Anna Hancock, RDH

“What Makes You Love Dental Hygiene?”

From the moment I began my journey into dentistry, I knew I had found a profession that felt deeply aligned with who I am. Dental hygiene is where my compassion, my curiosity, and my desire to help others meet in a meaningful way. What makes me love dental hygiene goes far beyond the daily routine. It is the privilege of earning trust, easing fears, and making a lasting difference in someone’s life.

When I chose this field, I was drawn to the blend of science, education, and personal connection. I’ve always cared deeply about helping people feel safe, heard, and cared for, especially in a setting where many feel vulnerable. Over the years, I have learned that being a dental hygienist means so much more than performing cleanings. It means being a source of comfort and reassurance, a guide in someone’s journey toward better health, and sometimes even the person who helps them rediscover confidence they thought they had lost forever.

One of the most impactful experiences of my career involved a patient who came to me as one of the most nervous individuals I had ever met. From her very first visit, she sat rigidly in the chair, clinging to the armrests with white knuckles. She kept her eyes tightly shut during the entire appointment, and she always brought her husband with her because she felt she couldn’t get through a dental visit without him holding her hand.

She told me she hated her teeth. They were misaligned, she had areas of decay, and her confidence had been worn down for years. She felt hopeless. So hopeless, in fact, that she wanted all of her teeth removed. She didn’t believe there was another option. She didn’t believe she deserved to smile.

But I believed in her. I sat with her, talked with her, and explained every option, not just the clinical steps, but the hope behind them. She trusted me to walk her through the process slowly. Together, our team took care of her, one appointment at a time, always with patience, gentleness, and reassurance.

Today, she is a completely different person. She no longer needs her husband to accompany her. She walks into her cleanings confidently, smiling as she does. She keeps her eyes open now, relaxed in my chair, and she often tells me how grateful she is that she kept her natural teeth. She loves her smile, truly loves it, for the first time in her life. The transformation was not only physical but emotional. She went from someone who wanted all of her teeth pulled to someone who proudly shows them off. Knowing that I played a role in that shift, knowing that she trusts me, that is what fills my heart. That is what motivates me every single day. Her journey reminds me that dental hygiene is about so much more than oral health; it is about restoring confidence, dignity, and quality of life.

Moments like this are why I love dental hygiene. They fuel my commitment to continual learning, growing, and improving. I never want to become stagnant. I want to stay curious, stay educated, and stay dedicated so I can continue giving my patients the best care possible. My goal is always to help people feel healthy, confident, and understood. Dental hygiene is my passion because it allows me to make a real, human difference. Every day is an opportunity to comfort someone, to teach someone, to celebrate someone’s progress, or to simply be the reason they feel a little less afraid. My heart is truly in this profession, and I feel grateful every day for the trust my patients place in me. But more than that, dental hygiene has shaped who I am. It has taught me compassion on a deeper level, patience I didn’t know I had, and the power of meeting people exactly where they are. It has shown me that even the smallest acts of reassurance can change the way someone sees themselves. It has given me moments that I will carry for the rest of my life.

I love dental hygiene because it gives me the privilege of turning fear into confidence, pain into relief, and doubt into pride. I love it because I get to be part of someone’s transformation, not just in their oral health, but in the way they smile at the world. And if I can continue to help people feel healthier, braver, and more seen, then I know I am exactly where I am meant to be. That is what makes me love dental hygiene. That is why I will continue showing up every day with dedication, gratitude, and heart.

Anna Hancock, RDH