Chantel Leezer, RDH

I did not know what I wanted to do when I grew up.

After graduating high school in 1995, I visited Fayetteville Technical Community College with my mom and made a simple promise: I would give college one year. I did not want to just take general classes with nothing to show for it, so we met with a guidance counselor to talk about career options.

During that meeting, the counselor paused, made a phone call, hung up, and said, “You just got the last dental assisting slot for the program.”  And just like that, the dental field picked me.

What I did not know then was how much I would come to love the dental field. After several years working as a dental assistant, I joined Dr. David Hedgecoe as his first dental assistant as he was starting his practice alongside his father. That office has become my professional home. Years later, in 2008, with my husband's support, I returned to the same community college to pursue a degree in dental hygiene. I graduated in 2010 and moved from my role as a dental assistant into hygiene in the same practice where my career had already taken root.

I have now had the privilege of serving in the same dental office for 25 years. I feel the burnout. I feel all the stress. But I have also been given something incredibly rare in health care, the chance to grow alongside my patients. I have watched children grow up and go off to college or get married. I have supported patients who once believed their teeth were “too far gone” and helped them realize they could maintain their oral health. Moments like these remind me that dentistry is not just about teeth, charts, or procedures; it is about trust built over time. Seeing the same patients year after year allows for conversations that go beyond oral health, and that continuity has shaped how I practice. I have learned the importance of meeting people where they are, listening without judgment, and celebrating small victories alongside them. These long-term relationships have helped me navigate my own burnout by reminding me why I entered the profession in the first place. They have reinforced that, even on the most challenging days, the work we do can have a lasting, meaningful impact.

Over the years, dentistry has allowed me to walk with people through life, not just clinically but personally. I have shared in their joy as they became grandparents, supported them through medical challenges, and sat with them as they grieved the loss of loved ones. Some patients are simply thankful they have been able to keep their teeth longer than they ever expected, and those moments stay with me.

Today, I am completing my bachelor’s degree in dental Hygiene, with one semester remaining before my anticipated graduation in May 2026. My path into dentistry was unexpected, but it has been deeply meaningful. What began as a one-year promise turned into a lifelong calling.