“During my senior year, I realized I wanted to be in the healthcare field, but I knew I didn’t want to go into nursing,” she said. “I wanted to do something different.”  

That led her to dentistry, a field she was drawn to based on her personal experiences.  

“I had a great dentist growing up who always made me feel comfortable,” Hailey said. “I realized a lot of the fears family and other people had that I didn’t was because of him.”  

Curious to learn more, Hailey shadowed several dental offices, and that exposure helped her see the possibilities for her future. She began researching schools, and that led her to Northcentral Technical College (NTC).  

“I kept hearing how great the school was for dental programs,” Hailey said. “There were just so many good things being said about it.”  

She enrolled in the Dental Assistant program, a decision that solidified her interest in the field. Through the program, she gained both technical knowledge and confidence.  

“The schooling brings so much knowledge into the office setting, but it also helped me come out of my shell,” she said.  

Dental assistants play a vital role in patient care, working with dentists in a variety of capacities, including taking x-rays, making impressions and assisting with procedures like fillings, crowns, root canals and implants.  

“You get to see so much chairside work,” Hailey said. “You’re setting up rooms, assisting the dentist and working on lab tasks like creating molds or retainers.”  

One area that stood out to her the most was working with denture patients.  

“You’re with them throughout the entire process,” she said. “Those moments are really rewarding.”  

The field is in high demand, and Hailey was hired on by the clinic where she did her clinicals.  

“Dental assistants are very needed,” she said. “Employers want you, especially because they know NTC prepares you so well.”  

She has gained experience across multiple specialties, including general dentistry, orthodontics, and pediatrics, where she now works.  

“I really love pediatrics,” she said. “I had never worked with kids before, but it’s so rewarding. You realize how important those first dental visits are. If kids have a good experience, they won’t develop fears later.”  

While working as a dental assistant, she found herself wanting to grow even further.  

“Dental hygiene was always in the back of my mind,” she said. “I realized I wanted to do more.”  

Now in her second year of the Dental Hygiene program and set to graduate in May, she feels confident and prepared.  

“I felt extremely prepared going into my dental assisting clinical rotations,” Hailey said. “At NTC, you practice on fake patients, work with classmates and even do mock interviews with dental offices. The instructors do the best job of preparing you for the outside world.”