Production worker
Precision and thoroughness are more important than language skills in the work of a dental polisher
Language barriers are not an obstacle to employment at LM-Dental™.
Thanittha Jokinen, originally from Thailand, has been working as a dental polisher at LM-Dental™ for 10 years. Success in the job does not require perfect knowledge of the Finnish language – the most important qualities are precision and good coordination between the hand and the eye.
Thanittha applied for the job at LM-Dental™ based on a recommendation from her former neighbor and has been working there since 2013. She switched from physical work as a cleaner to the demanding task of polishing dental instruments.
“It was difficult at first, I practiced polishing for several months. But then I got the hang of it,” Thanittha says.
A training period of about six months is a normal part of the induction process for dental polishers at LM-Dental™. Thanittha has now been polishing for 10 years. The job does not require perfect knowledge of the Finnish language, making it suitable for those with a foreign background. The most important qualities are good coordination between the hand and the eye, thoroughness, and precision.
The diversity of the workplace is increasing
When Thanittha started working at LM-Dental™, she was the only Thai person there. Working for a Finnish company helped her make new friends and also improved her Finnish language skills.
Now, there are other Thai employees at LM-Dental™ besides Thanittha. “Of course, it’s nice to be able to speak Thai with them, but then we speak less Finnish,” she laughs.
As someone who has worked at LM-Dental™ for a long time, Thanittha helps translate challenging parts of work instructions for other Thai employees with her supervisor’s assistance.
Clear job description and good colleagues
Thanittha appreciates having a clear job description. She can polish dental instruments for about 4-6 hours per day, and her duties also include packing instruments and other production tasks. Currently, she is training to become a packaging trainer while continuing to work.
Her supervisors have praised her for her precision and good quality, and Thanittha is also satisfied with her own supervisor. “My supervisor listens to me and takes my wishes into account,” she says.
Thanittha has made good friends at LM-Dental™, and she has nothing but positive things to say about her workplace. “LM-Dental™ is a good workplace, everything is good here,” she praises.