When we are children we have dreams that most people don’t take seriously.  My dream was realistic but strange for a kid.  I wanted to be a dentist.  I started pursuing my interest in middle school when my dentist helped me with a project on tooth decay in my Life Sciences class.  In high school I participated in a dental explorers program at the local dental school and I even went to Summer Camp.

As I got older I became more interested in theatre because I always thought I would be famous.  I wasn’t the best actor and I ended up developing debilitating stage-fright.

After I spent four years in college studying theatre I decided to see what kind of jobs I could obtain.  I wasn’t hip to the food service industry so I decided to pursue retail management.  My heart wasn’t in retail and I went to work hung over most days and depressed about my life.  Two years of retail made me motivated to go back to school for pre-dental hygiene.

I sent two years taking pre-requisites and applying to dental hygiene school.  I obtained a 3.8 GPA, but because dental hygiene was such a competitive program I couldn’t get in.  Frustrated I decided to go to dental assisting school and work as a dental assistant to get more experience.  I enjoy dental assisting, I get to help dentists treat patients. After eight years of assisting I want to advance my career.  I have no interest in management and I love being in the clinic helping patients.  After years of going back and forth I decided to go to dental school.  I’m not young, but I am lucky because I have a supportive husband, friends and family.  I do not have children and my husband is working on advancing his career so it seems like the perfect time for me to start.

I will write about my experience going back to school as a “non-traditional,” student and the adventures that go along with it.  I’ll try to cover every detail of my experience and I’ll answer any questions asked.