I can clearly remember during my first semester of hygiene school, I would constantly ask myself why did I choose this field. I questioned myself not due to the challenges that I faced during this rigorous program, but because of various reasons. I would say that it all started with my drive to help others, but it was way deeper than that. It is possible that it stemmed from my lack of knowledge and my insecurities.
As a young child growing up in the African American community, I wasn’t aware of the importance of oral hygiene. I was diagnosed with my first cavity by the age of 7 and unfortunately, I wasn’t given a lecture about the cause of decay or the process in which this decay has developed. Throughout my life, I’ve studied others and noticed that people face certain health or financial challenges due to a lack of knowledge. One person can not save the world but If I can be that one person who can aid in preventing a person from developing irreversible periodontal disease that can be linked to type 2 diabetes and in intense cases dying from oral cancer, I will. Just knowing that I will be waking up every day spreading knowledge about oral health and potentially saving an individual’s life is an amazing accomplishment. Therefore this proved to me that working as a dental hygienist is a career that I could never stop loving.
