Dr. Laura Shaeffer Harkin graduated Cum Laude from Franklin and Marshall College in 1999 with a major in mathematics and a minor in flute performance. In 2008, she graduated from Temple University School of Dentistry and immediately began to live her dream as a family dentist. Her value to the dental team was undeniable, as she shared her spirit for both compassion and perfection.
In addition to the rigorous requirements of dental school, Dr. Harkin has completed level-four training at the prestigious Pankey Institute and has advanced dental implant and restorative credentials. Dr. Harkin has continued to further her education and is a certified Invisalign® dentist.
The Reason I Write Treatment Letters to Each Patient
By: Laura Harkin, DMDThis topic originally appeared on PankeyGram.Org. Dr. Harkin granted igniteDDS permission to share with…
Accurate X-Ray Records: Best Practices for Dental Teams
By: Laura S. Harkin, DMD This Topic Originally Appeared On Pankeygram.Org Radiographic imaging is an important diagnostic aid…
Dental Patient Communication: Learning to meet your patients where they are
By: Savanah Craig One of the biggest challenges I face while beginning my career in dentistry is patient communication. I have spent the last 4 years learning a whole new language of technical jargon to be able to communicate with my colleagues and read research articles. However, much of my day is spent in communication…
How Much Should You Pay For Malpractice Insurance?
By: Dr. Luke Shapiro I just got off the phone with my insurance sales rep and they informed me that it would now cost me almost $11,000 to have malpractice insurance in New York City! What?! I thought I misunderstood. Is it even legal to increase malpractice by this much? Turns out it is. They…
Dental Mentorship: Benefits + How to Find One
By: Savanah Craig If you attend enough ASDA events, you’ll hear about the importance of finding a mentor to help support you on your journey towards a career in dentistry. However, there isn’t much explanation about how to find a mentor or why it’s so important. How to Find a Dentist Mentor Here are steps…
How to build your brand and reputation as a new dentist
By: Jennifer Murphy Everyone wants to be liked and we all want to be thought of in a positive light, especially when it comes to us as dentists and our dental practices. How does a dental school graduate entering into a whole new world develop that? How can a new and/or young dentist build a…
DSO or OSO: What Every Dentist Should Know
By: Bruce Bryen Once out of dental school, you begin looking at various choices regarding how to approach the job market. Knowing which decision to make may develop into a lifelong process, especially if the idea is to be an owner/operator of a solo or partnership practice. The reason for this statement is that DSOs…
Personal affairs curtailing the potential of the associate
By: Bruce Bryen Like much of the general population, dental school graduates also face challenges while ascending to more lucrative and clinically challenging positions in professional dentistry. One major problem with personal growth in this field is the toll it takes on the home life of the dentist. The stress of the job does not…
How to Resign From A Dental Office
By: Jennifer Murphy, DDS, FAGD You’ve been working at an office for a while now and things are just not working out the way you imagined or were promised. What do you do now? First, let’s acknowledge this is never an easy position to be in. There is also no right or wrong answer, but…
4 Promises of Leadership Development That Will Transform Your Dental Career
By: Dr. Edwin “Mac” McDonald The development of leadership competencies is about developing yourself. As you look outward with the desire to influence and inspire, consider what you would gain from looking inward instead. Becoming a great leader is about your own capacity for change, as hard as change can be. In the dental practice,…
How can dental students save for their own practice?
By: Ava Guzman After graduation, dentistry students might immediately want to start working in order to get a return on their educational investment and earn a living. However, between student loans and the money needed to open up a clinic, the costs are steep. Saving Money for Your Dental Practice The American Dental Association (ADA)…
Fall Forward
By: Mohammed Hammoud There is only one way to know if your purpose aligns with your career, and that is to pursue it. I often pondered beforehand if I was making the right decision in pursuing dentistry. I shadowed hundreds of hours and volunteered my time to be positive I was making the right…