From the Owner

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Our Beloved Cyndy Burki Retiring

The last two years brought changes to our lives and world that many could have never imagined. It has been a time for introspection and finding what is most important in life.

I too have spent much time reflecting. After 47 years in dentistry (23 years with Dental Connections) I am retiring 12/31/21. My time spent inside dental offices and then at Dental Connections Inc has been truly wonderful and rewarding. The opportunity to help patients with their dental care and then help dental professionals with their careers has been nothing short of amazing. It has been a very gratifying career and I am blessed to have met so many wonderful people along the way. The journey of my dental career allowed me to meet many people that have become wonderful friends I hold dear to my heart. Some of you I only got to meet briefly while placing you in temporary positions or a permanent job. Others have become lifelong friends that are part of my “family”. No interaction has been insignificant as I have learned much and grown in so many ways from each of you.

My coworkers at Dental Connections have a place in my heart as well. They have supported me through many life changes and challenges. I will miss the fun times and experiences we have together. Although the pandemic has made many changes to our work environment we have found we could come together and press onward while some work from home and others (me) work from the office. It’s been a challenge, but we supported each other and moved Dental Connections forward with compassion, integrity, and service for those who need us.

I would like to thank Donna Downing for giving me the opportunity to join Dental Connections in 1998 and to Ryan Downing for allowing me to continue to be a part of this great team another 20 years. Also, to all my coworkers, clients, applicants, and friends: thank you all for the great memories and support given to me. It has been an adventure and I look forward to a new journey just around the corner.

I wish all of you the best life can give you and a reminder that you are all remarkable!!

Cyndy Burki


Together Again

Together again for the first time in 15 months! WFH is fun, but nothing replaces real in person relationships. I want to commend my staff for going above and beyond since the reopening last May. Through all the ups and downs we have stuck together as a team and are stronger than ever. I am so grateful to have an amazing team that makes Dental Connections great.

Top row left to right: Shanan, Cyndy, and Tammy. Bottom row left to right: Ashlan, Ryan, and Alicia. Not pictured: Vannara who is on maternity leave until September.


Interviews in the Post-Pandemic World?

A strange day at Dental Connections in our Seattle office. Moving some desks and equipment home since the entire team now works remotely. We started this office from scratch in 2007 with no clients. Through hard work and determination, this little office grew and grew to be very successful. Many of you have visited us at this location on Lake Union. We were doing Zoom interviews already before the pandemic made them cool. They work well and are highly efficient, but nothing replaces a face to face meeting to build real relationships. If you are reading this post we have a question for you. When all this madness is behind us will you ever want to do meetings with colleagues again face to face? We certainly hope so. This office is not closing for good it is just temporarily shuddered. Hopefully personal touch and in person relationships are still valued in the post pandemic world.

Empty reception area in our Seattle office.

20 Years by Ryan Downing

I was inspired to write this post because of an experience in July when I went to Seattle Central College to surprise a student with a tuition scholarship from Dental Connections. When I arrived in the classroom there was a hygienist there that I helped many years ago. She is now a clinical instructor at the college. She heard I was coming to campus and popped in to say hello. I met her as a new grad from Lake WA in June 2002. She was a fantastic temp that summer and later we found her a job with a practice she stayed with for 14 years. We talked by email or phone throughout the years, but had not seen each other since we met. When I saw her in the classroom she greeted me with a warm hug rather than the standard professional handshake. We talked to each other like barely a day had passed since that interview 17 years ago. It really struck me in that moment how strong the bonds are with the dental professionals we help at DC. When you treat others with honesty, kindness, and respect, they do not forget and it is meaningful.

This is what the company I helped build is all about. We are not just a temp agency. We are not a middleman. We do not take advantage of anyone. We are a service that is supportive of both dental professionals and practices. Temporary and permanent placement, resume critique, interview tips, salary negotiation, dispute resolution, and sometimes just a shoulder to cry on – we do all of this and more. The finesse that goes on behind the scenes to do it well is hard to fathom if you do not work inside our company. The feeling we hope applicants and clients are left with is that DC has their back. We go out of our way to be available for whatever advice and support is needed.

August marks my 20th year with Dental Connections. Applicants sometimes ask me how I got in this business so I feel it is a great time to tell some intimate details of my dental story. My Mom started DC in 1982 and ran it for 20 years. I grew up around the family business and never had any intention of ever working at DC. As funny as that sounds, it was not something we ever talked about as a family. I graduated from the University of Washington and after a few years of working in Hawaii and California my Mom called. I still even remember where I was sitting in my apartment in San Francisco when we had a conversation that literally changed the course of my life. Her intent was just to vent and ask for business advice. She used to say, “I paid for you to go to business school at UW so I get to take advantage of the education too!” This is something she did often. She was lamenting the loss of a key employee and described everything she wanted in a new hire. Who she was describing was me. So I said why not hire me? She said no, I don’t think so Son. Many objections were raised from DC never having a male employee to it ruining our family relationship if my employment turned out poorly. So I flew up to Seattle and pitched myself to her. It was very important we have ground rules about keeping family and business relationships separate. She hired me and I started the first week of August 1999 as a placement consultant interviewing dental assistants and receptionists. DC had record years 1999-2001 and our brand grew tremendously. Maybe I kind of like this business I thought…

I spent three years as an employee before I signed a contract to purchase DC in June 2002. DC is not a huge company by my design. We have grown from one office to three offices the past 10 years, but we still maintain a small team of employees and the personal touch we have always been known for. I never wanted to be a multi-state DSO and have no intention of taking DC that route. There are many accomplishments I am proud of. We started our Seattle office from scratch in 2008 just before the Great Recession and it still flourished. We started giving tuition scholarships to 1st year dental hygiene students in 2015 and this year for the first time we awarded two of them. We bought a colleague’s agency in Bellevue in 2016 and enabled her to retire. What I am most proud of though are my employees. I am so grateful to have longevity and continuity on my staff. We have a strong bond. There are highs and lows. Laughter and tears. Celebrations and drama. Yes there is a boss-employee relationship, but I would be lying if I did not tell you they feel like my sisters. I am an only child and I cannot help getting attached to be people I care about. From longest to shortest tenure: Cyndy Burki, Tammy Smith, Shanan Salado, Alicia Jardine, Vannara Jimenez, Valerie Stewart, and Darla Anderson. Thank you. Almost 80 years of experience at DC between us. Simply amazing.

Many things have changed in 20 years. No doubt I have grown up a lot. I have a young family that is the central focus of my life. I feel so much gratitude and humility for the success I have achieved personally and professionally. Outside of my family and friends, DC is a big reason why I am so fortunate. Here’s to another 20 years!

Ryan, Ryder, and Sara Downing
Dental Connections is a dental employment agency offering temporary and permanent placement services for dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, and business staff. We are more than just a temp agency because all of the dental professionals we represent are screened with a personal interview. Half our business is dedicated to permanent placement. Our service area is all of Western Washington, with most jobs in the following cities: Everett, Lynnwood, Seattle, Bothell, Kirkland, Redmond, Bellevue, Mercer Island, Renton, Kent, Federal Way, Auburn, Puyallup, Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Bremerton, Olympia, and Centralia.