Denise Hall approaching four decades of service at Fairfield Dental Clinic

FAIRFIELD — Members of the public will recognize Denise Hall as the receptionist at Fairfield Dental Clinic, but she’s also a certified dental assistant, and can step in to work chairside whenever she’s needed.

“I can take X-rays or do sterilizations,” Hall said. “When I started, you didn’t have to be certified to do all that, but now you do.”

Hall has been working for Fairfield Dental Clinic for 38 years. She received her associate degree in dental assisting from Kirkwood Community College in 1981, then worked at an office in Sigourney for a few years. Hall was living in the Pekin area at the time, and since Fairfield wasn’t too far away, she applied for a job at Fairfield Dental Clinic.

“Dr. Steve Van Tasell took a chance and hired me!” Hall said.

She worked with Drs. Van Tasell and Marty Gleason for several years as their chairside assistant. One day, their receptionist announced that she was leaving, and since Hall had filled in for her on occasion, Drs. Van Tasell and Gleason “took another chance” by asking Hall to fill that role.

“The rest is history,” Hall said.

Hall said the part of her job she enjoys the most are the daily challenges that come with working with the public.

“Every patient is an important part of our practice,” she said. “It’s very rewarding to help someone get that smile they’ve always desired, or help relieve someone’s anxiety about a procedure they’re having.”

Hall said she enjoys the financial side of the business, too, such as helping patients sort out their insurance.

“I have really great co-workers,” she said. “We all pitch in to help each other whenever we can. If you’ve ever worked in an office full of women, you know it’s not always this way! Our doctors are also easy to work for. We’re just one big team that works together, and we all like each other.”

Hall said the most trying time of her career was navigating the pandemic. She saw early that there would be a shortage of personal protective equipment, so she started ordering as much of it as she could to have on hand.

Hall has seen a lot of changes in her nearly four decades in dentistry. In those early years, few items were disposable like they are now, and instead the norm was to sterilize them for the next patient.

“We didn’t wear gloves, or masks, or scrubs!” Hall said. “You walked out at night wearing the clothes you’d worn in that morning, and picked your kids up from day care in those clothes.”

Hall said she became interested in dentistry at a young age through her own experience with braces.

“I had a really messed up smile, and apparently was self-conscious about it,” Hall recalled. “My dad told me later that’s why they made me get braces. I had stopped smiling as much as I used to, and he noticed.”

Hall got her orthodontic braces in sixth grade and wore them for four years, but at the end of the long journey she had straight teeth and a perfect smile.

When she’s not at the dentist’s office, Hall likes to go antiquing with her husband, Brad, and spend time with their three children and their three granddaughters. They like to visit Lake Rathbun, where they have a house, to go fishing, boating and hosting friends. She’s also involved in civic organizations such as Fairfield Lions Club, the Packwood TTT, Pekin Sports Boosters (17 years as president), and is a board member on the Lakeshore Heights Housing Association. After she started working at Fairfield Dental Clinic, Dr. Van Tasell encouraged her to take a first aid class, which she did, and that led to becoming a Packwood First Responder for 26 years. Hall is a member of the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and will become the 2024 Chamber President.

Hall’s excellence in her field led to her receiving the Iowa Dental Association President’s Achievement Award in 2019.

  Buy Photo

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com

  Buy Photo