From modest beginnings in a vocational high school to addressing audiences on global stages, one University of Bridgeport (UB) alum is revolutionizing how we think about dental hygiene. Shavonne Healy grew up just outside of Boston as one of five siblings to a single mother. Her journey into the world of dental hygiene began in high school when she was just 14 years old. “My mom sent all five of her kids to vocational schools,” said Healy. “She wanted to make sure her children had a trade to fall back on.”
When Shavonne first arrived at Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School in Wakefield, MA, she was unsure of what to study. Like many of her peers, she chose to fall in line with her friends and join the same trade classes. For Shavonne, that trade ultimately turned into a rewarding and impactful career in which she speaks to audiences about the importance of oral health globally.
Healy isn’t just transforming the dental hygiene profession — she’s reshaping its role in public health, helping prevent diseases that reach far beyond oral care.
Career-focused from a young age
Fast forward to today, Shavonne Healy, MSDH, RDH, stands out because of her unique perspective on dental hygiene, backed by more than 20 years of patient care experience. She considers dental hygiene a critical component of public health — helping patients prevent and treat the diseases that can cause debilitating tooth loss. She’s made it her life’s mission to shift the mindset of professionals in her industry from viewing themselves as employees in private dental practices to critically important public health professionals.
Shavonne’s journey of passion and commitment began when she first experienced working in a dental practice in high school. From graduating from her vocational high school to earning her associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in Dental Hygiene, Shavonne excelled in her training and has become an influential leader in the field. That early exposure led to what would ultimately become a thriving career and her life’s calling.
As an expert in non-surgical intervention, she brings with her innovative learning experiences and advanced practices — providing professional development for dental hygienists active in the field. She is regularly invited to speak on topics such as periodontal and dental implant care.
University of Bridgeport’s Fones School of Dental Hygiene helped shape Shavonne into the leader, mentor, and advocate she is today. Shavonne earned all three of her degrees from the Fones School of Dental Hygiene, the world’s first dental hygiene school. Fones serves as a leader in the industry, providing world-class training to future dental hygienists. As an industry expert, Shavonne returns to UB yearly to host an international symposium that provides continuing education hours and experience to practicing dental hygienists.
“I really appreciate the opportunity to give back to Fones and the University the way they gave to me, she said. “We are doing that by bringing innovative technologies and changing the standard of care. We’re bringing Fones to the forefront of what modern-day dental hygiene should look like — not just from a private practice perspective, but from a public health perspective.”
Dental hygiene and the public health connection
As Shavonne’s career evolved, so too did her understanding of the broader impact of dental hygiene —both in individual practices and in public health as a whole. For her, every patient interaction became an opportunity to do more than prevent tooth loss; it was a chance to contribute to a larger public health mission. From a public health perspective, dental hygiene is on par with other forms of critical care, such as mental health, women’s health, and community health. “We’re here to serve the public,” she explained.
Shavonne believes in the work required to elevate dental hygiene as a profession. She has set out to change the public perception of dental hygienists by addressing knowledge gaps with practitioners and advocating for more autonomy for professionals in the field.
In 2010, while earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees online through UB, Shavonne moved to Washington, D.C. In 2012, she was recognized for her role as an implant care specialist and was invited to speak professionally. She has since served as the president of the Washington D.C. Dental Hygienists’ Association and as a national delegate for the American Dental Hygienists’ Association. She was later selected to attend a leadership development workshop hosted by the American Dental Hygienists’ Association. From a leadership perspective, Shavonne has influenced policy at the local, state, and national levels. “I have influenced the landscape of the profession because my mission and main objective is to advance the professional role of the dental hygienist,” she said.
A shift in focus
Shavonne was building her career as a practitioner and had developed a reputation as an expert speaker on evidence-based protocols to diagnose, prevent, and manage dental implant diseases and periodontal diseases. Earning her master’s degree in Dental Hygiene at UB gave Shavonne experience in analyzing public health data and developing curricula that reflect the changing needs in the field. Concerned about the direction of the dental hygiene profession and, ultimately, the impact on patient outcomes, Shavonne decided to shift her focus to clinical education.
As she solidified her reputation as a thought leader in dental hygiene, Shavonne began to recognize a gap in the education available to professionals. This realization fueled her next endeavor: to provide more advanced learning opportunities to hygienists eager to expand their skill sets. In January 2020, she founded A Higher Learning, a continuing education organization designed to do just that. In this work, Shavonne hopes to advance the dental hygiene profession through continuing education opportunities.
In addition to providing hands-on learning opportunities for practicing dental hygienists, there is another component to the work Shavonne is doing: advocacy. “There’s a whole other side to the work that I do that is grounded in advocating and advancing the role of dental hygienists as independent practitioners,” she explained. “I want to help gain professional autonomy for those of us in the field.”
The pandemic allowed Shavonne to slow down and think more strategically about the organization she was founding. In considering her organization’s purpose, she said, “Whether someone wants to become a public health advocate or wants to advance in their practice as a dental hygienist and perform at the top level of their license, A Higher Learning can deliver that.”
A career path worth elevating
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, dental hygienists earn more than $87,000 annually on average. Shavonne says that number is even higher in certain regions, as it is in Washington D.C. and Connecticut. Jobs in the field are growing much faster than average, with the U.S. expected to add more than 19,000 dental hygiene jobs by 2031.
Shavonne notes the importance of the growing diversity she’s seen in the field throughout her career. “When I have a young black person in my chair, I always talk to them about the possibility of becoming a dental hygienist,” she reflected, continuing, “If you don’t see people that look like you, how can you envision that this might be a career path for you?”
For Shavonne, encouraging more diversity in the field is critical not only for the profession but also for the impact of the services that dental hygienists provide. According to the National Institutes for Health (NIH), patients who receive care from providers who share the same race as they do often have better communication with their providers, better perceptions of care, and better health outcomes. “There’s a lot of awareness now around the intent to bring more diverse professionals into the field,” she shared.
To that end, Shavonne’s mission extends beyond education to fostering greater diversity within the dental hygiene profession. This was evident when she began to build A Higher Learning. “I want to represent all of the profession,” she explained, reiterating that her company aims to appeal to a broad demographic that is inclusive of all people. Having watched the field grow and seeing more men join the ranks of dental hygienists, she hired a Latinx couple as her graphic design team because she wanted their diverse perspectives. “I want to represent all of the profession. I have a unique approach to what I’m trying to do here.” She continued, “My role is to create the vision and then put the right people in place to implement it and bring that vision to life.”
“We don’t think about the 9-5 working hygienists enough.”
Shavonne notes that the average dental hygienist isn’t taking part in the broader conversations on social media, and they haven’t been part of national conventions centered around the dental hygiene profession. “I’m having fun speaking truth to power, talking about real issues, and trying to bring dental hygiene to the forefront.”
Shavonne aspires to offer four continuing education symposiums annually, providing advanced training for practicing dental hygienists. To grow her organization, she plans to step back from speaking engagements. “I want to be able to shine the light on other dental hygienists in the profession that are doing impactful, meaningful things,” she explained. “A goal of mine is to give a platform to more hygienists that are doing this work.”
Shavonne often returns to UB to collaborate with the Fones School of Dental Hygiene. UB aims to host one of her symposia each year, bringing local professionals back to campus to grow their skills. “The Fones School of Dental Hygiene has worked on developing postgraduate programs that are desperately needed to fill knowledge gaps,” noted Shavonne. “It takes a team to meet the needs of the community. It’s going to take all the stakeholders involved.”
Nearly half of adults in the U.S. have some form of periodontal disease, and almost 18% of school-aged children have some form of dental decay in their permanent adult teeth. Dental hygienists stand at the forefront of the prevention of these diseases. The patient education dental hygienists provide leads to lifestyle and behavior changes that can drastically reduce the incidence of these preventable diseases.
The support and encouragement Shavonne received as a UB student and now as an alum making a palpable difference in the field helps her stay motivated while doing the advocacy work that is often a physical, mental, and emotional drain on individuals. “I’m blessed to be surrounded by a village that every single day feeds into me and inspires me,” shared Shavonne. “There are days where I wouldn’t be able to pick my head up if I didn’t have the mentorship and inspiration that is unique to being part of the Fones community.”
As Shavonne continues to elevate the profession, she challenges all of us to consider the profound impact of dental hygiene on public health — and how we can each contribute to advancing it. Being home to the first school of dental hygiene in the world carries with it the responsibility to remain at the forefront of innovation in this critically important field. University of Bridgeport is proud to share in this legacy with alums like Shavonne, who aspire to carry that torch in advancing the role of the dental hygienist in the treatment and prevention of oral diseases that profoundly impact overall health.
UB celebrates Shavonne for her success in the field as a proud UB alum!