“There are lots of options for being able to continue your education, and what works for one person might not work for another. So, it is OK to find your own path,” Brooke Girard, a first-year Dental Hygienist student, said.

Girard, a Milton High School graduate, chose to attend Blackhawk Technical College because it offered a way for her to continue her higher education in Blackhawk’s Dental Hygiene program while also continuing to work and gain experience as a dental assistant.

“I started working full-time as a dental assistant while waiting to petition for the Dental Hygienist program, and I realized how much I love being able to interact with so many different people and help them with not only their oral health issues, but being someone who can listen compassionately to their problems when they might feel that have nobody to talk to,” she said.

Girard attended a four-year university after high school, but quickly realized it wasn’t the right place for her. She got a job at a dental office and “fell in love with it,” she explained. That experience led her to enroll at Blackhawk. 

“I love the flexibility that Blackhawk offers so that no matter what a student has going on, they are able to pursue their higher education. I have also found all my instructors to be very kind and considerate and willing to work with their students to help them succeed,” Girard said. “Blackhawk has helped me to pursue dental hygiene by being flexible with the way that courses are offered and allowing me to do a lot of schooling online.”

Blackhawk can help anyone succeed, Girard said.

“Investigate all the options for courses and degrees that Blackhawk offers because there is something for everyone, no matter what your personal life looks like.”

She plans to graduate in 2027 and then wants to work as a dental hygienist in a clinical setting. She also wants to travel, starting with the Pacific Northwest or Canada.

Find out more about the Dental Hygienist program.