Most people either loved going to the dentist as a kid—or absolutely hated it. Where did you fall? How come?
I loved going to the dentist!! I would always tell the dentist which teeth I wanted him to pull! Haha! I think I enjoyed it because of the praise my parents would give me afterwards for being so well-behaved at the dental office because I do remember the needles hurting!
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
I am still early in my career, but so far the most rewarding thing has been when a patient comes in for their recall appointment and tells me that they think about what I educated them on at the previous appointment every time they brush and I see the improvement clinically. It gives me validation that I am making a positive impact on my patient’s oral health.
How do you recharge after a long week? What’s your go-to activity for hitting the restart button?
After a long week, I enjoy resetting by getting some much needed rest, going for a walk/run, spending time with friends and family, watching a movie, enjoying a nice meal at a restaurant and completing any tasks I need to before the next week starts.
In another life, if you weren’t working in dentistry, what would you be doing?
If I was not a dental hygienist, I would be an event planner! I absolutely love party planning and even all of the stresses that come with it. I don’t feel like I’m a very artsy person, but a lot of my creativity comes out when I’m planning an event. It’s also fun because I get to do a lot of shopping. Haha!
When I’m in the patient chair, I’m probably grooving to {blank} in my headphones.
I love almost all genres of music, but I have been really into podcasts the last few years! I love how much I can learn from them as well as how I can multitask while listening.
What’s something that really, really, really makes you smile? Like, really?
Warm, sunny days!! Since I recently moved to New England from the south, I have realized how much the weather can really impact your mood so I am smiling from the inside out whenever there is nice weather. :)