. .	Teresa Jahneke decided she wanted to go into dentistry at the age of five, and under circumstances that proved useful later. At the time of one of her first visits to a dentist, she had a doll which had something caught in its teeth. Teresa brought it with her. The dentist treated the doll like a real person, sitting it up in the chair, using dental instruments to remove the foreign material, and discussing in a mock-serious manner the nature of the problem and its remedy. In this manner the dentist made both the work on Teresa and the doll an experience that filled the young girl with delight instead of dread. It also gave her a sense of how dentistry looks from the dental professional’s point of view. She became fascinated with the work done on her own teeth. Initially she followed the dentist’s procedures by watching the reflection in his eye glasses. Given her interest, and the questions she asked, the dentist was more than happy to place a mirror on the armature of the dental light, so that his young patient could see better - and explain what he was doing. Now, as a professional herself, Teresa finds that taking a similar approach with children works very well. Giving kids little jobs to do with the dental instruments and showing them what she’s doing usually puts them at ease, and for many actually makes dentistry fun. For children, a lot of the fear involved in dentistry comes not from anything the professional does, but from being restrained in an alien environment with sharp or noisy objects coming at them for no reason they can easily understand. Taking the mystery out of the process, and giving the kids something to do makes dental procedures pass quickly. For older young people and for adults, Teresa usually takes a different approach. She tries to find out what might cause them to be uneasy and what parts of their mouths might be particularly sensitive. For the uneasiness, explanation tends to help; for parts of the mouth where discomfort might occur, she seeks ways to work around or ease any pain that might occur. She gently initiates conversation with patients. Some don't want to talk, and she lets the conversation lapse. For those who want to talk, she can work out time frames that allow them to do so. She does not leave them in a position of many dental patients - one in which they have to listen to long monologues on subjects that don't interest them. Teresa took courses in Dental Prep at Antioch High School. She worked as a dental assistant for three years after graduation, and went on to a two year Hygienists' Program at Lakeland College in Malton, Illinois. When Dr. Fulmer opened his first office at Paddock Lake, Teresa was living in the neighborhood. She saw the office sign when it went up, and stopped in to ask if the doctor was looking for a hygienist. She was pregnant with her first child at the time. She began work six weeks before the birth of the child, and worked right up until the day she went into labor. This says a number of things about her and about Dr. Fulmer. Although Teresa may come across as modest and unassuming, she is completely focused on what she does. She is thorough, dedicated, and won't leave a job undone. Dr. Fulmer works closely with his staff and their families, trying to arrange schedules that allow them time to do what their families need, and to feel secure in what they're doing at the office. If Teresa had not felt confident that her job would still be there for her when she would not have to be with her daughter all the time, she could not have worked serenely and confidently that late in her term. Perhaps needless to say, professional and financial insecurity would not have helped in the delivery of her child. Teresa and her husband, Ed, enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and other outdoor activities. Their growing family keeps recreational activity changing and evolving in new ways. As with other members of Dr. Fulmer's staff, flexibility of scheduling to accomodate family needs makes home life easier for Teresa, and thus removes worries and tensions that might show up in her work at the dental office.	..