I live with generalized anxiety disorder and depersonalization/derealization syndrome. It wasn’t always like that - being afraid of new things and sometimes losing my sense of reality. I used to be carefree, living in the moment. Now, when the stress of being a full-time student becomes overbearing, I try to grasp for my footing in moments. Trying to cling to safety and bring myself back to reality. I never knew how much I valued my mental health until my mental health was no longer healthy. You don’t realize how much your brain falling to sickness truly impacts everything about yourself and the world you perceive it as. I remember when I found out I got into dental hygiene school. It was the next day, November 28th, 2024, that changed my life forever. My literal perception of the world faltered, feeling outside my body. I remember calling my mom, absolutely terrified that I was no longer anchored to myself. That I was “going crazy”. My first depersonalization episode would last two weeks, and the first week I would spend of it would still be making the hour commute to school. Now seeking help and being placed on the proper medication, it has gotten easier. But I never not think about that day. Standing in my kitchen and looking into admitting myself because I was in genuine fear of my own thoughts. Everyday I wake up feeling some semblance of normalcy again is a gift and I will never undermine anyone’s anxiety ever again. Walking on the edge of that type of darkness and coming out of it is a resilience and a strength you don’t know you’re capable of until you go through that. I live a more cautious life, having to have things planned out prior, not staying away from home for more than two days, checking to see if the anxiety is still there. Almost like testing myself. It’s always there, in the corners of my mind lurking, waiting for me to slip and spiral so it can cling its claws in to me like it did on November 28th, 2024. But now, I know I can conquer it. I’ve developed the tools to continue my schooling successfully, and I still will try new experiencing no matter that voice in my head telling me not to. I will never say I “suffer with anxiety” because in truth, anxiety has made me a better person. I’ve never had the level of compassion or motivation to help ease others of theirs. Working in dental especially, that’s associated with frequent dental anxiety. I believe this makes me a better clinician and I’m more attuned with patients feelings. In a twisted way, it’s a strength of mine that I have learned to accept. I wouldn’t be where I am without it. I do miss the person I was prior to that day, but I’m also grateful to grow and learn about this new person I am becoming.

Being a woman in dental hygiene allows me to combine my passion for healthcare with my desire to make a meaningful impact on people's lives. Oral health is a direct correlation to an individual's overall systemic health, which is famously overlooked upon. It's important to me because my profession is predominantly in treating and preventing disease as well as being an educator to the public. This profession also allows me to have the opportunity in working closely with patients, building rapport and developing new connections while delivering preventative and compassionate care. I value this career because it is a blend of science, education, requires technical skills, and values human connection all while giving me the ability to grow professionally. It is a field that has constant research and education as the field in dentistry develops and evolves over newfound data. I am grateful to be a woman in this new era of dentistry, especially for woman due to the new research indicating how diseases predominantly impact our bodies due to our fluctuating hormonal levels and higher risk for certain autoimmune diseases that most suspect do not impact their oral health. It's more than just educating about the oral cavity; it's prevention of all areas of healthcare and educating the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Treating disease also gives woman someone they are able to build a foundation of trust with. Being the clinician that can ease anxiety when it comes to even getting their foot in the door to put themselves first. I am passionate of the role dental hygiene plays in patient advocacy and community service. Women's health is often overlooked, as depicted by many clinical research data proving this fact, so being in a position that can help enable me to mend that gap is empowering. Being able to offer services to women of lower income with lack of accessibility to the knowledge and clinical care that should be universal is an honor. Becoming an educator in helping women recognize the systemic links of their oral health and also being a woman in a profession that is strongly represented by woman offers me a voice and a leadership role for the future of female healthcare providers. Women have historically been apart of the vital role in advancing in prevention of oral health, so being apart of the dental hygiene program continues this legacy. Being apart of this healthcare program, I am also choosing to be apart of this movement that empowers women to take leadership in healthcare and inspire others through representation. It is a grave misunderstanding that oral health is not correlated with healthcare, so being one of the many woman that helps change the narrative of this is something I am proud to be apart of.