My name is Yeidy Diaz, I am 21 years old and throughout my years in high school I knew I wanted to pursue a career in health care, but I did not know what field specifically.
My junior year in school I went to the Dominican Republic during my summer break, and during this time I spent a lot of time at my aunt’s private dental practice because my mom was undergoing multiple dental procedure. Seeing my aunt improving people’s quality of life through bettering their oral health sparked my interest in oral hygiene. I saw patient’s leaving her office so much more confident after all their procedures were completed and that motivated me to pursue a career in dentistry.
When I came back to the United States, I found out what a dental hygienist was. I thoroughly researched the role and then visited a dental practice for a cleaning to have a closer experience of the scope of their role in a dental team. I was fascinated by the idea of teaching people the importance of practicing efficient oral home care to avoid having to go through extensive dental procedures, and as I leaned in hygiene school, improve overall health.
It brings me inexpressive joy educating my patients about their oral health and helping them improve their oral health regime to tailor their specific needs, and bring about behavioral change that leads to optimal oral health. My favorite part of this journey has been showing patients’ their before and after photos and seeing the joy on their faces after a thorough cleaning.
