Degrees Received

AAS- dental hygiene, Colorado Northwestern Community College, 1984
BSDH- Northern Arizona University, 2006
CDHC- Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College, 2003

Biography

I graduated from CNCC in 1984 as a dental hygieneist and moved to Durango, CO. Life has been in overdrive ever since. I worked in periodontics for the first 8 years, then did fill-in/temp work during my baby bearing years. I began my own practice in 1999, mobile dental hygiene. I saw nursing home and home bound patients with equipment that fit into the back of my car! At the same time I worked for Indian Health Services in Ignacio, CO as the public health dental hygieneist for the Southern Ute tribe. This was a great experience working with the community. I also worked with national tobacco policy and procedure teams, as well as health care providor trainings in tobacco cessation. It was excitting to travel across the country and see what other Indian Health clinics were doing with tobacco cessation, but I was always glad to get home to the Southwest.
In 2006, just as I was graduating from the NAU DH degree completion program, I was offered a full time job here at San Juan College. I never pictured myself as an educator, but here I am. This is by far the most excitting job in my career! I have never worked so hard, but I also have never seen such great rewards, such as watching students develope as high quality dental hygiene clinicians.
On a personal note, I have two teenage daughters that keep me very busy. I often can be seen riding my Honda Shadow motorcycle to work. It is a great gas saver and makes my commute a lot of fun!

Courses Taught