As I began my freshman year of college, I started a job at a dentist’s office as a receptionist and was intrigued to learn about dentistry. Soon, I began working as a dental hygiene assistant, I was captivated by how much I loved what I was doing. At the time, I was completing my prerequisites and trying to figure out what I would major in. Once I recognized my passion for preventative dental care, I realized I wanted to be a dental hygienist. I worked hard to ensure that my grades were exceptional to get accepted into hygiene school. I was delighted to get accepted into an amazing hygiene program; however, I was nervous to move away from home as the program was four hours away in another state. I realized that everything happens for a reason, and I knew that dental hygiene was my passion. Therefore, I was ready to give it my all. My parents were diagnosed with periodontal disease early in their lives and I saw the lasting effects. My personal experience of seeing family members struggle from not being properly educated on the importance of preventative dental care further motivated me to become a hygienist. As a student hygienist, I take pride in educating patients on the effects of systemic conditions, such as diabetes, and how it can affect their oral health. Oftentimes, patients thank me for properly educating them about their oral health in relation to their probe depths and radiographs. When I hear phrases such as, “I wish someone had told me that before,” it motivates me to continue to educate patients I come across so that they can improve their oral health. After graduating, I plan on completing my bachelor’s degree so that I can further educate and help others. I would love to work as an instructor in a dental hygiene school so that I can pass my knowledge to incoming students. Moreover, I plan to use my degree to work for non-profit organizations to make preventative dental care accessible to communities in need. I am extremely dedicated to my academic excellence, which is reflected in my grades, being a recipient of the dean’s list, and my active leadership role as the president of the Student American Dental Hygiene Association at my school. To support myself throughout this journey I have maintained a part-time job, taken out student loans, and sought out opportunities to fundraise for expenses such as loupes and board review packages. Receiving this scholarship would help me immensely in my journey by allowing me to alleviate some of the financial burden of student loans. This scholarship would aid me in a multitude of ways as I plan to complete my bachelor’s degree after I graduate. I would like to thank you for your consideration. It means the world to me that a scholarship like this exists to help students like me. I hope to one day be in a position to support dental hygiene students going through this journey.

At a young age, my late father instilled the importance of good oral hygiene and a beautiful smile. He would make going to the dentist's office a fun experience, helped make sure I brushed and flossed, and told me that a healthy smile is a beautiful smile. I am passionate about dental hygiene because, through my experience working in dentistry and enrolling in dental hygiene school, I firmly believe that a healthy smile is a beautiful smile. Many people often focus on the aesthetics of their teeth – the color, shape, and size. Therefore, it is frequently forgotten that oral health is directly linked to our body’s systemic health. I saw this early on when I started working in dentistry in 2018, as I saw several cases of diabetes affecting patients’ gums. Additionally, I saw cases where untreated gum disease would lead to serious complications. These cases encouraged my commitment to educating patients on their oral care and preventative health. Furthermore, I worked as a dental hygiene assistant for five years while pursuing my bachelor’s degree and applying to dental hygiene programs because I was determined to join this field to make a difference in all my patient's encounters and help them achieve a healthy smile. Both of my parents were diagnosed with periodontal disease early in their lives and I saw the lasting effects. My parents divorced when I was ten, but they worked hard to ensure that my three sisters and I were always happy. This made it hard for them to prioritize their own health and happiness at times. I saw this firsthand in my mom who did not understand the extent of her periodontal diagnosis and neglected to see the dentist for years, this led to her needing partial dentures at an early age. My father who suffered from diabetes, and heart disease also had a diagnosis linked to periodontal disease which led to partial dentures for him as well. Both my parents suffered from pain in their gums, and teeth, and often had a hard time eating. Seeing the consequences of my parents neglecting their oral health was very hard for me, this further motivated me to become a dental hygienist. Once I graduate, it will be my goal to help patients with periodontal disease understand the lasting effects if they do not take care of their oral health. Leading up to my acceptance to dental hygiene school, I was working part-time and pursuing my bachelor’s degree in biology. During this time, I was consistently saving in hopes I would be accepted into a dental hygiene program. Though I was saving, I still had to take out loans for school and I continued to work while being enrolled in school. I knew my dream early on of becoming a hygienist would never be easy, and this journey would come with hardships. Receiving this scholarship, would significantly help my journey by providing financial support and help me to continue to pursue my passion for dental hygiene.