Name: Emily Breeze Lehr
Started at Rio: 2007
Degree: Associate in Applied Science (Dental Hygiene)
Program Completion: 2009
Continuing Education: Master’s in Education (Northern Arizona State University, 2018-2020)
When it comes to Emily Lehr’s career trajectory in the dental field, a quote from an old movie comes to mind: “The learner has become the master.” After completing a Bachelor's of Science at Indiana State University in 2004, Lehr went on to pick up some credits at Rio Salado College. “Rio’s online classes allowed me to work full time and take classes at night,” Lehr said in a past interview. “Eventually, Rio Salado chose me.” The flexibility of course schedules and Rio's dental hygiene program inspired Lehr to finish her Associate at Rio Salado. Since then, she's gone on to work as a recruiter for Aspen Dental, where she now organizes recruiting and educational events. The former student is now a mentor and team leader in her field, using her Rio honed skills to motivate and inform fellow dental hygienists and oral health specialists.
When asked what she valued most about her time at Rio, Lehr had this to say.
The Fast Pace
“Rio's fast-paced degree program provided me with the work ethic, communication skills, and confidence I needed to get a foot in the door for dentistry. It really did cover a lot of the clinical work that I talk about with doctors and with hygienists that I am recruiting. I took an 18-month program instead of a two-year program. That accelerated pace got me used to a strong workload. I’m a lot less lazy after Rio Salado!”
Faculty With Real World Experience
“It helps to learn from faculty with real life experience. I noticed that at other schools you would have wonderful professors but they hadn’t practiced for years. We had a lot of active, working people in Rio. It wasn’t like when you’re at a large university and you go into the hygiene program there and you may end up learning from someone who’s in charge of the program, who’s been there for 20 to 30 years, but they haven’t really been out in the field. At Rio, many of the instructors had other jobs in the industry so their information was very hands-on and current. I think having those experienced people that are in the chair doing this every day helps communicate more directly to students. They’re on top of the latest trends and technology.”
Article by Austin Brietta