Going the Distance

Cynthia C. Gadbury-Amyot, RDH, MA, EdD, didn’t have to look far to find her dream job. “I was in high school, trying to decide what career path to take. A friend mentioned dental hygiene.” As luck would have it, in her little town of Grass Lake, Michigan, there was a dentist’s office next door to her house. “I asked Dr. Rose if he’d be willing to talk with me about dental hygiene, and next thing I knew, I was working for him part-time.”

Now, looking back over her lifelong career in dental hygiene, Gadbury-Amyot shares her experiences and insights into the profession as it stands today.

Q: After working as a dental hygienist in private practice for many years, you went on to earn a master’s degree and then a doctorate in education. What ultimately drew you to the academic side of dental hygiene?

A: I was asked to teach part-time while completing my bachelor’s degree at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Dentistry by Pamela Overman, EdD, RDH, the program director. It was she who encouraged me to go on for the master’s degree. I found teaching so rewarding, it was a no brainer to get my master’s and doctoral degrees. My doctoral degree program taught me so much. I always tell students and mentees that each degree opens more doors. It’s never wasted time and energy.

Q: Up till your recent retirement, you served as associate dean of instructional technology and faculty development and a professor in the Division of Dental Hygiene at the UMKC School of Dentistry. Which aspects of your position did you find most challenging, and which were most rewarding?

A: Conducting faculty development with dental faculty who, unlike our dental hygiene graduate students, come to dental education with little to no background in education or use of technology for teaching has been the most challenging. But, it’s been rewarding to work with them and watch their skills expand in these areas.

Probably most rewarding has been seeing how our dental school reacted to COVID-19. We had been doing faculty development around teaching and technology since 2007, so it wasn’t a total freak out when we had to pivot and put courses online in March of 2020.

Q: Recognized for your contributions to scientific literature and for your expertise in distance learning and teledentistry, you are the 2020 recipient of the William J. Gies Award for Innovation–Dental Educator. With more than 20 years of academia under your belt, of which accomplishments are you most proud?

A: While face-to-face education is ideal, for many that’s not a possibility. Distance and online education have allowed many dental hygienists to advance their degrees and careers. Distance and online learning have also allowed us to pivot quickly from traditional methods in the face of the pandemic. As a person who has long advocated for how this can work, that makes me proud, and I hope these efforts will continue.

Q:  What role do you see distance learning playing in advancing education for students nationwide? What other developments do you anticipate for the profession of dental hygiene in coming years?

A: I think after this pandemic, faculty will be looking at what worked about distance and online, and redesign their courses accordingly. I foresee tremendous growth in simulation technology for both teaching and clinical practice. I’m excited to see where it leads.

Q: As an educator, what do you believe are currently the greatest challenges faced by graduating dental hygiene students?

A: In times like these, graduating students need to feel safe in their working environments. So, finding an office that supports the science and research will be critical.