Her Story
About Sherrie
Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC is a dental assistant training developer, speaker, coach, and entrepreneur with more than four decades of experience in the dental field. She began her career as a dental assistant in 1981 after attending trade school and went on to develop extensive experience in dental offices, management, supervision, and practice management. After spending 15 years with one doctor, she owned and operated a staffing franchise for nearly five years before joining Heartland Dental. During her time with Heartland Dental, she progressed from dental assistant and OSHA Coordinator to becoming the organization's first Dental Assistant Training Developer, ultimately helping educate and train more than 5,000 dental assistants. Following her retirement from Heartland Dental in April 2025, Sherrie launched Dental Assistant Connection, where she continues her commitment to dental assistant education through content creation, webinars, speaking engagements, and the Dental Assisting Uncharted podcast. Her educational work focuses on dental software, documentation guidelines, clinical techniques, OSHA requirements, sterilization, and infection prevention and control. She is passionate about mentoring dental assistants and advocating for their personal and professional growth, combining decades of hands-on experience with modern educational approaches. Sherrie remains actively involved in the dental assisting profession, serving as President of the Illinois Dental Assistants Association and as a board member of the Florida Dental Assistants Association. She is also a member of the American Dental Assistants Association and Circle of Dental Excellence. Her contributions to dental education and advocacy have been recognized through her designation as a 2026 Top 100 Influencer in Dentistry by USA Dental Report and a Key Opinion Leader for Sterisil a dental unit waterline specialist. Beyond her professional work, Sherrie is a dedicated caregiver and advocate for her mother with late-stage Alzheimer's disease. Her career reflects her commitment to integrity, lifelong learning, mentorship, and creating opportunities for dental assistants to succeed.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sherrie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute much of my success to my mother. Throughout my life, she was a “get it done” type of person, and I learned from her how to solve problems, take action, and create opportunities rather than wait for them to appear. She owned and operated several cleaning companies and demonstrated through her own example that sometimes you simply have to go out there and make things happen. That mindset has stayed with me throughout my career.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have received is to always say yes, remain open to change, be flexible, and be coachable. Being willing to embrace new opportunities, adapt when circumstances change, and remain open to learning has been incredibly valuable throughout my career.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice is to know your stuff. Do your research, make sure you are genuinely passionate about what you are pursuing, and create a clear plan. Set a goal, write it down, develop a vision for it, and then make a plan for how you are going to achieve it. Once you have that foundation, hold your head high and do not be afraid.
I also encourage young women to expect failure because it is going to happen. Failure can provide some of the biggest opportunities to learn and grow. Keep moving forward, learn from those experiences, and celebrate every opportunity and accomplishment along the way.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges is getting the word out about the importance of dental assistants. Dental assistants can sometimes be viewed as the “low man on the totem pole,” which can limit their visibility and recognition within the dental profession. At the same time, that creates a tremendous opportunity to increase exposure, education, and awareness of the value dental assistants bring to dental practices and patient care.
For me, one of the most meaningful opportunities is seeing the impact education can have. When students tell me that I have touched their lives, it reinforces why this work matters and motivates me to continue educating, inspiring, and advocating for dental assistants.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity is one of the most important values to me. I believe in being true to yourself and staying authentic to who you are, both personally and professionally.
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