What was your greatest moment when you knew you chose the right profession?
When I found hygiene as a profession, something just clicked for me. You could say hygiene saved my life. Right before I had decided on a career in hygiene, I was about to finish up my biology degree and felt lost. I knew there was something in the area of health I was leaning towards, but was beginning to lose hope.
I was starting to turn down a dark path, where depression, suicidal ideation, and anxiety were finding their way in. Then I started to read about hygiene and gained purpose again. I knew I had found a career where I could gain human connection and make a difference in the world. That was my greatest moment—finding self-worth.
What is your focus in 2022?
I want to be able to bring awareness to mental health and the silent minority, and give a voice in the dental hygiene community that goes both ways. My goal is to help hygienists reach out to the LGBTQIA community and share what we have to offer, as well as help hygienists better understand queer people. I want to lecture on patient care, but also bring awareness to the issues LGBT+ providers face. I want people to know that Pearly White Prevention (PWP) has a place in their office for cultural change as well as profitable change.
