Job Application : 1993

ALAN CARLTON

23 BURNSIDE AVE

NEWTOWN 7008

This application is for the position of Regional Dental Officer.  It is a part clinical and part administrative, managerial position.  As I have been employed by the Tasmanian Dental Services for the last three years in a clinical position this application only deals with the non-clinical part of the job.  The following is how I would attempt to perform the job of Regional Dental Officer if given the opportunity.

ROLE OF THE REGIONAL DENTAL OFFICER

The RDO must represent the TDS to the public and the public to the TDS.  The RDO must tell the employees in the TDS what the public expects, wants and deserves from them.  He must explain to all employees what their specific role is in the big picture.  He must enforce community expectations of work practices and ethical standards.

He must at the same time articulate to the public what the aims and functions of the TDS are and what the rights and responsibilities of the public are.  He must sell the TDS to the general public.  He must continually justify it's existence.  The RDO must sell to the public any changes in the TDS.  He must also sell lack of change or stasis.

The RDO must also negotiate on behalf of the TDS with other sections of the Tasmanian Public Service.  He must continually explain where and why money is needed and what steps are taken to ensure that it is spent efficiently and effectively.  He must explain, to the people who directly control the money, how the money is being used to meet the aims of the TDS. 

The RDO must also provide leadership.  He must set an example by doing the difficult things.  The style, character and the way the RDO approaches his job will affect and pervade through the whole of the TDS.  Everybody will directly or indirectly take their view of what is right or wrong or morally acceptable from him. 

MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY

In my opinion the character of the RDO and the philosophy that guides his work is far more important than specific knowledge of and details about the job.  The philosophy that guides his work is the golden thread that runs through everything he does.  It is the rock upon which everything is built.  I believe that every situation that arises  can be solved with the assistance of the following basic principles. 

1              People need rigid, well defined limits to their jobs.  This needs to be in writing and is independent of the official "job description". They then need to be given complete responsibility and latitude to take risks and express themselves within these strictly defined limits.

2              Concentrate on people's strengths.  People should do what they do best and practice what they are good at.  They should be working in positions which take advantage of their strengths.  Ignore their weaknesses and they will become irrelevant. 

3              The vast majority of people want to have pride in their work.  They want to enjoy their work. 

4              People need the stimulation of continually being exposed to change and challenge.  They don't want to be protected from the dangers of taking risks.  Most people are under-extended in their daily work.  They are only using a fraction of their potential.

People under pressure seek help from their colleges.  They work as a team.  Underextended people become bored and whinge and complain.  Excessive pressure is just as destructive but less common in the TDS.

5              The quality of work performed is related to the happiness of the staff.  Staff who have pride in their work and are not under stress at home or at work perform work of better quality

and quantity. 

6              Criticism can be constructive or destructive depending on the way it is presented.  The aim in changing work practices is for people not to see the change as a personal attack upon themselves but rather as a legitimate attempt to help them do their job better from which we would all benefit. 

7              Never criticise one person to another person.  If you have something to say and you can't say it to the person involved then don't say it. 

8              Be consistent.  If you say one thing to one person then say it to everybody.

9              Confidentiality.  If somebody tells you something in confidence then it stays completely and absolutely confidential.

10           The TDS is a team where everybody is on the same side.  We are all working together and our aim is the same.  There is no divide between management and workers.  No divide between staff treating adults or staff treating children.

11           People behave the way you treat them.  If you trust them and tell them you trust them then they will earn that trust. 

12           Disputes should be resolved quickly, rapidly and firmly. To do something; anything is better than doing nothing  A dispute that lingers saps morale and becomes harder to solve.

13           What is best for the community and best for the employees of the TDS is not always mutually exclusive.  Often they go hand in hand with an improvement in working conditions resulting in a better service being provided.  When there is a conflict between what is best for the public and what is best for the employees of the TDS, then the RDO has to take the side of the public.

14           Decisions to change should either be done by concensus or autocratically.  You cannot have a wishy-washy process which is a mixture of both.  It is up to the person in a management position to decide if the decision should be made autocratically or delegated to the people directly involved.

15           Before any decision is taken the RDO needs to consider if the aims of the TDS are being met. 

AIM OF TDS:    The role of State Public Dental Health Services should be to promote oral health to the wider community, and provide preventive, restorative, rehabilitative and appropriate specialist care to the financially disadvantaged, preschool and school children and special disadvantaged groups(e.g. homebound, institutionalised, geographically remote etc).

These services should be provided in a way that meets the need for equitable, accessible and appropriate health services.  They should be provided in an efficient and effective way in close association with the wider community, while recognising the consumer's health rights and responsibilities. 

EXPERIENCE

I will now list some personal experiences that have shaped my attitude to my work and have helped me arrive at my basic principles which I have outlined above.  I will also list experience which I have had that would assist me in the position of RDO.

I graduated in 1979 from Melbourne Uni.  Since then I have worked both here and overseas in private practice and for the public service.  With hindsight I can see that this wide range of dental experiences has been very beneficial. 

1              Travelling Overseas.  I worked for about six years in South Africa.  From this I learnt a little about Africa and a lot about Australia.  This experience put living in Australia in perspective.

2              Working at Ngwelezana Hospital in Kwa Zulu.  The vast majority of patients at this hospital lived in close to third world conditions.  I worked there for two and a half years. 

3              Running the Comrades Marathon.  This race is about 90km's long and physically and emotionally much tougher than a standard marathon.  I found the whole experience very humbling.  The experience also increased my confidence to tackle long and difficult projects when the finishing line is not obvious or apparent.

4              Working in my own private practice in Beechworth, Vic for three and a half years.  A dentist in a small country town is an active and inescapable member of the local community.  I learnt about taking risks and assuming responsibility for decisions taken. 

5              Having three children.  It is impossible to define exactly what influence raising three children has had on me.  I know that it has greatly influenced the basic principles which I outlined above. 

6              Working for the TDS since June 1990.  This experience has given me specific knowledge and detail about the advertised position and about the TDS.  This period of time is long enough for me to see things from the inside and short enough for me to remember and to see things from outside the TDS.