Photo By Senior Airman Joshua Rosario | B. Yvonne Flores, 59th Medical Wing certified dental assistant, poses with her super...... read more read more
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- Being part of the top one percent of a 4,400 strong workforce here at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center is no easy task. Hard work, focus and a desire to do the job are factors in achieving this accomplishment, and B. Yvonne Flores, 59th Medical Wing certified dental assistant, stands out for the love of her job and helping people.
Recently, Flores was recognized as a superior performer during the unit effectiveness inspection for the 59th MDW. The UEI took place in April with the purpose of evaluating management of resources, leadership, mission execution and improving the unit.
Flores has been working in dental for 43 years ranging from private practice to hospitalization dentistry. Currently, she works at the Air Force Postgraduate Dental School under the Dental Instrument Processing Center.
“I’ve always had a passion for dental,” said Flores. “I feel like dental is the only place that you can actually walk out healthier.”
Not only does Flores have a passion for dental, she also enjoys helping her patients.
“I’ve always known that I wanted to help people,” said Flores. “When you get that patient who is so afraid, you talk them through it. Sometimes it takes baby steps. I’ve had patients come through and they need a break in the chair for 10 minutes and we try again, and then it’s ‘okay let’s lie you back’. You can get them to trust you if they know that you’re compassionate and that you care. That’s what I love about dentistry.”
These aren’t the only experiences that demonstrate the care Flores has for her patients and people. In 2007 during the war on terrorism, Flores decided to volunteer to work as a dental assistant at Fort Bliss, Texas.
“There was a hygienist there who was a really good friend of mine and she says, ‘Hey, Yvonne, Fort Bliss is really low manned on dental assistants because they’re sending so many of them off to the war. They don’t have enough assistants to work on men and women who need treatment,’” said Flores. “‘You’re a dental assistant with all your licenses, you have expanded functions and are top rated. You should consider going.’ I thought about it that night. I put in an application the next day and they accepted me right away.”
The decision Flores made to volunteer was only half of the commitment she made for her patients.
“It was a two-hour commute and a huge cut in pay, but it was the best decision I ever made,” said Flores. “I was giving my expertise to the men and women who were sacrificing, sometimes the ultimate, for me and my family… I look back at that and I think it was the best decision I ever made.”
Flores’ eagerness to help people has not gone unnoticed. Lt. Col. Aaron Harding, 59th MDW director of Prosthodontics Resident Education, over time has seen first-hand the pride she takes in her work and the care she has for people.
“She is very hard working,” said Harding. “I would say she goes above and beyond… She’s very kind, outgoing and always has a smile on her face. Anyone who runs into her will leave feeling a little bit better about themselves. She’s very giving and always has a good word for somebody.”
Harding nominated her for the award during the inspection.
“There were 44 superior performers for the UEI,” said Harding. “That was based on one percent of the 4,400 of the active duty and civilians throughout the 59th Medical Wing. She’s the knowledge base that has stayed here for quite some time and I believe she’s trained 10 DIPC personnel. She’s a force multiplier! She makes sure everybody on her team has what they need to get the job done.”
Flores was not expecting to be recommended for the title of superior performer.
“To have Lt. Col. Harding put me in for it and for all the people who were up there in leadership, I just felt so proud,” said Flores. “It’s an honor and privilege. I couldn’t ask for better. This is a dream come true. I come to work every day and I get paid to do what I love, and to be awarded on top of all that from people I admire so much… it is incredible. Like I said, there are no words to tell you what an honor it was, and to have it done at the wing level. I know that I’m the first civilian to ever be in DIPC, but to get awarded like this, oh my stars.”
The mission carried out by the 59th MDW is accomplished through teamwork. While the superior performers do stand out among their peers, ultimately, the work is divided among them.
Flores understood this and displayed gratitude for her team for this accomplishment.
“I love people and I have worked with amazing teams, past and present, and you can’t do it by yourself,” said Flores. “There’s the team that you work with day in and day out and I’ve been truly blessed to have good people to work with. Even when I was a dental assistant, I had amazing doctors that I worked across from. I still have patients who come and bring me doughnuts and I haven’t been in patient care for two and a half years.”
Flores has gone above and beyond in her work and it has shown throughout her career. This award is one more decoration on a remarkable career.
| Date Taken: | 04.23.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 05.05.2021 09:29 |
| Story ID: | 395664 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 97 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 59th MDW: Dental Assistant recognized as UEI superior performer, by SrA Joshua Rosario, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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