THIS IS HOW WE CHANGE HEALTH CARE.

Have you ever struggled to find where you fit it? Perhaps you’ve worked so hard to achieve a goal only to find it’s missing that sense of comfort you expected.

That was me after my first few years working as a dental hygienist (read this to get the whole story).

Although I felt lost, I knew one thing: I WANTED TO BE AN INDEPENDENT DENTAL HYGENIST.

Once I learned that dental hygienists can work solo, even from a van, I knew I found my path.

“Yes, this is it! This is how health care can change to remove the barriers faced by First Nations communities and anyone with mobility issues!”, I thought.

Realizing what I had to do was the easy part. It took me many more years to actually work up the courage to go back to school to get my degree so I could work independently.

Going back to school after being graduated for ten years was the hardest thing I’ve ever done IN MY LIFE.

A few months after I decided to go back to school, I went through a big break up and moved to the other side of the province to start working at a periodontal clinic, which is completely different from general practice.

It felt like a Hail Mary when I applied for a dental hygiene degree completion program through UBC, where only 18 people would be accepted. I told the UBC admin person my story about how why I was so passionate about providing dental hygiene for rural communities. They were like, “Yeah, you’re accepted!” And I was like, “Oh, shit!”

I actually wasn’t expecting to be accepted!!

Like I said, at the time I was starting a new job in a new town, and then I had to learn how to be in University on top of everything else. I done a College Diploma before, so I learned quickly that getting a University Degree online is on a completely different level. Almost daily I felt like I should quit because I wasn’t good enough, or smart enough, or rested enough. I felt like I was going to fail, so i may as well just quit.

I hired a counsellor to work though the self-doubt. I surrounded myself with people who cheered me on. I changed my habits and routines. I am thankful every day that I didn’t quit because I am a better person now. Although it was painful and stressful, I am better now because I know I can do anything I set my mind to. I can do hard things.

Filling gaps in our health care system isn’t easy, but we can do it!