day ahead to see performance on that day and see if I
can make any changes and learn
what procedures are being
from my mistakes.
performed the day of the
appointment. External assessment:
Peers
 Educator
Characteristic
Strengths: I have reliable
resources.
Weaknesses: I can only
present little information at
a time.
Opportunities: This will
definitely benefit patients.
Threats:In some situations I
won’t have the answer right
away.
Goals & Actions
Goal: To be able to gain
more knowledge to help
patients obtain optimal oral
health.
Action: Constantly review
material that keeps coming
up with patients. For
example, products that help
patients with their oral
hygiene at home.
Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Evidence of achievement:
Explaining patients situation to
instructor and explaining my
plan for that particular patient,
and getting approved on plan
by instructor.
Self-assessment:
Being able to give patient
different options according to
there case.
External assessment:
Patients
 Advocate
Characteristic
Strengths:Sources to be able
to educate patients.
Weaknesses: I don’t have
much practice in talking to
patients.
Opportunities: Four clinic
sessions a week allows me
to see four different
patients.
Threats: Patients might not
appreciate information.
Goals & Actions Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Goal: I want to be an Evidence of achievement:After
advocate for disease being done with my
prevention. examinations, have the
instructor check.
Action:To do the extraoral Self-assessment:
and intraoral examinations Writing down any abnormality
on every patient, every visit. and informing the patient about
my findings.
External assessment:
Instructors and patients.
 Interprofessional Collaboration
Characteristic
Strengths: I am educated
about dental specialties.
Weaknesses: Not really
knowing if patient will be
taken good care of at the
new office.
Opportunities: Identify
patients that might benefit
from this.
Threats: Not knowing if
patient will like the new
office.
Goals & Actions Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Goal: Is to identify patient Evidence of
needs, and if they are needed achievement:Accurate
to be referred to any specialist. identification of possible
specialist referral.
Action: Asses patient and let
doctor know if I notice anything Self-assessment: Reflect on any
that might need to be seen by a specialist referral given to
specialist. patient.
External assessment:
Doctor.
 Health Promoter
Characteristic
Strengths:I can transmit my
motivation to other people.
Weaknesses: Sometimes is
hard to find the right
language to motivate
people.
Opportunities: Clinic time
Threats: Patients might not
be willing to cooperate.
Goals & Actions
Goal: My goal is to motivate
patients to improve their
oral hygiene at home.
Action: Explain to patients
their oral status to make
sure they understand. After,
demonstrate ways to
improve health situation.
Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Evidence of achievement: After
giving information to patient and
oral hygiene instructions, I will re-
asses them on their next visit to
see if there is any changes.
Self-assessment: Look back and
reflect on my action steps to help
this patient.
External assessment:
Patients and instructors.
 Researcher Role
Characteristic
Strengths: I know how to
used data bases to find
reliable sources.
Weaknesses: Sometimes is
hard to find certain
information.
Opportunities: Database
provided to us by the
school.
Threats: Something new is
not going to have that much
information yet.
Goals & Actions Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Goal:My goal is to provide Evidence of achievement: To
patients with evidence make sure patient’s health
based information. is improving based on the
information and education
Action: Research using provided.
reliable peer-reviewed
sources. Self-assessment:Making
sure all sources I use are
reliable.
External assessment:
Faculty.
 Evidence-Based Practice
Characteristic
Strengths: Desired to better
patients health.
Weaknesses: Silver diamine
is not very much known.
Opportunities: Educate and
introduce patients to silver
diamine.
Threats: Some patients are
not going to like the staining
that it leaves on the teeth.
Goals & Actions
Goal: My goal is to present
patients with evidence
based of the good benefits
of silver diamine fluoride.
Action: Look for peer
reviewed articles and
statistics that will show the
benefits.
Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Evidence of achievement:
Observe patients progress.
Self-assessment: Reflect on
what could’ve I done
differently.
External assessment:
Instructor.
 Clinician Role
Characteristic
Strengths: I know some
methods to make patients
feel comfortable in the
chair.
Weaknesses: I need to do
more research on other
methods available
Opportunities: Clinic time.
Threats: All patients are
going to need different
accommodations.
Goals & Actions
Goal: To be able to make my
patients feel comfortable in
my chair and to gain their
trust.
Action: Listening to their
concerns and preparing a
plan together, where the
patient is involved and
willing to cooperate.
Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Evidence of achievement: Seeing
over time that my patients ask me
for help or questions, and noticing
their behavior and attitude towards
dental work.
Self-assessment: Observing patient’s
reactions during the appointment.
External assessment:
Patients
 Administrator/Manager Role
Characteristic Goals & Actions Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Strengths: I have worked in Goal: My goal is to be able Evidence of achievement: By
stressful situation and have to handle challenging the end of the quarter I will
experience handling situations. reflect on my progress.
challenging situations.
Self-assessment: Reflect and
Weaknesses: Sometimes I Action: Expose myself to assess after each challenging
do more than I should. challenging situations. situation encountered.
Opportunities: I believe that
in the life of a dental External assessment:
student there are many Peers
opportunities for
improvement.
Threats: Situations like this
might bring on extra stress.
 Change Agent
Characteristic
Strengths: I can recognize
priorities right away.
Weaknesses: Sometimes it’s
hard to tie priorities with
goals.
Opportunities: Working on
my two year requirements.
Threats: Not having enough
time to plan accordingly.
Goals & Actions Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Goal: My goal is to Evidence of achievement: At the
recognize priorities. end of the quarter I will look to
see if I accomplish everything on
my list.
Action: Make a list with all
of my goals for the quarter Self-assessment:
and number them, with one Every week I will look to see
being the most important. where I am on my goals list, and if
priorities are being met.
External assessment:
Peers.
 Life-long Learner
Characteristic
Strengths: Eager to learn
more.
Weaknesses: Not enough
time with school and work.
Opportunities: Everyday.
Threats: I have to make sure
it’s reliable information.
Goals & Actions Evaluation
(self-assessment)
Goal: Be open to new Evidence of achievement: Be
information. able to answer questions for my
patients.
Action: Seek for new
Self-assessment: I will feel more
information, especially on competitive in certain topics.
topics where I feel I need
more understanding. External assessment:
Patients.
 Reflection on PDP
• Before creating a professional development plan I
didn’t know much about it. I knew it was a plan for my
professional development as a hygienist, but wasn’t
sure of what it consist it of. While creating my
professional developmental plan, I learned that it is
more efficient putting my goals into paper and
actually have a plan to actually accomplish them. Now
that I have creating one goal for different aspects of
my career I feel more confident and prepared.