What drew me into dental hygiene is the aspect of patients being able to change into a healthy and confident individual with the impact of a dental hygienist. My passion for dental professions has grown through my previous involvement in the Dental Assisting Program at the Career and Technical Education Center in my school district. This program allowed me to learn how to assist in various dental procedures while enabling me to earn certification as a dental assistant. These experiences brought me closer to my goal of working in a dental office and gave me priceless insight into the field of dentistry. As a future dental hygienist, I can visualize myself removing the barriers to dental care within local communities to build an environment that will make my patients feel informed, supported, and valued. Whether it be educating a family about the proper practice of preventive hygiene or alleviating dental anxiety in a fearful patient, I hope that I positively influence them enough to remember those moments well beyond the dental appointment. Receiving scholarships would give me enough financial preparedness to fully dedicate myself to the science of oral health by focusing solely on my clinical training. Additionally, the reduction of my financial stresses would allow me to focus on making positive changes in other people's lives by being a competent and caring dental hygienist. Earning this scholarship would ease my path toward fulfilling my career goals and further strengthen my goal to make a difference in the lives of patients as a dental hygienist. I am looking forward to starting my journey as a dental hygiene student with this potential scholarship opportunity. After I get my Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene degree, I will put a multitudinous amount of effort into becoming an impactful dental hygienist.

As a student pursuing a career in dental hygiene, I have had many experiences in the world of dentistry that have led me to the realization that oral health is closely tied to mental health. Through various forms of research as well, I have gained a better understanding of how significant dental anxiety can be. Learning how to recognize and accommodate dental anxiety helps me to further my goal of being a compassionate dental hygienist. I have put in a considerable amount of effort to educate myself on how dental health and oral health overlap so that I can find small bits of information to help me understand my future patient's concerns when seeking dental care. For instance, I have found that dental anxiety can be caused by poor oral health which then impacts a person's confidence along with their ability to have social interactions. Learning this little fact has helped me recognize that emotional support is just as important as clinical expertise while allowing me to set the goal of approaching patient care gently. In my future career as a dental hygienist, I plan to integrate empathetic patient care into the office. Instead of feeling judged, I desire to create a space where patients feel welcomed and appreciated. My goals regarding my future as a dental hygienist are to strive for the normalization of conversations where dental anxiety is discussed and to empower individuals to fearlessly take control of their oral health. Beyond clinical care, I hope to advocate for mental health awareness in the field of dentistry. This could be done by my future participation in initiatives that inform dental professionals on how critical mental support for a patient is. Ultimately, I believe that there is more to a career in dental hygiene than just cleaning teeth. I feel as though a dental hygienist has to work extensively to provide an environment where there is a focus on the mental health of patients. By combining the technical skills that I will learn in hygiene school with the genuine care I have for others, I hope that my future patients will leave my chair feeling physically and mentally better.

My definition of legacy is described as having the ability to impact others through one's expression of values. Those people who are proficient in deeply affecting others through the influence of thoughts and actions are those who hold a legacy. Legacy is the story of an individual and how they chose to go about life. The purpose of legacy is to inspire others to continue what was started. I also perceive legacy as a way the younger generation looks up to the qualities of the older generation that lead them to decide whether to imitate or divert from the path ahead of them. In my view, a meaningful legacy says something about the person's ability to be remembered for their resiliency through challenges and growth toward benefiting themselves and others. I consider my upbringing central to defining what legacy is in my understanding. A desire to leave a meaningful legacy is what has shaped my approach to life so far. My diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder made much of my childhood a struggle in terms of focus, organization, and reliability. ADD often depletes my confidence which furthers the fear that I will never reach my full potential or keep pace with others. When I fall behind, it is deeply frustrating, but I work hard not to let setbacks define me. These negative experiences of ADD have been valuable teachers in the areas of resilience and growth. For instance, my way of coping has changed over time and has slowly evolved into one more capable of dealing with such symptoms. I have also come to appreciate how neurodivergence heightens my creativity and allows me to develop several unique perspectives. The strengths brought on by ADD have been responsible for letting me succeed and understand people with similar struggles. My struggles with ADD have also driven me to focus on not getting entrapped in self-doubt and perfectionism. I have realized how this eternal striving for perfection essentially limits my ability to discover and fully develop my potential. A legacy that I would want to leave behind is one of self-acceptance and forgiveness. I want my legacy to emphasize that the heavy boulders we meet in life do not define us, but how we decide to climb around them does. I will reach for commitment toward focusing on growth, authenticity, and compassion to build this legacy. I will help others appreciate their strengths and let them realize that their special traits can be a pathway to success. I would like to inspire others through my values, interactions, and societal contributions in a manner that would have ripples extending well beyond themselves. I ultimately view a legacy as the commitment to undertake a lifetime of learning, development, and encouragement. By embracing my challenges and framing them in the context of an opportunity for growth, I open up the potential to alleviate a burden off of someone. I like to think that by doing this, I clear the path for others to have a similar journey of overcoming adversity through determination.

When thinking about Black History Month, various Black leaders come to mind. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ruby Bridges, Sojourner Truth, as well as many more Black historical figures have made undeniable impacts on the world through their intelligence, bravery, and resilience. Among these activists, I am reminded of another leader who has influenced me and the people surrounding her. This specific leader is my mother. By working in the field of psychiatric pharmacy, she has become a true example of leadership through her desire to improve lives and tear down barriers. During her educational path, my mother had to complete a residency program where she had to interact with psychiatric patients. Having emotional connections with these patients through her empowering atmosphere allowed her to change their lives. Her current role in her career is to collaborate on the making of psychiatric medicines to support people who suffer from extreme mental impairments. To adequately execute her job, intense knowledge followed by a desire to deliver deeply personal aid to others is required. She has an exceptionally profound sense of purpose and compassion in her work. She makes sure that the psychiatric medications she works on perform well to emotionally support the individuals taking them. She exudes her empathetic character through her determination to improve as many lives as she can. Unfortunately, her chosen line of profession has come with its share of challenges. Being a Black woman in this field, she has had to battle her way through various problems concerning the lack of diversity in some of the educational or professional circles she has been in. Instead of being deterred by these setbacks, she approaches them with a sense of diligence that incredibly leads her to come out on top. Her success reminds me of how extremely significant resilience is towards going for a health profession as a Black woman just like myself. My mother's leadership is just as influential at home. She has given me numerous examples concerning the need for persistence and care when working toward a healthcare career. Observing her juggle the demanding nature of her career along with motherhood helps me to remember that hard work and consideration for others are crucial to helping me achieve my dreams of success. She has taught me that being a dedicated and compassionate person can take you far in life. My mother's story is one of endurance and understanding. She has defined Black excellence for me as a concept that is less concerned with individual accomplishments and more concerned with how opportunities are created for others to rise. Her Black Excellence proves that she is phenomenal as a colleague, a friend, and my mom.

My calling for dental hygiene has always been fueled by a desire to promote oral health care. Once I recognized the transformative impact a dental hygienist has on a patient, I knew I wanted to take part in that career field. Being a dental hygiene student has required both personal and academic dedication. While getting my dental hygiene prerequisites done, I quickly realized how much financial support is needed to help me succeed as a hygienist. Receiving this scholarship will help me reach my goal of becoming a successful dental hygienist.  As a college student taking dental hygiene prerequisites, I was driven to exceed my expectations in the required classes, such as anatomy and chemistry. I also participated in a high school course to broaden my knowledge of the world of dentistry. This class was a part of the Career and Technical Education Center program which allowed students to explore a career field of their interest. The course that I chose was dental assisting. I took part in the duties of a dental assistant and analyzed if that career path was for me. Dental hygiene was already an interest of mine, but the dental assisting class confirmed my passion for dentistry. The academic experiences I had in college and high school helped me to gain a broader understanding of dentistry while also confirming my determination to become a dental hygienist. I aim to help people access the crucial dental care they need while educating my future patients on preventative dental care to reduce the high rate of certain dental conditions. I am passionate about becoming a reliable and considerate hygienist who can be trusted by my coworkers and patients. Being prepared financially for my education is crucial to achieving my future professional goals. Receiving this scholarship would help ease the stress of financial requirements regarding my educational expenses. Additionally, receiving this scholarship would also help motivate me to keep going with my passion for dental hygiene. I am already confident in my diligence toward becoming a dental hygienist, but receiving this scholarship would give me extra confirmation that dental hygiene is my calling.