
My name is Nicholas Moore and Iโm an Illinois Central College graduate from Peoria, Illinois. 2019 was my graduation year and I was unaware of what to expect in a profession so dominantly filled with women or what to expect in general! ๐ฉโ๐ฆฐ ๐ฉโ๐ฆฑ ๐ฉ
Straight out of school I found myself pursuing travel dental hygiene as it was a chance to see the world and grow as a hygienist all in one. ๐ง
First, let me give you some background about me. Soccer is a huge passion of mine. โฝ๏ธ I live and breathe it. Itโs my release from the world. My stress reliever. My backbone. Prior to dental hygiene, I worked as a certified nursing assistant for 6+ years. I had a path set for myself to ultimately end up as a nurse anesthetist. ๐
One of those steps involved becoming a registered nurse. I applied four years in a row and I got into the program every year. Something within kept stopping me from going through with it and I finally decided a career change was the answer. ๐ค Honestly, dental hygiene was a leap of faith. I knew very little about the career and I wouldnโt have guessed that Iโd find so much enjoyment in it like I do today! ๐

A lot of tools were useful in helping me prepare for boards. A classmate purchased a board review from StudentRDH and it very much attributed to helping me find the mindset to get through my boards.
With endless amounts of information throughout 2 years of study, having a tool that helps narrow down familiar topics takes the stress off of the mind and allowed me to comfortably pass my boards and pursue my profession. ๐ค
Whether youโre actively preparing for boards or youโre trying to decide if dental hygiene is right for you, the answer is DO IT! โ๏ธย

Clinically, dental hygiene is so exciting. Every mouth is so different. ๐ Itโs like unwrapping a Christmas present ๐ underneath the tree except you get to present solutions and techniques to help each patient keep a happy and healthy smile. Nothing is more rewarding than a patient understanding and being excited about how to change their daily routine go better their oral health and in return better their overall body health. ๐
I was hesitant about pursuing the field because I knew the demographic was strongly female-oriented. ๐
Would patients be accepting of a male hygienist? As a nurse assistant, I experienced patients that were resistant to having a male caretaker so this wasnโt the unexplored territory. Patients have actually been quite wonderful to me. ๐ Itโs almost as though they see me as a breath of fresh air. A change of pace if you will. Youโll also discover that the older ladies love it! ๐ฅณ
As far as my future plans within dentistry Iโd like to build on my clinical image. I plan to go back to school and obtain a bachelor’s in another area. I may branch out within dental hygiene but I enjoy the clinical side all too much right now and there is still so much growth to be done. ๐ค

Respectfully, Iโd like to shout out Illinois Central College. Cathleen Korondi, Lynn Mauer, and Courtney Arnett are all human beings who should never go a day without recognition! ๐
The program was incredible and the support system these women provided in addition to all other staff involved is unreal and beyond what words could define. ๐
It has been without a single doubt, the reason I believe Iโve become such a great hygienist today. Each instructor took a piece of themselves and embodied it into me and molded me to be the best possible! ๐
About The Author:
– Nicholas Moore, RDH
2019 Illinois Central College Graduate
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