黑料不打烊

Sometimes it takes a village of family and friends to help you realize an important life goal. Gloria Verdine has no doubt she would not have completed 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Dental Assisting program without the support and sacrifice of those friends, family and neighbors who stepped in when she was going under. Transportation, work schedules, childcare, eviction 鈥� no challenge was met alone.

She learned a lot more in those months of career education than can be found in a classroom. She learned humility, inner strength and a new depth of gratitude. She also set an example of endurance and sacrifice for her five kids who had an up-close and personal viewpoint.

Why choose a Dental Assisting career?

I鈥檝e always had a fascination with a pretty smile. It鈥檚 the first thing someone sees and has such a strong impact. And if you don鈥檛 take care of your teeth, what does that say about you, as a person?

I鈥檇 been a correctional officer since 2022 but knew I had to get into something I really cared about, wanted to do and gave me more time with my kids. And I knew I鈥檇 have to love it to be able to finish it.

What about working with people who fear the dentist?

I get that, but you need to get pass it. Plus, you can get an infection (from poor dental hygiene) that can travel all through your body. I drill that into my kids. My one-year-old has been brushing since he had just one tooth!

Why choose 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Dental Assisting program?

I took the tour on campus; they were welcoming and it felt genuine. I saw how teachers were interacting with students and at Carrington, there鈥檚 no such thing as a stupid question 鈥� I liked that.

And my enrollment services associate (conducted tour) was great鈥�but at the end of the day, it鈥檚 their job to get people to sign up. So I asked Dental Assisting students directly how they really felt about this program. They told me, 鈥淵es, I love it.鈥� That meant a lot.

What made the DA program a match for you?

The thing that excited me the most was that I was going to school for something I know and love that would let me make good money and have more time with my kids. A couple of months in, I was a straight A student.

What was your greatest challenge?

I was still working as a security guard, so my car not working when I needed to get me to school and work was my greatest fear. And little time between class and work. 聽I would change into my security guard uniform at school and hope my car would make it. I didn鈥檛 have anyone here (in this state) but my kids, so failure of transportation was always there. And the worst did happen eventually. I was lucky to be able to get rides with other students and from my neighbors Dominique and her husband, Dante.

Crisis averted?

Three months before the end of my DA program I lost my job, got kicked out of my house and my car stopped working. Dominique and Dante, became my biggest supporters. They invited us to live with them, and they took me to school and work until I got back on my feet a couple of months later. There were times I wanted to pull the plug on school, everything, but they wouldn鈥檛 let me give up. I am so grateful to them.

I learned that even the strongest need help sometimes. And, I learned how to accept that help.

Did you get the instructor support you needed?

I was close to the end of the program, but I felt so defeated. So many times I thought, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 do this,鈥� and was definitely ready to pull the plug. But my teachers told me, 鈥淵ou鈥檝e made it this far鈥�.

What inspired you to keep pushing toward your Dental Assisting career?

I said 鈥業 quit鈥� so many times, but my teachers did not let me quit. My family and the people at home and at school pushed me to finish school. I couldn鈥檛 let their hard work and sacrifices go to waste.

I give all praise to God. Without Him putting all these people in my life, I wouldn鈥檛 be able to express myself higher in my life by going to 黑料不打烊.

Advice to others who might struggle to achieve their education and career goals?

Don鈥檛 think that just because you don鈥檛 know people well, they won鈥檛 help. And don鈥檛 be embarrassed to ask for help. I鈥檓 not embarrassed now, I鈥檒l tell you that. A closed mouth don鈥檛 get fed!

What was a favorite moment at school?

I couldn鈥檛 wait to go to school. Even though, sometimes, it was hard to learn, I loved it. Never did I say, 鈥楴o way, I鈥檓 done with this.鈥�

How did you complete your externship (DA program on-the-job work experience)?

You can鈥檛 graduate from the DA program without completing externship, but I still had transportation problems. Carrington鈥檚 Career Services department knew my situation, and I found a dental office (they included on their participating dental office list) for my externship just 15 minutes away by bus. They did everything in their power to help me be successful.

What is your next step?

I have three credentials now: high school diploma (I鈥檇 dropped out), Dental Assisting diploma and my Associate鈥檚 degree. I鈥檓 now in school for cosmetology and will try to get into 黑料不打烊鈥檚 next Dental Hygiene program. I鈥檝e been doing hair since I was 10-years old and have a plan for a one-stop shop of beauty treatments.

What does that look like?

A salon where you can have your hair, nails, feet done, teeth whitened, eyelashes all at one shop. 鈥淚 can make you beautiful and feel a more confident vision of yourself鈥� — without having to go to different places.鈥�

I am realizing my vision. Sometimes I wake up and say, 鈥淚鈥檓 so glad I didn鈥檛 quit!鈥�