Mentor-learner relationship
It seems that mentoring is most successful if there is a trust between the mentor and learner and a safe environment is created. After much thought I finally realized that I did have a mentor at my work place. It was a dentist that was very knowledgeable in dentistry and medicine. He enjoyed teaching others what he knew and how the dentistry and medicine were interrelated. He was never critical. He tried to encourage you to stretch yourself to find the answer. I suppose he used a form of self-directed learning. We would discuss the topic, learn all we could and then learn how to apply it clinically. These sessions were educational and each one was remembered. As my knowledge grew, the dentist would randomly quiz me in front of the dental residents. As I gave him the correct answer, he would impress upon them that if the dental hygienist knew the answer then they had better know the answer. Today I use this knowledge in teaching the dental hygiene students. It makes me smile when they can impress the dental faculty with an answer that the dental students can’t answer.
I find myself in a position to be a mentor to dental hygiene students. I feel that there needs to be a connection between the mentor and the learner. If we do not get along then we are not going to make much progress. I think that each person needs to respect the other. I respect the student for trying to learn and putting in the effort to accomplish this. They should respect me for taking my time to facilitate personal develop, encourage them ,to help them make wise choices and to pass on knowledge. This is a give and take kind of relationship and I hope that is beneficial for the student.
