 Kathleen Nickel
Graduation: 2008
Program: Dental Assistant Specialist
Employer: Dr. David R. Curtis, DMD
When I graduated from high school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I looked in the dental hygiene program at another school, but I wasn’t happy with the big classes. My professors weren’t around if I needed to talk to somebody.
I went to KTI and found out I could still go into the dental field through a 15-month program. The class sizes were what I was looking for. If I needed someone’s help, someone would be there for me.
Our dental instructor was fabulous. She was one of those teachers who helped me understand. If something was hard, the instructors broke it down for me and helped me find a way to learn it. I got straight A’s because they were so dedicated to us.
I’m working at a family dental practice in State College, and I just love it. I did my externship here, and they offered me a position. Everybody knows each other in the practice, so it’s a very tight-knit family.
I love the steady hours of being a dental assistant and knowing what they expect of me. I can plan my life. The patients are so nice. I see them regularly and get to learn things about them and their family. You have to care about the patients to be in this field.
I feel like my life’s progressing forward. I’m making more money, and I’m becoming better at what I do. Going back to school at KTI helped move my life in the right direction!
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