My name is Effie Argyros and I am a future RDH, studying at City College of Technology.

Dental hygiene is something I have always been passionate about. As a kid, I used to keep my teeth, instead of leaving them under my pillow for the tooth fairy; I cannot travel anywhere without tooth-floss in my bag; and brushing 3 times a day has been part of my routine for many years. This heightened interest in oral hygiene care, made the choice to leave my career as a retail planner, in order to pursue dental hygiene, an easy one.

Initially I was drawn to dental hygiene by my personal interest in oral self care, however the more time I spent in clinic made it apparent that dental hygiene is more than just showing someone how to take care of their teeth; it is an area of medicine that can help save someone’s life. For example, symptoms for diseases, such as cancer and diabetes, can manifest in the oral cavity early on. As hygienists, we may encounter these symptoms, via intra-oral inspection, before the patient is even aware that there is something wrong with them.  In addition to this, dental hygiene can help restore someone’s smile, thus boosting their confidence and improving their quality of life. I have had clinic patients tell me that because of their cleaning, they re-gained the confidence to socialize and meet new people. The status of their oral hygiene had previously stopped them from doing certain things, such as dating, however the cleaning gave them a fresh new start. Hearing this is validation that I chose the correct new career path; and knowing that I played a direct role in their new found happiness, is priceless.

The past 2 years at City College of Technology have been innovative and inspiring. Learning from our talented and diligent professors has been an awesome experience, that will shape the remainder of my career and life.

Clinic memories