Emma Rice, B.S.D.H.
“I take pride in knowing I made a difference to my patients. I am overjoyed by the connections I made with them during my time in patient care and will always be prideful in my first steps as a clinician.”
Hometown
Point Pleasant, WV
Major and Minor
Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene and Minor in Communications
What do you take the most pride in from your time at WVU School of Dentistry?
I take pride in knowing I made a difference to my patients. I am overjoyed by the connections I made with them during my time in patient care and will always be prideful in my first steps as a clinician.
Explain a dental school memory you will never forget.
I will always remember having to come in for two weeks out of the summer after my sophomore year to take my pre-clinic instrumentation final. We had been let off early mid semester for COVID, and I hadn’t practiced instrumentation, other than on a dentiform, in weeks. Not only did I have to gain my bearings again, but I had do it with a full load of personal protection equipment (PPE) I’ve never worn before. My loupes kept fogging up from heat, my face shield from the engineering department kept falling off, and my hands were shaking from nervousness. I remember thinking that that was how clinic would always be from here on out. Thank goodness for updated protocols and improved PPE.
What school related event or activity did you enjoy the most and why?
I was very fortunate to serve on several committees as a student, and I’m very thankful for my ability to be a voice for dental hygiene and dental hygiene students on them. I had the pleasure of serving with several wonderful department chairs, faculty members, and students. The memories made in interviews or while chatting about how we can make the school a happier place is something I’ll cherish. Being able to network with them and know I’ll have someone in my corner in whatever field I enter moving forward, is a blessing.