Jade Herbstman

At first, hygienist Jade Herbstman was on track to become an RN. But as soon as she took a job in a dentist’s office in college, she realized she’d found her true path—and even switched schools to pursue a degree in dentistry: “I just absolutely loved it,” she says. “From the moment I started as a dental assistant to becoming a hygienist, it’s all been great.”

For Jade, performing excellent routine care is just one part of the job: “I'm not just trying to do your cleaning,” she says. “It shouldn’t be, ‘Just get your exam and leave,’ you know? I really enjoy meeting different people every day. Just building a connection, and helping you improve your overall oral health.”

And it all starts with making sure you feel comfortable every step of the way. “I’m very vocal with what I do through the entire process,” she says. “So many of our worries about going to the dentist are just fear of the unknown.” A little reassurance is often all it takes. “After all,” she says, “I’ve never had a situation where someone doesn’t like being told what’s going on.”