Priscilla G. wanted a career that focused on helping people, but had trouble finding the right field for her. She tried retail jobs, sales positions, bartending and was even a tennis instructor for about six years. But she felt unfulfilled and knew she wanted something more.
Seeing her struggle to find the right fit, Priscilla’s mother, a Concorde Career College admissions representative, suggested her daughter look into a program at Concorde’s San Diego campus.
“I took a look at the dental courses and had an immediate interest,” Priscilla said. “I always had a passion for sculpting and art. Dentistry reminded me of that and I would also get to interact with people.”
Priscilla applied and started as a Concorde Dental Assistant (DA) student in February 2020.
Studying at Concorde
Originally, Priscilla wanted to go into dental hygiene (DH), but her mother suggested that she start out as a DA to gain more experience, then pursue a DH degree if she wanted. Priscilla was glad she followed her mother’s advice because the dental field was entirely new to her.
“My confidence in myself while learning a new career in a completely new field was definitely my biggest challenge,” Priscilla said. “Especially since we had to do all of our lecture and book work remotely.”
In early 2020, just a month into her program, the U.S. started to feel the effects of the coronavirus. As a result, Concorde’s programs switched from in-person to remote learning except for lab and clinical courses.
Even with the stress of her new program and the pandemic, Concorde staff was always there to help Priscilla and her classmates.
“Whether it was through email or in-person for labs, my instructors were all very responsive and made sure I had everything I needed,” Priscilla said. “Not only did they teach me, but they also did it safely and responsibly.”
Priscilla loved her time at Concorde and her passion for DA only grew with each course, especially when it was time to do labs and externship. The hands-on experience strengthened her confidence and she successfully completed her program in December 2020.
Practicing Dental Assisting
Even after her graduation and the completion of her externship, Concorde staff still was there to support Priscilla by helping her find a position. She now works at North Park Modern Dentistry in San Diego.
As a DA, she loves interacting with her patients and working with a great team.
“My favorite part is that I can to be a part of something bigger than myself,” Priscilla said. “I get to help people. I get to be the first person clients see before going to a cleaning or other dental procedures.”
Priscilla’s goal still is to become a dental hygienist. In fact, she is planning on starting Concorde-San Diego’s program in 2021.
“Overall, I’m so grateful for Concorde and my mom for giving me this opportunity,” she said. “I’ve finally found my calling and I couldn’t be happier.”
