This article is part of a series focusing on the grads of the Dalhousie Class of 2024. Spring Convocation runs from May 21 to 31 in Halifax and Truro. Read all our profiles聽here in one place聽as they are published, and for more information visit the聽Convocation website.
When you grow up in a small community, you tend to get to know everyone fairly quickly. That was the case for Autumn Penney (DDH鈥�24), who grew up in Churchill Falls, Labrador, which has a population of around 700. As a child and teen, regular dental cleanings were an important part of her life. There was only one dental hygienist there 鈥� someone who would play a pivotal role when Penney was considering career options.
鈥淢emorial University in St. John鈥檚 was just as far away from home as Dal, and Dal really interested me,鈥� says Penney. 鈥淚 knew I wanted to work in health care, so I took first-year medical sciences courses at Dal as a starting point. When I started looking more closely at Dal鈥檚 website, I stumbled across dental hygiene. It wasn鈥檛 a career I had ever thought about, and I applied on a whim.鈥�
Back at home for the summer, Penney鈥檚 hygienist suggested that when her dad went for his cleaning, Penney should come to sit and watch her working. 鈥淎fter I shadowed her and thought about it, I realized the people aspect really appealed to me,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 a very outgoing person, and I love to hear people鈥檚 stories.鈥�
An intense program with a supportive group
Although Penney was excited to start the program, she was also intimidated because she had only done one year of undergraduate studies. 鈥淚 found the first year of the program overwhelming, and much harder than I expected,鈥� she says. There was an upside, however. Growing up, her class sizes had been 12 students throughout her schooling. As an undergrad, she鈥檇 had hundreds of classmates in her courses.
鈥淚n dental hygiene, I had 29 classmates, and it was so much easier to get support and guidance from both our instructors and each other than in my first year at Dal,鈥� says Penney. 鈥淪ome of my dental hygiene classmates will be in my life forever.鈥�
Penney鈥檚 favourite part of the program was the second-year clinics, in particular community outreach at Harbour View Elementary School in Dartmouth. 鈥淚 started babysitting when I was 12, so I had fun teaching the kids,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 also enjoyed the hands-on aspect of the clinics, which made me feel prepared to start my career in dental hygiene.鈥�
Less fun was injecting a local anaesthetic for the first time. 鈥淚鈥檇 never had any dental work or a needle in my mouth, so my first experience was from a classmate,鈥� says Penney. 鈥淚 was nervous at first, but I didn鈥檛 faint!鈥� She also found microbiology challenging, because she didn鈥檛 have much experience in advanced science, but with hard work, determination and focus, she got through it.
A return to Labrador 鈥� with a twist
When Penney applied to the program, her plan was always to move home to work. 鈥淚 want to give back to Labrador, where there is such a lack of resources for basic health care,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 also love the lifestyle and being outdoors. Everyone is connected to nature there.鈥� Penney enjoys fishing, kayaking, hiking and snowmobiling at her family鈥檚 camp.
In June, Penney starts a six-month contract with the Nunatsiavut Government, where she鈥檒l be assisting Dr. Erin Power (DDS鈥�11) of Rigolet Dental Clinic, providing oral care to isolated Inuit communities in coastal Labrador. 鈥淢y first trip will be as a dental assistant, until I鈥檓 registered in July,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his role really intrigued me, because I鈥檓 from Labrador but I鈥檝e never been to the coast 鈥� I just know it鈥檚 cold in the winter and the flies are unbearable in the summer!鈥澛�
Power and Penney will fly into the communities, where they鈥檒l stay in an apartment for a few weeks while they鈥檙e working. On her weeks off, Penney will live at home with her parents and younger brother. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the perfect opportunity, and the right time for me to do something like this that involves travel, while I鈥檓 still so young and I don鈥檛 have a family of my own,鈥� she says.
When Penney applied to the dental hygiene program, she had no idea she would kickstart her career in the profession in such a non-traditional way. What would she advise those thinking about applying and the opportunities that await them? 鈥淛ust go for it! It can be overwhelming, and sometimes I wanted to quit, but I knew that this was what I wanted to do. This profession is so rewarding. I love it, and I鈥檓 passionate about it now.鈥�