Ten years can hold a lot of smiles. This year, Smile Hilliard is celebrating a special milestone for one of the familiar faces our patients know and love. Brooke, one of our Registered Dental Hygienists, has been part of the Smile Hilliard team for 10 years!
For Brooke, dental hygiene has always been closely connected to people. She describes herself as a “comprehensive preventative specialist,” but when she talks about what she enjoys most about her work, she comes back to the relationships she builds with patients. Helping people care for their smiles, sharing what she knows, and getting to know the people sitting in her chair are all important parts of why she chose this career.
That makes 10 years at Smile Hilliard especially meaningful. It represents years of professional experience, but it also reflects something central to the way we approach preventive dentistry: consistent care from a dental team that gets to know you.
Meet Brooke, Registered Dental Hygienist at Smile Hilliard
Brooke graduated from The Ohio State University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene. A lifelong Hilliard resident, she found a natural fit caring for patients in the community she calls home.
Her philosophy as a dental hygienist fits closely with Smile Hilliard’s approach to patient care. Brooke enjoys sharing her knowledge with patients and helping them work toward beautiful smiles, healthy gums, and better overall health. She also values the personal connections that develop along the way.
As Brooke puts it, “I love personally connecting with people and being able to share my knowledge with my patients, which is such a big part of being a dental hygienist.”
That combination of education and connection matters in preventive dental care. When you understand what is happening with your oral health and feel comfortable asking questions, you can take a more active role in caring for your teeth and gums.
It is also part of the larger philosophy Dr. Rachel Sanyk has established at Smile Hilliard. Our team listens carefully, explains dental needs clearly, and works with each person to develop care that reflects their individual goals.
Why Does Continuity Matter in Preventive Dentistry?
Dental visits usually happen only a couple of times a year. Over several years, however, those visits create an ongoing picture of your oral health.
Regular dental cleanings and exams give the dental team the opportunity to monitor your teeth and gums over time. During preventive visits, the team can evaluate gum health, tooth enamel, existing dental work, plaque and tartar buildup, and other potential issues. Depending on your individual needs, preventive care can also include digital x-rays, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, oral cancer screenings, and personalized oral hygiene education.
That consistency is one reason regular dental visits matter.
Some dental problems develop gradually and may not cause obvious symptoms at first. Routine exams give Dr. Sanyk and the Smile Hilliard team opportunities to identify potential concerns early and discuss what they mean with you. Addressing an issue earlier can sometimes allow for simpler, more conservative treatment.
Continuity also benefits the relationship. Familiarity can make it easier to discuss concerns, ask questions, and address changes since your last appointment. For patients who have experienced dental anxiety or difficult dental visits in the past, seeing familiar members of the dental team can also make the experience more comfortable.
After 10 years at Smile Hilliard, Brooke represents that kind of continuity for the patients she cares for!
Brooke’s Role in Building Healthier Smiles
A professional dental cleaning is an important part of preventive care because it removes plaque and tartar that daily brushing and flossing cannot always address completely. Preventive dental visits also offer an opportunity for education.
Brooke has said that sharing her knowledge with patients is one of her favorite parts of being a dental hygienist. That educational role fits naturally with Smile Hilliard’s focus on helping patients understand their oral health.
Preventive care continues at home between dental visits. Daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste, regular flossing, a healthy diet, and good oral hygiene habits all contribute to healthy teeth and gums. During appointments, the dental team can offer personalized guidance based on a patient’s oral health and needs.
That might include discussing brushing or flossing habits, monitoring gum health, or exploring ways to reduce the risk of tooth decay. Preventive dentistry can also look different at different stages of life. Children and teens may need guidance as their teeth develop, while adults may have different concerns involving gum health, enamel wear, existing dental work, or other changes.
Brooke’s description of herself as a comprehensive preventive specialist captures that bigger picture. Dental hygiene involves caring for what is happening today while helping patients develop habits that support lifelong oral health.
Preventive Care Is a Team Effort at Smile Hilliard
Brooke is also quick to recognize the people working alongside her. She describes the Smile Hilliard team as working together “amazingly well to take the best possible care of our patients.” That teamwork is an important part of how preventive dental care fits into a patient’s overall treatment plan.
A hygienist plays an important role in professional cleanings, patient education, and preventive care. Dr. Sanyk evaluates each patient’s oral health and works with her dental team to determine how preventive services fit into that person’s broader dental needs and goals. The result is coordinated care built around the individual patient.
Smile Hilliard offers preventive dentistry for patients of all ages, including routine dental cleanings and exams, pediatric dentistry, dental sealants, fluoride treatments, oral cancer screenings, night guards, athletic mouthguards, and oral hygiene education. When additional care is needed, the practice also provides restorative, cosmetic, therapeutic, surgical, and emergency dental services.
Throughout that range of care, communication remains central. Dr. Sanyk believes patients should understand their diagnosis, know their treatment options, and have a voice in decisions about their dental health. For the dental team, that means listening is part of providing good care.
Ten Years of Relationships in the Hilliard Community
There is something especially fitting about Brooke reaching this milestone here.
She is a lifelong Hilliard resident, so the community she serves professionally is also the community she has long called home. Over the past decade at Smile Hilliard, her career has let her combine that local connection with the part of dental hygiene she values most: building relationships with patients. Those relationships are also part of what Smile Hilliard strives to create as a practice.
Our approach to dental care emphasizes consistency, comfort, education, and open communication. We want patients to feel comfortable asking questions and discussing concerns. We also want them to understand why we recommend preventive care and how the choices they make between appointments can affect their oral health in the long run. That approach takes a team, and having experienced, familiar dental professionals matters.
Whether Brooke is providing a professional cleaning, sharing oral hygiene guidance, or simply catching up with a patient she has come to know, she brings her enthusiasm for people into her work, and always with a smile on her face!
Celebrating Brooke and 10 Years at Smile Hilliard
Milestones give us a chance to recognize the people behind the care our patients receive every day. Brooke’s 10 year anniversary celebrates a decade of caring for smiles in the community she calls home. It also gives us a chance to recognize the value of dental professionals who enjoy getting to know their patients, sharing their knowledge, and working together to support long-term oral health.
Dr. Sanyk and the entire Smile Hilliard team are grateful to have Brooke in the practice, and we are excited to celebrate this milestone with her. Thank you, Brooke, for 10 years of smiles, education, teamwork, and care for the Hilliard community!
If it has been a while since your last cleaning and exam, we would love to welcome you back. Learn more about preventive dentistry at Smile Hilliard or request an appointment with our team today. We look forward to helping you care for a healthy smile for years to come.
