The Texas Mission Of Mercy

During Wednesday’s lecture we had the opportunity to hear Kathryn Trilli give us a short autobiography of her career, and introduce us to the roles of a hygienist when working in a specialty clinic. Mrs. Trilli started her career at Sheridan College in Wyoming. She received her Associates in Science in Dental Hygiene. Upon graduation Mrs. Trilli was serving tables while waiting for her license. It was at her serving job that she met her first boss, John Nabers D.D.S., a periodontist in Wichita Falls, Texas who later was the founder of the Nabers probe. After working in Nabers practice for two years she left to begin her teaching career. While teaching Mrs. Trilli obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Dental Hygiene, from Midwestern State University. After relocating to east Texas for her husband’s profession she worked at various private practices. While living in Denton, Texas for five years she taught at Texas Woman’s University. After her husband accepted a coaching position at Newman University the Trillis relocated their family one final time to where they currently call

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Molly Koopman, Expanded Function Dental Assisting Program, Miami Jacobs Career College, Springboro, OH 45066

Being a first year student at the Fortis Institute Dental Hygiene School, I have experienced many wonderful things. I have made new friendships, enhancing my learning experience, furthering my career, and my personal favorite experience, clinic. I have learned many techniques from observing the other students during this time. Also, being in the clinic had shown me that being an RDH is what I want to do. In my essay I will discuss my Fears, experiences, observations, my new found confidences, and finally how my view of Dental Hygiene has changed.

When I was about 5-years-old, I was the only one in my Kindergarten class that was not frightened of the dentist. I was the only child for as long as I can remember who absolutely adored going to see my dentist; I thought it was better than going to the Science Center, which was a big deal for a child in my generation. Growing up, I watched people’s faces twitch with (terror, panic, dismay) as I explained that it was my ultimate dream to become a dental hygienist. “What if a child bites you?” “The human mouth is disgusting! Do you not realize the horror of this occupation?” Listening to people question and insult my dreams only enhanced my dedication to this occupation even more. I was determined to prove them wrong; to prove that this was

“The joy of changing a person’s life by creating a beautiful, healthy smile is one of the intangible rewards of being a dentist that cannot be measured.” Dianne Glasscoe, RDH. With that, my overall mission is to educate every patient, and help them to understand and achieve a lifetime of dental health. These purposes and philosophies are just two of the many reasons behind my pursuit for a career as a dental hygienist, and now to further my knowledge and become a dentist. Years ago, an elementary class of 15 students were selected to go on a field trip to a local dental office.

Towards the end of my high school year, an incident happened that costed two of my front teeth. There I was, sitting in the dental office feeling despair and helpless. But all the horrible feelings vanished after I saw the dental hygienist. The dental hygienist told me he had lost his teeth during his high school times also, and there is nothing to worry about. To make the situation better, he even showed me a picture of him smiling without his teeth. There are numerous ways to show and provide your care for other people, and that is the moment when I decided to choose dental hygienist as a major. Moving on to the year of 2015, my brother was hospitalized for his nearly-ruptured appendix. During that time, me and my parents were not able to stay in the hospital at all time due to our family business. Thanks to the nurses, they

It was not until participating in the Texas Mission of Mercy (TMOM) that I became interested in dentistry. It all started when my best friend convinced me to join American Student Dental Alliance (ASDA) with her. Initially I was hesitant, but I wanted to try to open up and experiment with careers in college. Although I was a member, I was not as active in the organization at first. However, this all changed when I decided to attend the most promoted event of the year, TMOM. TMOM is an annual event that provides free dental care to low income residents in Texas. I observed and assisted dentists and dental students for the first time. One lady, in particular, was physically abused by her husband, and she had many missing front teeth. The dentist was able to repair her smile and give her the smile she deserved. It was an incredible experience being able to witness the transformation of a person’s confidence. TMOM was the turning point of my life because the people I encountered inspired me to pursue dentistry as a career.

A variety of factors have drawn me towards Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona. The relatively new facility has intrigued me due to the ability to study using the latest technology. The student to faculty ratio is also an aspect that has caught my attention. The most appealing factor is my belief that I will be able to contribute to the mission values of Midwestern in improving oral health. My extensive and varied volunteering experience has allowed me to understand the importance of serving others. I believe that working and volunteering in the healthcare setting has allowed me to develop the ability to relate with patients on a personal level and has strengthened my ability to communicate with a diverse audience. Research

However it was not until my mission in Guatemala that I got a sense of the impact I could potentially make globally as a dentist. While there, I shadowed my father where he performed dental procedures on roughly 200 people. Although I was only able to provide supporting efforts for my father, I gained experience that was invaluable. I carried a portable backpack chair into the villages. The chair was both solar and electric with basic built in tools. Once the patients were seated, I provided emotional encouragement through smiles, hugs, and interpreted language. I was rewarded in that every patient that we treated showed his or her utmost gratitude. Working and observing alongside my father, we were a team, doing something that was life changing for countless individuals. A fire was ignited inside of me that will never be extinguished. A fire that is fueled by passion for helping people close to home as well as those in remote countries where very few are willing to

At the age of thirteen, I decided that I wanted to become a dentist. I have since read countless dental textbooks explaining everything from anatomy to treatment of oral diseases. My junior year of high school, I entered the Dental Assistant program at the Clark County Skills Center. Through the program I gained the knowledge needed to become a dental assistant. The Skills Center further strengthened my decision to become a dentist by teaching me how the dental world truly functions. In December of 2105, at the age of 16, I became a Certified Dental Assistant and began working at Design Dentistry. Working at Design Dentistry with Dr. Wenzinger has inspired me to continue my education, and I plan to further my education to become a dentist.

I can remember how proud I was of my dentist, Dr. Risk, when he spoke to my kindergarten class about keeping up good dental hygiene. We all went into a large classroom and sat criss-cross applesauce on the floor to hear his presentation about brushing our teeth to remove the plaque “bugs.” He also talked about how cavities are formed if we do not remove them properly and consistently. This memory has stuck with me, and I have always wanted to make other people feel the way I felt sitting on that tile floor long ago. He was always very good with making children feel special, easing their fears, and connecting to patients of all ages on a personal level. I always loved going to the dentist as a kid because Dr. Risk always made me feel important. While shadowing in Dr. Bellott’s office, a cute little boy came in for a cleaning, and he wanted to know everything from the process to the tools. My encounter with the little boy reminded me of my own excitement as a child about going to the dentist and how excited I am to be able to work with kids like him.

Serving an underserved population has always been my motivation to become a dentist. Throughout my life I have excelled in crafts and am exceptionally talented with my hands. As a result, it has continually been my dream to be in a profession where I could use my hands to change a person’s life by easing their pain or helping them smile again. Being given the opportunity to finally achieve this would be invaluable. I truly want to make a positive difference in this world. This desire has provided me the grit to overcome adversity and withstand the challenges I have faced while applying to dental school. Since helping people is something that I am extremely passionate about, I have had numerous wonderful volunteer experiences throughout the

A middle-aged lady sitting patiently on the dental chair smiled faintly at me. It was my first time at Texas Mission of Mercy (TMOM), an event that provides free dental care to low income residents in Texas, and I did not know what to expect. I approached her and immediately noticed she was missing a front tooth. She introduced herself as Anne, and she told me her life story right off the bat. In summary, the culprit of her missing tooth was her abusive ex-husband. Despite her troubled past, she had a positive energy, but I could tell she was insecure about her smile. Finally, the dentist arrived back with her removable dental partials, and within seconds, he gave back the smile she deserved. When Anne saw her reflection, she immediately cried

‘Randi, why would you want to look into someone’s mouth?’ is a question I frequently am asked when I tell someone of my future aspiration of becoming a dentist. Every time I am asked this question I cannot help myself but to chuckle a little because to me becoming a dentist is so much more; to me being a dentist is about becoming a contributing member of the community as well as an advocate of compassion, mentorship, and social justice. Becoming a dentist will allow me to utilize my creative and academic abilities while servicing others. I am fortunate to have the ability to understand complex concepts, ideas, and theories and can simplify them for others, so they may gain their own basic understanding. On the other hand, I am motivated to give thanks for this ability and to offer my service as a dental professional to assist in the health needs of those served and underserved in my community.

My mother grew up without the aid of dental or medical and as a result she struggled without it. [She was unable to afford the cost of dental or medical which greatly affected her health over time.] Without dental her teeth were never examined by a dentist and eventually led to the deterioration of her teeth. In addition, she would always bring me to every dental and orthodontic check-ups. In fact, due to insurance complications, my mother was forced to drive me once a month for a year to North Carolina from Florida to get my braces tighten. Her bewildering determination stirred my emotions and at that point I began to realize how precious my teeth truly