Influential Woman · Fine Dining

Jami Danielle Davis

Dental Assistant, Wolfgang Puck

Chicago, IL

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Illinois School of Health Careers - Dental Assisting Certificate Cert Certified Dental Assistant Cert Coronal Polishing Certificate Member YMCA

Her Story

About Jami

Jami Davis is an experienced dental assistant with over 15 years in the field, known for her dedication to patient care and long-standing professional relationships. She began her career immediately after high school when she was recommended for a position in a dental office and quickly discovered a passion for the work. Jami went on to earn her dental assisting certification from the Illinois School of Health Careers, along with additional certification in coronal polishing, allowing her to perform routine cleanings. Over the years, she has worked alongside multiple dental professionals, building a strong foundation in clinical support and patient trust.

A defining aspect of Jami’s career has been her long-term collaboration with a dentist who now owns her own practice. Their professional relationship spans more than a decade, reflecting mutual respect, loyalty, and shared growth. Jami takes pride in being part of a practice where she can provide consistent, compassionate care while supporting the day-to-day operations of a successful office. Her commitment to her role and the patients she serves has remained a constant throughout her career.

In addition to her work in dentistry, Jami has spent nearly two decades in the fine dining and hospitality industry. She has worked high-profile events as part of a catering team led by renowned chef Wolfgang Puck, contributing to weddings, corporate functions, and large-scale galas at prominent venues across the Chicago area, including major museums. This unique combination of healthcare and hospitality experience highlights her versatility, strong work ethic, and ability to connect with people in a variety of settings. Currently, Jami is further expanding her knowledge by studying psychology online, continuing her commitment to personal and professional growth.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Jami

01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Don't give up on yourself. Because sometimes you feel like the work's getting thrown off on you, but at the end of the day, helping people is very rewarding. So as long as you stick with it and find the right doctor to work for, it's a great position. It's a great thing to do. It gets tricky though - I had to quit on a couple doctors because some of them want you to do everything and they want to pay you like nothing, and they run you into the ground. But there are very nice doctors out there that take care of you. Hard work pays off, you know? You have to dedicate yourself to whatever you end up signing yourself up for. The positions that I have are not easy for most people, but like I said, they're very rewarding, both of them. Just try your best and don't let people get to you. You have to be very socially inclined, which thank God I am. You have to be a people person to work those type of events.

02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

When it comes to being a dental assistant, hygiene is the biggest issue, especially after COVID and everything. Making sure that we keep everything clean between patients is very important, and it does become a challenge when you get busy and stuff. You have to be very careful because little blood splatters go everywhere. I mean, I have to wipe the walls, everything sometimes. It's part of the gig. In fine dining, I would say the other employees around you can maybe affect your performance in those situations because I've seen employees sneaking and drinking on the job. With those situations, you just gotta steer clear of the troublemakers. There's a lot of us working at once - there's like 60 employees at one event - so you just can't get yourself involved with that.

03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

My top three values would be that I'm very dependable and reliable. I show up and I do my job to the best of my ability. I'm good with people, and I'm the type of person that I'm hard to forget. It's really good in those type of environments to be very friendly and make an impression. I think nowadays it's important to keep up with yourself a little bit and take very good care of yourself so you can feel good and confident. I'm teaching my daughter self-care because I think it's important in this new generation.

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