NHTI dentistry student receives national recognition
Brieana Comeau of Nashua, a soon-to-be graduate of NHTI’s Dental Assisting class of 2022, has been awarded the American Dental Assistants Association’s Student Achievement and Merit Scholar Awards.
What drew you to the dentistry field?
I carry around this little hygiene kit with me everywhere I go, and one day, when I was still trying to decide what I wanted to do, my friend said, ‘You should go into dentistry. You’re so passionate about telling me about how important it is to floss.” I looked into careers as a dental hygienist and as a dental assistant, and I really enjoyed the description for dental assistant, so I applied for the [Dental Assisting] program [at NHTI] … after I got my associate’s degree … in science and general studies with a concentration in health.
How did it feel to receive these awards?
When I heard about the first one, I was overwhelmed with happiness, and it was definitely a proud moment for me. I didn’t actually expect to receive it. Then, when I heard that I had won both awards, it was just so wild to me. When you work hard, you don’t expect to be recognized all the time, so receiving these awards meant a lot to me because it showed me how much my efforts were seen, and that felt really good.
What are you doing now?
I’m done with all my classes, and I graduate on June 25. Right now, I’m doing what we call an ‘externship.’ … I work as a dental assistant at Nashua Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry. I started out as a sterilization technician for processing instruments. I’ve been working there for a year, and I’ve loved every minute of it. They’ve helped me grow and have taught me so many things. They’ve been patient with me. It feels like a home, and I’m really excited about that, because I was scared, going into dentistry, that it wasn’t going to be something that I felt right doing, but after working there, I know it’s exactly what I want to do.
What has been the biggest challenge so far?
The biggest challenge is definitely knowing all of the little things that you have to do. There are a lot of different types of materials; a lot of things that you have to remember about each patient; a lot of steps in each procedure; a lot of knowing what the dentist wants to have next and knowing what is best for the patient’s needs.
What do you enjoy most about being a dental assistant?
I enjoy talking with the patients and getting to know them. … I fell in love with dentistry because each patient has this problem that they come in for — either something that causes them extreme pain or something that they just don’t like the way it looks — and you get to work with them, whether it’s in just one appointment or over multiple appointments, and see that joy on their face when they finally get that problem fixed. Some of them just have this overwhelming gratitude, and it’s so nice to see that we can make a change in people’s lives like that. … I also just love working at the office that I currently work at. I love my coworkers and my employers. They’re just so supportive and sweet. … I just feel really lucky to have found something that I’m so passionate about.
What is your personal approach to your work?
I just believe that every patient comes in with valid problems. Whether they’re afraid of the needle, or they’re really upset because something in their mouth is hurting, I just tried to put myself in the patient’s shoes and make sure that they’re the most comfortable they can be, and that they’re getting their point across and communicating properly and being heard. … You have to speak up for the patient when they can’t speak up for themselves. … I think that dentistry is about more than just fixing crooked teeth; it’s about [giving people] confidence, as well.
What are your future plans?
I want to work at Nashua Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry for as long as they’ll have me. Eventually, after a couple of years, I would like to go for my Expanded Functions Dental Assisting certificate. That would allow me to do a couple more things than a regular dental assistant can do, like making sure all the decay is gone after the dentist has carved the cavity, and placing the restorations on and shaping them up on my own so that the dentist can move on to the next patient.
Featured photo: Brieana Comeau.