Often dentists and dental hygienists choose to enter private practice, but there are plenty other career pathways available to today’s oral health professional. Many of our alumni have pursued nontraditional options each finding success in doing so. We share with you several of their stories, as they prove you most can certainly go your own way…
When Jan Miller, R.D.H., B.S. ’70 set out to become a certified CPR training instructor in 2012, it was out of pure curiosity.
She wanted to know what she, as a dental professional, needed to know and why.
“There is very little legislature applied to the dental profession – it is mostly aimed at medicine,” Miller explained.
She never thought the simple act of asking a question would lead to a business opportunity. Fast-forward several years, and she is the founder and owner of CPR by JGM, LLC; a company that provides clients with CPR, AED, and First Aid training, as well as training in identifying and helping victims of human trafficking.
“I had zero expectations when starting this,” she said.
The business started when dental offices and groups invited her to their offices to provide training. Word-of-mouth referrals started to flood in and before she knew it, her side hobby turned into a thriving business.
When she became president of the Michigan Dental Hygiene Association in 2017 she realized she had a powerful platform to get her message out. She emphasized proper training to the dental hygiene profession during her term.
Since December 2018, after practicing dental hygiene for more than 40 years, she has pursued CPR by JGM, LLC, full-time.
“I hope my story will encourage those who physically, mentally, or emotionally need a change,” Miller said. “It was well into my career that I began this venture; you just have to stay curious.”