There’s a gleam in Rachel Parker’s eye as she talks about her work at Rockingham Dental Clinic.
Despite only working two four-hour shifts a week, Parker exudes an energy that can bring smiles to even the most nervous dental patients.
Parker, a dental assistant who thrives working with her team, says she enjoys everything she does at the clinic.
“My favourite part, I think I just enjoy every day,” Parker says.
“I think this place is a great place to work in,” she adds.
Parker, who has Down syndrome, is responsible for supporting the hygiene department, from preparing the hygiene packs to vacuuming the floors and greeting patients.
The outgoing and friendly dental assistant secured her job through a local business support service that connected her with her current employer Dr Hari Menon.
“She helps streamline our work and enhances our operating efficiency,” Dr Menon says.
He explains that after engaging with a disability employment service, he thought they’d “give it a shot” to fill the role.
“We’ve got a big team, and we can use the extra help in different ways.”
Dr Menon says Parker has also been “doing a few more crucial roles”, including preparing gauze for tooth extraction.
“It’s a lot more efficient and streamlined just to get it all done in one go, whether it’s setting everything up on a table and then putting one part of each of that pack into one area.”
He says it’s “refreshing” to have Parker join the team, and the clinic has made relevant workplace adjustments to help the passionate employee get on with her role.
“I think what we learnt early on was Rachel liked to have her own space,” he says.
“So knowing that Rachel’s here on certain days, you can just kind of allocate the time and the resources accordingly.
“I think we’ve all just kind of appreciated that energy that Rachel brings to the building, so it’s been positive – definitely a nice thing to have in our team.”
Parker also works at a school one day a week, a job opportunity she earned through her previous volunteering experience.
She brims with joy when talking about her other job, which involves managing “everything in the classrooms”.
Parker adds that in addition to receiving a salary and taking ownership at work, she has also “made friends” with the clinic staff, and they now hang out after work.
Contact Ability Link to learn more about how CCIWA can help you achieve your business goals through disability employment.
