My husbands name is ED we have two children, Edward and Rosa, and one grandson named Vicente. I started as a dental assistant in 1976. From 1976-2000 I worked in various dental offices first as a dental assistant then receptionist, followed by insurance biller, treatment counselor, and eventually office manager. I have also worked as a regional manager in charge of several dental offices at once.

At the age of 45 I enrolled in Dental Hygiene School. I graduated from San Joaquin Valley College with a degree in Dental Hygiene in September 2005. After practicing as a Registered Dental Hygienist(RDH) for three years I decided to become a Registered Dental Hygienist In Alternative Practice(RDHAP) what is an RDHAP? www.rdhap.com . I attended The University of the Pacific in San Francisco where I earned the certification necessary to become licensed.

A RDHAP is licensed to open a dental hygiene practice in underserved areas, to provide dental hygiene services in a school setting, and to provide dental hygiene services in the home of the homebound. My emphasis is on the homebound. As a RDHAP I can reach those in need of my services but are unable to come in to a dental office because they are injured, paralyzed, elderly, or suffer from severe anxiety.

As a dental professional I am committed to spreading awareness of the link between oral disease and overall health. The bacteria present in the mouth when the gums are not healthy have been linked to heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and most recently stillbirth.

I am currently practicing dental hygiene three days per week . On the other days I help take care of Ed's elderly parents . We recently moved closer to them to make this easier. I am in the process of locating the right nursing home or assisted living home to provide my RDHAP services.