When she was 15, Beverly Matayoshi, BS, RDH, interviewed for her first job at Jack in the Box. She didn’t get it. Disappointed, she walked across the street to her dentist’s office, where she had an appointment for a checkup and cleaning.
The dentist came in and they made small talk. He asked Beverly what she was doing that summer. She replied, “Looking for a job. I just got rejected across the street at Jack in the Box because I have no experience.” The doctor said, “Do you want to work here? You can start right after your appointment.”
Beverly took the job on the spot and has been working in dentistry ever since. “I always appreciated the opportunity and became very passionate about dentistry and always gravitated toward dental hygiene,” she says.
I believe that true happiness cannot be achieved unless you are growing and pursuing something that you truly believe in.
Beverly enjoys hearing people’s stories. During the pandemic, she started a podcast, DarkHorse Matters, as an outlet to share those stories. It is a show about enthusiastic people and their drive toward their dreams. The dental hygiene profession has enabled Beverly to blend her love for connecting with people and sharing their stories with her love for dentistry.
The causes Beverly advocates on her social media platforms include disease prevention, financial awareness, and the pursuit of happiness. “I believe that true happiness cannot be achieved unless you are growing and pursuing something that you truly believe in,” she says.
Beverly has been practicing in Atlanta, Georgia, since 2015. She currently works five to six days a week in a general practice. “As I approach my mid-40s, I would like to continue to utilize my dental hygiene education but spend less time doing clinical hygiene and more time writing, influencing on social media, and educating from the platform,” she says. “I would also like to create more passive income in my side businesses in order to spend more time with my family and do creative and artistic work.”
She is also an advocate for educating people about the chemicals in tap water and the connections they can have with inflammatory conditions. “I love to promote a healthy gut flora and the importance of antioxidants in the diet and preventing chronic illness.”
When she’s not involved with her dental hygiene pursuits, Beverly enjoys playing the guitar and writing and singing her own songs. She is a single mom with a 10-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son who are also artistic.
Beverly’s social media platforms include Facebook: Bev Matayoshi; Instagram: @bevmatayoshi; YouTube: DarkHorse Matters; LinkedIn: Bev Matayoshi.
Beverly can also be reached at [email protected]. Congratulations, Beverly, and welcome to the RDH Community Connections (RCC) dental hygiene influencer program!