Why I chose Dentistry…

I was born in Haiti, and as much as I love my culture, I dislike the attitudes towards oral health. When it comes to dental care, the people of Haiti rarely go to the dentist for a checkup or cleaning. While most dental patients would go in because of pain or trouble eating,  there are many who would self treat or ignore the pain until it goes away.

In Haiti, only politicians or other celebrities are known to go to the dentist regularly. This is very different when it comes to the value of dental health in America. My father told me that when he came to America from Haiti, he was very surprised that public schools would ask  my younger siblings for dental and medical check ups. When my younger brother was a senior in high school, a visit to the dentist was mandatory for him to graduate. My father didn’t understand this. He believed it was necessary. To him, even though he had to get many teeth extracted and needs a bunch of other dental work, he turned out “just fine”‍.

My thoughts on dental health was different from my fathers and many members of my culture. I understood the significance of a healthy smile. I identified this disconnect as a problem, and I was determined to go into a career that could do something about this.

While I was in high school, I chose dental assisting as my major. My adviser at the time knew the path I wanted to pursue.

She was a dental hygienist. She helped me understand the role of a Dental Hygienist and the path to become one.

I knew this was the right fit for me.

Since then, I’ve continued to build my knowledge on oral health, and share this knowledge with my family and the members of my culture.