Denise Messina, Division of Dental Hygiene

My husband Matt and I raised our family on the west side of Cleveland for 30 years, so I’ll always think of that as my hometown. But I grew up in the Akron, Medina area and graduated from high school in Lordstown, near Warren, Ohio. My childhood in Northeast Ohio was pretty “nostalgic.” We drank from water hoses when we were thirsty, rode bikes all day and came home with skinned knees, and we had many chores to do. In the summers, we made our own fun and games with neighborhood kids who were friends by geography. My parents were both educators, so our family traveled each July when my parents were able to take some time off. One summer we camped around the United States, and I saw a lot of the beautiful sights in this country.

My favorite TV show was the Brady Bunch, but by junior high school, I couldn’t wait for Saturday afternoons to see if the Buckeyes were going to play football or basketball on TV. My favorite books were mysteries and I loved trying to solve the puzzle in the stories. That interest carried over to my dental hygiene practice because it’s important to fit all of the puzzle pieces together so patients get the best care.

Cheerleading is my best high school memory. I loved the athletics involved and I loved going to different schools and meeting different people – other cheerleaders, players, etc. My high school was quite small with a graduating class of 54 students, so I loved seeing a bigger world. That’s why I was determined to go to Ohio State, get an education, and have new experiences!

There are no dentists in my family, but I loved the sights, smells, and sounds of the dentist’s office from a young age. And I loved seeing the dental hygienists in their white uniforms and caps! I went to Ohio State and enrolled in the dental hygiene undergraduate program. I also began dating a dental student named Matt Messina who is my husband of 38 years!

The dental hygiene faculty really inspired me as an undergraduate. I wanted to be the best dental hygienist, a lifelong learner, and I wanted to be a faculty member like them one day. After Matt and I were married and living in Cleveland, I investigated the options for an advanced degree, but we were busy with our careers and kids in school. The timing wasn’t right until we moved to Columbus and both began working here in the college. I earned my master’s degree and became a “double alumna.” It was a dream come true!

I would say the students’ similarities and differences are the same today as they were 40 years ago: some students will always excel and some will struggle. As a teacher I want to help all of the students reach their goal of becoming a dental hygienist – and I want to be the role model for them that my faculty members were for me. 

If I could teach dental hygiene anywhere in the world, it would be Charleston, South Carolina. Matt and I have been going to the Isle of Palms since our honeymoon, and that island and beach fuels my soul.

I promised my younger self that one day I would get a master’s degree, as both my parents and in-laws all had master’s degrees. My second bucket list item was going to the Rose Bowl. Matt and I finally checked that one off this year and it was a better experience than I could ever have dreamed!