5 Questions With

Brooke Crouch, RDH
Professional Education Specialist
Elevate Oral Care

1. What drew you to dental education (or dentistry)?

I was drawn to dental hygiene for many reasons. Working with patients and having the opportunity to have a positive impact on their oral health was something I found very rewarding. So many people have dental anxiety/fear, so it was always my goal to educate my patients and show them that their dental experience can be something very positive.

2. What are you most proud of professionally?

I am most proud of the evolution of my career. I started volunteering at our local health department dental clinic while I waited to start my dental hygiene program. I spent eight years in private practice before returning to work in public health. I spent six years in public health where I worked a school-based sealant program, provided mobile dental hygiene in a nursing home, and lobbied for policy change in my home state of Virginia. Now, I work for Elevate Oral Care as their Professional Education Specialist, and I get to work with dental, dental hygiene, dental therapy and dental assisting schools across the country. My learning continues, and I am proud to continue growing professionally, meeting so many wonderful people along the way.

3. What’s the best career advice you ever received?

The best career advice I’ve been given is to stay curious and never stop networking. Staying curious and always seeking knowledge is why I have had a career working in various areas of dental hygiene and now in professional education. And the advice of continuing to network and meet new people was also something that has been an invaluable piece of advice.

4. What gives you the most satisfaction professionally?

Raising awareness around the importance of prevention and increasing access to equitable care is what gives me the most satisfaction professionally and even personally. With my public health background, I have worked with vulnerable populations, and I understand the challenges that many people face with seeking oral health care. It gives me great satisfaction to take that knowledge and apply it in my message of prevention and minimally invasive dentistry.

5. What do you look forward to outside of work?

I love spending time with my husband, my son (who is a rising senior) and our dogs. I love yoga, barre and playing pickleball. I also love any time I can get by the ocean; the beach is my happy place, and I take any time I can get to breathe in the salt air!