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Dental Hygiene Associate Degree

May 26, 2021

After researching universities that offered Dental Hygiene programs in Ohio, Alexzandria (Lexie) Cochran found her place at Shawnee State University. In her course and field work, she discovered a way to pursue a degree helping people find their confidence once again.

portrait of Lexie Cochran

“I like everything about Dental Hygiene, but I really enjoy the patient care and being able to experience that moment of ‘Oh, I like my smile again,’” she said.

Graduating from SSU in the Class of 2021 with an associate degree as well as a bachelor’s degree, Cochran values not only the support from her instructors but also the hands-on approach offered in her program.

“The first time I created a mold, I was in awe,” she said, remembering how the program taught her how to make study models with the help of her classmates. “Being able to build a model out of a mold that I created and mixed myself was the moment I knew that I could do this.”

As a first-generation student at SSU who struggled in the Dental Hygiene program her first semester, Cochran was willing to seek advice from her mentors to grow as a person and find success within the program.

“Every instructor I’ve had was always willing to take the time to help me with whatever problems I faced,” she said. “I came in at the young age of 18 with absolutely no college background and everyone helped me through the journey.”

Now that she has graduated, Cochran plans on moving across the state and pursuing a career path in pediatric dental care. With her degree, she hopes to connect with children that share similar backgrounds to hers.

“I want to work with kids because it’s just a lot more fun and I’ve had some really good experiences working with them,” she said. “I just want to open the door for children like me.”

While being a first-generation college student presented its challenges at times, Cochran was able to overcome those obstacles with the encouragement and support of her family, who is excited to see her achieve this accomplishment.

“I’m obviously really proud to be the first in my family to receive a college degree, but I’m most proud of the fact that I applied myself and never gave up, even after failure,” she said. “My family is very excited for me. They have been one of my biggest motivators, and they have definitely pushed me to follow this path.”