Hello, my name is Lamia Ahmed. I am a dental hygiene student at the New York City College of Technology in Brooklyn. A lot of my classmates in this program come into this program having had some exposure to the dental field, either working as an assistant, or working as front desk reception at a dental office. Coming into this program, I didn’t have any prior knowledge or experience in the dental field, but what I did have is a want and determination to change my gears in my life and become a dental hygienists so I could help others.
Due to lack of knowledge, finances, and access to dental care, I went through a very traumatic dental experience. In 2018, after I finally was able to get dental insurance through my husband, I started to regularly visit the dentist to get my oral health under control. My condition was very bad, and I ended up needing a periodontal surgical procedure and a major deep clean to get my oral and dental health back on track. It was a long process, but at the end of it, I was so happy to have control over my oral health. My personal experience inspired me to change my career from working in the automotive field and customer service, to working in the dental field. What I had to go through was easily avoidable through proper education and guidance and I wanted to be the person to educate and help others in regards to their oral care.
Having had extensive experience in sales and customer service, I had an easy transition into patient care. Building rapport with my patients was already second nature to me, and not different from building connections with customers on a daily basis. Working in NYCCT Patient Care Clinic was a very different experience for me in my life, but truly, it has been the most fulfilling experience as I provide dental care to my patients, and I was able to educate them and help them to take better care of their oral health. As graduation is nearing, I’m looking forward to applying all my skills to helping more patients in either private practice or in a community setting.
