When You're Scared, Make That Jump: Jennifer Turner's Journey from Near-Death to Dental Leadership

"When you're scared to jump, that's exactly when you should do it." This philosophy has guided Jennifer Turner's remarkable career from clinical dental hygienist to DSO leader, educator, and regulatory president. In a recent interview with Dr. Kelly Tanner on The Dental Handoff podcast, Turner shared her extraordinary journey—one that began with a devastating accident that nearly claimed her life.

The Gift of a Second Chance

Unlike those who knew their career path from childhood, Turner's path to dental hygiene came through extraordinary circumstances. "I was hit head-on by a drunk driver and a Volkswagen minibus and it instantly knocked me into a coma, set me back a few years for living life," she reveals. "My parents were told that they needed to go ahead and plan my funeral because I was not going to make it."

When Turner eventually regained consciousness, she had to relearn the most basic life skills—how to brush her teeth, wash her hair, and live independently. Throughout her recovery, she was surrounded by a healthcare team that left a profound impression.

"I had the most amazing healthcare team from speech pathologists, occupational therapists, a psychologist, you name it," she recalls. "Those individuals were a gift to me. And I realized that giving, serving others was the reason that I did not... that was not the end of my life."

This experience set the foundation for her career in healthcare, though her specific path to dental hygiene had an element of serendipity—she initially applied to become an X-ray technician but wasn't accepted on her first try. Dental hygiene became her alternative choice, and she "never in a million years imagined what an awesome and wonderful career" it would provide.

Embracing Change and Taking Leaps

Turner describes herself as a Gemini who "thrives on change," a trait that has defined her diverse career trajectory. After starting in clinical practice and experiencing both large and small dental offices, she felt drawn to education.

"I remember standing in the hallway when I worked part-time clinical three hours a week saying to myself that I wanted to become a full-time professor," she shares. Through determination and continued education, she achieved that goal, returning to teach at her alma mater.

This was just the beginning of a career characterized by thoughtful risk-taking. Turner has since served as president and chief governance officer for the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario (the regulatory body), worked with the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association, authored articles, delivered professional presentations, and now works in the DSO world where she's been for seven years.

Each career transition required courage, especially when faced with well-meaning but limiting advice. When considering the regulatory position, friends warned her: "Jen, don't do that. That is career suicide. And you'll never get a job again."

Rather than letting fear guide her decision, Turner trusted her instincts. "In my heart, I just knew it was something I wanted to try," she explains. "I always listened to advice, like all of us. But in the end, you have to make that ultimate decision for yourself."

The result? "It turned out to be one of the jobs that I absolutely learned the most at."

Redefining Success in the DSO World

Today, Turner's role in DSO leadership encompasses everything from practice visits and team meetings to creating educational content, working with industry partners, and speaking at conferences. Her perspective challenges common misconceptions about corporate dentistry.

"The bottom line after years in being in the DSO world is when we do the right thing for our patients, we treat them like we would our mom, our dad, our loved ones. The money follows," she emphasizes. "I don't need to be out there talking about money, but we need to meet our standards of practice."

For Turner, success comes from patient-centered care, informed consent, and effective communication—principles that apply regardless of practice model. She advocates for visual patient education, careful language, and team alignment on messaging.

"If we're not showing our patients what's going on in their own mouth, how on earth would they ever be able to make that informed decision?" she asks, encouraging the use of intraoral cameras and digital scanners. "Seeing is believing."

She's equally passionate about precise clinical language, cautioning against minimizing statements like "a little bleeding" or "a small cavity." "We either have bleeding or we don't. We either have a cavity or we don't," she states firmly. "Our words matter."

Investing in Team Growth

When it comes to practice management, Turner's philosophy centers on investing in people. She challenges the scarcity mindset that questions spending on team training for fear employees will leave.

"That is not an abundance mindset," she responds. "If you're that closed or you're that scared that someone's going to leave when you do good and you add value to someone...when we work towards people's strengths, what happens? They flourish."

Her approach to leadership emphasizes making team members feel valued through proper training, clear expectations, and inclusion. "The more we train teams, we are inclusive, we make people feel valued and they know what they're accountable for in their positions...they're not going to want to leave because they're part of something bigger than just 'sit and do your job.'"

This investment creates stability in a challenging labor market—a stark contrast to practices repeatedly posting job openings due to high turnover. "That revolving door doesn't really make anyone want to go in and work," she notes.

Words of Wisdom for Growth-Minded Professionals

For dental professionals considering their next career step, Turner offers simple but powerful advice: "When you're scared, make that jump. Believe in yourself. You can do anything."

She advocates for intentional goal-setting with clear timelines: "If you want to do something, set a date, work towards it. Don't just kind of do whenever. What's your date? What's your time? And go for it."

Turner also emphasizes the importance of finding supportive connections—"your tribe"—who believe in your potential, while recognizing that sometimes your greatest obstacle is your own self-criticism. "Shut your thinker off sometimes," she advises, "because we can be the hardest critic on ourself."

Her journey—from near-death experience to multifaceted dental leader—stands as testament to the possibilities that emerge when you embrace change, trust your instincts, and take the leap, especially when it scares you.

Keywords: dental team management, dental career growth, personal resilience, dental hygiene education, professional development, dental communication, dental patient education, dental practice management, career transitions, The Dental Handoff podcast