I selected dental hygiene initially for two reasons: flexibility and patient care. I knew I wanted to work in healthcare from an early age, but while I was still in high school and had to choose a major for college, I was stumped because I had never truly considered the profession I wanted to pursue. But all of that changed when I was invited to a facility and saw a student-hygienist attending to a patient. I was intrigued and spoke with one of the program directors, who briefed me about their facility and the job of a hygienist, which includes patient care, flexibility, the ability to help others, patient connections, one-on-one engagement, and much more. After careful thought, I was captivated and decided to pursue dental hygiene at NYCCT. I was fortunate to have been accepted into the program on my first try, and I was able to experience what the program director had described to me about the profession and what a hygienist can offer. Along the way, I learned that a hygienist is much more than just someone who cleans teeth. We are members of the prevention team. We’re educators. We develop patient relationships. And much more!
However, I had a setback on my path to becoming a dental hygienist when I failed a course. Initially, I was devastated to learn that I would be unable to continue with my class. I was so broken down that I questioned whether becoming a dental hygienist was indeed my future professional choice. Despite the setback, I decided to work in a dental clinic until I could retake the course that I had failed. I took the time to gather additional experience and determine whether or not this was the field for me. As the days progressed, I observed and learned more about patient care from our office’s hygienist. I admired the hygienist’s skills in patient communication, management, relationship-building, care delivery, and patient education. Being able to make a positive impact on a person one at a time, and knowing that you helped a patient keep their smile for the rest of their life. This was something I desired in a profession. I remember talking to my boss about my bump in the road, and they commented, “Life is full of ups and downs. One failure doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. It is whether or not you let that failure define you and pull you down.”
This statement truly gave me a wake-up call. At first, I believed this was the end for me, and I had no idea what to do; I was completely lost. But I wasn’t lost; recalling where my drive had begun and my recently gained experiences, I realized that dental hygiene was the field I wanted to pursue, and I was determined to keep working toward that goal. I didn’t want to let one setback bring me down and convince me that this was not the field for me. I stood tall and succeeded thanks to the support of my friends, family, and faculty!
