Hello! My name is Danielle and I am currently about to graduate from the Dental Hygiene program at New York City College of Technology. When I first tell people that I am in dental hygiene school, their first question is almost always “How did you get into cleaning teeth?”. Firstly, I always respond with “It is so much more than just cleaning teeth” and secondly, it’s a long story.
When I graduated high school in 2003, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do at all. I always thought it was wild that any 18 year old would know what they want to do for the rest of their life. I ended up attending my local community college on Long Island, and played soccer on the schools team. However, I realized I wanted to do something more, something new. I had always been interested in healthcare (my very first job was working as a Pharmacists assistant) and my Mom just happened to have a friend who was an office manager at an orthodontic office in the same town as my college. This was extremely convenient and presented as an opportunity to learn a new skill. Over the years following, I was an orthodontic assistant, attending dental assisting certification school, and became an assistant to the office manager.
In 2009, I moved to Brooklyn where I began working in an orthodontic and pediatric dental office in the Upper East Side, and that is where I continue to be employed. My passion for the dental field and helping others has always been the greatest reward of any job title I’ve had in this profession, and I look forward to all that my future as a dental hygienist holds!