Student Experience: Kelly Freeman

“I had been a dental assistant in an endodontic group for six years, but I wanted to become a hygienist to be able to educate patients. I want to be able to help people and inform them of diseases and how to improve their oral hygiene. What attracts me most about this profession is how important it is to educate patients, to inform them of everything that can happen and how oral health affects their whole body. 

“What's interesting to me in classes is the precision of radiology, and how you can change things in an X-ray that can affect the whole ballgame. The instruction is great: the books give you the info, and then when you're practicing on Dexter (the mannequin) you get hands-on experience of how things need to be done correctly. 

“Dental hygiene is my dream career. I want to help communities in Alaska, where I’m from. Most of the villages there don't have dentists or dental care, and I’d like to go back in the summers and do educational activities with kids and adults.”


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Alyssa Young

Alyssa Young

Nursing Student and Athlete
“Community college gives you the opportunity to grow into adulthood while figuring out what you want to do with your life. With all of the resources available, it gives everyone a stable place to begin their college journey.”
Nursing
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Lupe Ortiz, RRT, NPS

Respiratory Care Practitioner Baylor University Medical Center
“I chose El Centro one, it was closer to home. It was a little more affordable than going to somewhere out of state or somewhere else. Just those two things were, were the main thing, the reason why I chose to go to El Centro. I think El Centro did an excellent job of preparing me for going into the workforce.”
Respiratory Care Program
Alice Madden

Alice Madden, CST, FAST

Certified Surgical Technologist Methodist Dallas Medical Center
“I will continue to be involved and to encourage and motivate surgical technologists to be the best they can be in all surgical specialties. I want to encourage all surgical technologists to become certified and become members of the AST and the Texas State Assembly.”
Surgical Technologist
Prayuth Phang

Prayuth Phang, RT(R)

Radiologic Technologist Community Portable X-ray Inc.
“Dallas College has a lot of programs for people who want to have a better life with education. I strongly recommend other students to join this program — they have the best teachers who really care about their students, as well as financial help available. I love what I’m doing, and I will continue doing it to serve people.”
General Studies, Radiologic Sciences
Kelly Freeman
Kelly Freeman
Dental Hygiene Student

Dental Hygiene
School of Health Sciences
Updated July 28, 2026