Going back through everything has reminded me of all the obstacles I have surpassed as my time

as a dental hygiene student. It’s crazy to think that we made it through five very difficult semesters to

reach where we are now. I have learned so many things during my time here and I know I will continue

to learn and grow out in the real world. I am so proud of myself and my classmates for accomplishing our

goals to become a dental hygienist.

The first semester was all about getting the basics down. How to fulcrum, hold an instrument,

and what tools did what. We learned how to angle and adapt our working end to a tooth. I will never

forget sitting in DHI picking up a pen and practicing on books, trying to “stand up” on our fulcrums and

maneuver our makeshift instrument around. I remember how difficult it was in clinic to keep my fingers

together that one of the instructors tied my fingers together with a rubber band.

Then our second semester started and all of a sudden, we were treating each other and then

real patients. I was so nervous to call my first patient up and bring them to my op. I felt like I would never

get a hang of things. Taking their blood pressure, going through their health histories and making what

seemed like a thousand med cards. This is where I learned to assess my patients and ask them countless

questions about their health, habits, and life. I remember this being one of the most patient focused

portions of my learning.

Our Summer semester is one I will never forget. We started to learn how to give anesthesia to

each other. While this was difficult it was nothing compared to the course work to understand why we

give injections, the pharmacology of it all, and at what dosages certain patients should get. This semester

was not only a difficult semester for me school wise but also my home life. My boyfriend and I both were

struggling to care for our cat who had been diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma and had

passed away just a couple weeks before our final exam. Thankfully I had an amazing support system to

help me get through this time.

 Our fourth semester is where we started to tie everything together. We were taking

periodontology which helped us understand the true importance of our work and why we would

treatment plan a certain way for various patients. This is the semester I started to truly understand all

the different diseases of the periodontium. Also, in this semester we took pharmacology, which in itself

was a very difficult class. However, it was also so important for us to learn the different types of drugs

that our patients take daily in clinic. Even now in clinic I am constantly writing down new drug cards and

continually learning new things.

This last semester has been bitter sweet. On one hand I am so excited to be almost done, and on

the other hand I am sad to leave the place that sculpted me into the dental hygiene professional I have

become so far. This semester has been really eye opening to me. As we prepared for boards, I realized

how much we have all learned throughout this program. I am forever thankful for the group of students

I’ve worked with and the amazing instructors that have helped each of us along the way.

My time as a dental hygiene student passed by so quickly. It really seems like it was the other

day when we all showed up to clinic for the first day eager and a little scared for what was to come. It

seemed like the end was so far away and now it’s so close. Soon we will be going out into the real world,

finding new dental homes and making new connections. The group of students and instructors that I

went through this program with will forever hold a place in my heart. I hope to continue to take

everything I have learned with me and to keep growing as a dental hygienist.