I am honored to receive the Linda Dunn Scholarship. Reading Linda’s Bio, she sounded like the hygienist I want to become. Kind, thoughtful, compassionate and always having the best interest of the patient in mind. I am currently in my second semester in the FSW Dental Hygiene Program. Due to the difficulty of the program and having my one-year-old son, I was unable to keep my job and only source of income. With the help of this scholarship, it will take stress off my back for some of the tuition expenses and exam fees. In a program like this it’s easy to become overwhelmed and lose the light at the end of the tunnel but when I remember my purpose, it gets me back on track.

Growing up I was lucky to have my grandma who reminded me the importance of oral hygiene. It was my junior year of high school when I realized Dentistry was the field I wanted to be in. After I graduated high school in 2014, I decided to pursue dental assisting. After finishing a dental assisting program, I began my career working at Jordan Valley Community Health Center in Springfield, MO. During my three years there, I developed a love for providing high quality care for all patients and being an advocate for a healthy community. After watching the hygienist change our community, I knew furthering my education to become a hygienist is what I wanted to do. When I graduate from this program in May 2023, I plan to continue my love for community health as a great hygienist. Thank you again for this generous scholarship.

Sincerely,

Taylor Gross