TWU dental hygiene student awarded $1,000 National Allied Health Scholarship

Texas Woman’s dental hygiene student Blair Baumann, Plano, TX, received a $1,000 Allied Health Scholarship from Platinum Educational Group, which helps health occupation students with preparation for written board examinations and facilities tracking student clinical requirements throughout their clinical, educational program.

Every year, Platinum awards scholarships to one student each in the fields of emergency medical services (EMS), nursing and allied health.

“It’s an honor to support these deserving students who will become leaders and mentors in their professions,” stated Platinum CEO Jason Jensen.

As part of the scholarship application process, students must submit a biography and a thesis of their choosing.

“The field of dental hygiene was of interest to me because of the opportunity to directly connect with patients in educating them on how the oral cavity affects local and systemic health, which is oftentimes not held in priority from a societal standpoint,” Baumann wrote.

For her thesis, she took in-depth look at combating clinical burnout in the realm of dental hygiene.

“As the demand for both efficiency and quality increases within dentistry, so does the risk for oral health professionals to experience clinical burnout,” Baumann stated. “However, with the right mindset and guidelines, we can ease the strain and extensive demand placed on healthcare workers in society today.”

After graduation in spring 2021, Baumann intends to work clinically at a private practice, volunteer her free time at non-profit charities in promoting oral hygiene and eventually pursue a career as a dental hygiene professor.

She also currently plans to continue her work as an elected student delegate at the American Dental Hygienists’ Association in advocating for her profession at the national level.

“We are proud of Blair and all she has accomplished, and we look forward to watching her grow over the next year,” said Charlene Dickinson, TWU dental hygiene program director.