Episode
Beyond the Classroom: Laurel Ridge's Dental Hygienists Go Global
- Podcast
- The Valley Today
- Published
- May 29, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1289
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
Over 100 patients in four days, many of them experiencing a professional dental cleaning for the very first time. On this bonus Laurel Ridge Community College edition of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael connects via Zoom with a team live from Negril, Jamaica — Brandy Hawkins Boies (Director of Communications and Outreach at Laurel Ridge), longtime Rotarian Kathy Kantor, and three recent graduates of Laurel Ridge's dental hygiene program: Stacey Escobar, Dahye Seo, and Nataly Hernandez. The conversation traces how a casual hallway idea between a Rotarian and a college administrator a decade ago has become a fully-supported, equipment-rich mission program — built on Rotary global grants that converted a shipping container into a working dental clinic. The three graduates share what it's been like to put their fresh credentials to use in real-world conditions, the moments that made it click (one patient asked for a hug), and what's next for each of them. Plus: how community members can volunteer for free cleanings at the Laurel Ridge dental clinic in Middletown, and how churches and groups can join Rotary's ongoing trips to Jamaica. WHO'S ON THIS EPISODE • Brandy Hawkins Boies — Director of Communications and Outreach, Laurel Ridge Community College • Kathy Kantor — Rotarian (Strasburg Rotary Club); co-architect of the Rotary global grants funding the Jamaica dental clinic • Stacey Escobar — Recent graduate, Laurel Ridge Dental Hygiene Program (16 years in the dental field; heading back to practice in Burke, VA) • Dahye Seo — Recent graduate, Laurel Ridge Dental Hygiene Program (joining practices in Fairfax and Loudoun counties) • Nataly Hernandez — Recent graduate, Laurel Ridge Dental Hygiene Program (returning to Jamaica for a second mission trip in just a month) AB…