Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Mar 27/00) - Gingivitis, tooth decay, gum disease -- words that make many of us shudder right down to our root canals.

But as far as Connie Craig is concerned, it's all part of a day's work.

"It doesn't make me shudder because I'm programmed to know this will happen," said Craig, a dental hygienist who works full-time at the Iqaluit Dental Clinic.

Referring to some of the dental problems she faces each day -- including plaque build-up and decayed and stained teeth -- Craig noted that her training had prepared her for just about anything she could possibly encounter in a patient's mouth.

"It doesn't gross me out at all, not even the bad breath," she said.

Equipped with a dental mask and a latex-gloved hand full of tools that could frighten even the most veteran of horror film fans, Craig said that the career path of dental hygienist was one she had always aspired to follow.

Graduating four years ago from a two-year program in Orillia, Ont., she said it was not only a natural extension of her previous job as a dental assistant, but it also gave her the opportunity to do cleanings, sealants, tooth-brushing lessons, cavity referrals, X-rays and RCMP referral forms -- on her own.

"This was the next step up," said Craig.

"I liked working on a one-to-one basis with the patients. This lets me be more personal with the patient and I can learn more, too," she said.

Craig explained that as a hygienist, she worked more closely with the dentist, but in a more autonomous position.

"I have to know what I'm talking about. As an assistant I was just helping the dentist. This way I have to do my own stuff," she said.

That independence, combined with the stress-free atmosphere that permeates the Iqaluit Dental Clinic, makes for an extremely satisfying occupation.

"I'm pretty relaxed. It's a laid-back atmosphere in the office. I can't say I've ever been stressed out," said Craig. And when asked if she'd ever considered trading her dental floss in for a new career, Craig said she'd never questioned her choice of occupation.

"I wouldn't do it if I didn't like it," she said. "I like the patients most. I like it when you do a good job and they're happy with the results."