Against All Odds: Chinese Immigrant Finds Amazing Future at Community College of Philadelphia

Huyen Tran knew she was raised with an amazing work ethic, and she really needed to tap into it after she was laid off.

Tran already had a bachelor’s degree in jewelry design. She worked as a model maker for a local jewelry design company until her layoff, and had wanted a career change for some time.

Trying to find a more stable and lucrative career, Tran enrolled in Community College of Philadelphia’s Dental Hygiene program. Dental hygiene graduates from the program averaged $31.00 per hour as a starting wage in 2001.

On May 4th at 2:30 pm, Tran is graduating with her certificate in dental hygiene. Her tenacity helped her get through the program with a 4.0 grade point average.

“The program is rigorous. We practice for long hours, but are very well prepared to work as dental hygienists in a variety of settings.”

What she didn’t count on when she started the program was the amazing encouragement she received from her instructors. They recognized an exceptional ability in Tran.

“She was smart, very capable, and terrific with people. It would have been a disservice not to suggest furthering her education in dentistry,” Said Theresa Grady, Chair of the Dental Hygiene Program at the College.

Tran also mentioned the supportive environment among the students. “I became great friends with my classmates. We would all band together and help each other, give each other tips, to pass different kinds of exams.”

“Dental Hygiene is a great career. Salaries can start as high as $52,000. But after I did some research, I decided to give dental school a try.”

Tran learned about a clinical research position at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dentistry. She applied and was accepted to work on a special project involving data research and the testing of new medicines in periodontics.

“My long-range goal after finishing my research fellowship will be to attend dental school and open a practice,” said Tran.

A dental hygienist is a licensed dental health care professional who specializes in periodontal therapy and oral health education. A broad-based education in biological sciences and humanities as well as dental sciences, and clinical techniques prepares the graduate for work in private practice and community dental care settings as an essential member of the dental care team.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, dental hygiene is one of the 30 fastest growing professions, and will continue to grow through 2010 as more people maintain their natural teeth. Dentists are also more willing to delegate tasks to hygienists than before.
In 2001, the average hourly wage for a dental hygienist was $24.68.