Meet Our Team – Dental/RDA: Susan Sauter
Chapa-De Indian Health Auburn Grass Valley | Medical Clinic
Susan Sauter is a Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) at Chapa-De Indian Health in Grass Valley. She has been with the Chapa-De team for almost three years but did not start out working in dental care. Susie began her career as a first-grade schoolteacher. She went on to study dentistry at Carrington College. She said that she enjoys the collaborative and care-focused nature at Chapa-De. She said, “I get to help people all day, whether that’s my doctor, the patients or my coworkers.”
The dental department at Chapa-De thrives on teamwork. Each morning and afternoon, teams meet to discuss the upcoming appointments. It is at this time that they can make a plan for how to serve the day’s patients. Susie said “teamwork is very important to me in all my relationships, including my professional ones. We all have strengths and weaknesses.” By working together, Susie believes that the entire team can ensure the best care outcome for everyone. She also said that the working together enables the teams to better handle any changes that come up. “When changes happen throughout the day (and they do!), we’re better prepared to deal with them.”
Chapa-De understands that dental care can be an emotional and deeply personal topic. Like all of our team, Susie works hard to create a nice environment for patients. She wants patients to be comfortable both physically and emotionally. She said, “patients will interact with me long before they see the dentist and I see this as a great opportunity to set the tone for the appointment.” Susie makes it a priority to show each patient kindness and respect. She believes it takes courage to come to the dentist, especially if there has been a previous negative experience.
Susie enjoys being able to help people in an environment that values her. She explained, “by nature, I’ve always been tough on myself and have generally set goals that are unrealistic. My supervisor and coworkers have been instrumental in helping me. They encourage me to be proud of my accomplishments and to celebrate all my victories, whether they are big or tiny!”
When Susie first started at Chapa-De she did not know what to expect from her new coworkers. She said, “on my first day working at Chapa-De, I brought a novel to read during my lunchtime. I figured it would take me awhile to make friends. At the end of the week, I realized I hadn’t even been able to finish a paragraph!” She said that this experience solidified how special Chapa-De was. She joked, “Chapa-De has become a favorite place for me to be. I knew early on I had found something rare. How many people can say they like Mondays?” From her coworkers in dental to the administrative team and others in the building, Susie said that she is grateful for the daily laughter and fun friendships she has found at Chapa-De.
For more information, call our Auburn location at (530) 887-2800 or our Grass Valley location at (530) 477-8545 or visit us online at chapa-de.org.
PASSIONATE PEOPLE. COMPASSIONATE CARE.
Chapa-De provides medical care, dental care, optometry, behavioral health, pharmacy services and much more.
Serving all American Indian, Low Income and Limited Income Community Members
