My love for dental hygiene comes from a combination of personal experiences, inspiring patient interactions, and using social media to connect with others. As a new graduate dental hygienist, I am excited to create a high standard of care and share my knowledge to help my patients.
Growing up, I was around the dental office often because my mom was a dental assistant. My siblings and I grew up visiting her work, and I remember eating jelly beans in the break room or getting toys from the treasure chest. It was always a positive experience to be at the dentist since our mom was around. Having braces twice as a teen, I learned a lot about taking care of my teeth at every adjustment. These experiences fueled my desire to pursue a career in the dental field where I could educate others about the importance of maintaining their oral health.
One of the most inspiring moments in my career occurred during a new patient exam with a Hispanic patient. She had never been to the dentist before due to finances and had just moved to the U.S. from Mexico. We chatted about the fact that many Hispanic people do not go to the dentist until something hurts, and by that point, it is too late to save teeth. This mentality is something I have seen in many of my patients who come from low-income communities or countries with limited access to dental care. This patient really wanted to take advantage of having access to care while she was in the U.S. and get her health on the right path. She had severe periodontal disease and it was correlated with some health issues she had recently found out about as well. I was able to explain the oral-systemic link and why it is so important. She never knew that high blood pressure or diabetes could impact her oral health negatively, and was glad she was changing her life for the better. She was so grateful that I explained periodontal disease using videos and images since being at the dentist was brand new to her. Seeing her motivated to learn about oral health and taking care of herself was a profound reminder of why I chose to be a dental hygienist. Compassionate care and education are essential as a dental hygienist, we don’t simply just clean teeth.
Using social media to create funny videos and share resources for dental hygiene students has also been something that inspires me to be an advocate for my career. Being Mexican-American and the first one in my entire family to go to college, I felt like I never knew what to expect and I had to figure it out on my own. Now, I can help dental hygiene students like me with advice and tips on how to get through school. It is important for me to talk about topics that we don’t necessarily learn in school like money, temping, and how to deal with different situations in the real world. What started as a fun way to share my experience through hygiene school allows me to connect with so many dental hygiene students and dental hygienists all over the world. For me, this brings a sense of community and shared purpose.
Ultimately, my love for dental hygiene is deeply rooted in the connections I make with my patients and the knowledge that I am contributing to their health and happiness. As a new dental hygienist, I look forward to the future of my career. I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead—continuing to inspire, educate, and support my patients, as well as using social media as a tool to inspire and connect SDHs and RDHs like me!