Ms. Kelly Divito

I was raised in North Ridgeville, Ohio, which hosts a Corn Festival in August each year that attracts thousands. It was a rural area when I was younger, but now it’s growing into a larger city west of Cleveland. I graduated from North Ridgeville High School in 2001 and participated in the marching band among other clubs. 

I’ve always enjoyed helping people and educating them, so I considered teaching as a career until I had a conversation with my dental hygienist. I had a prophy appointment, and she and I discussed my educational pursuits as a first generation college attendee. She suggested that my childhood experiences with numerous dental procedures, along with my outgoing personality would be the perfect compliments for work in a dental office. So I went to my local community college the next day to explore the options. Until then I had no idea I could pursue that career!  

Ohio State was the only in-state school that offered a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene, and I was determined to get in. I had to take anatomy and physiology courses before I could apply, so I completed the courses and was admitted to the program. It was a bit intimidating to move away from home and go to a university that had more students than the population of my hometown! 

While I was a dental hygiene student, I had a work-study position in the college’s Dental Implant Clinic. I learned so many things from the wonderful team there. I felt more prepared for the student clinic as a result of what I learned, including how to take an alginate impression and digital x-rays; how to assess an implant prosthesis and discuss oral hygiene instructions; and the importance of the dental assistant in a practice. I was "too blessed to be stressed" in that position, and I’m forever grateful for that experience.

My family, friends, and the unexpected, special moments in every day. I also enjoy participating in community theater, volunteering in community service organizations, and learning new skills. Most recently, I taught myself to play the accordion for a community theater role in the musical, "Once." It was an ambitious undertaking, but it was a lot of fun – and it allowed me to tap into skills I haven't used since high school!

I love having the opportunity to collaborate and learn from others. I’ve found that I can glean information from books, but executing those concepts myself and seeing others use them is the most important learning experience for me. I have had great leadership from others, and some experiences that were less than ideal. I always take those experiences with me so I can learn from them. 

The most rewarding aspects are helping my patients and my co-workers. The most challenging experiences are when patients decline treatments that would help their oral condition. When I was a dental hygiene student, one of my professors at Ohio State said, “You can’t save every tooth. And you can’t care more about the patients than they do.” That has stayed with me because there are times when I’m more concerned about the patients’ oral health than they are. But ultimately, every patient leaves better than when they arrived, so I focus on that to find job satisfaction. 

Just two points to mention. The first is that I’ve had the good fortune of serving as a Board of Governors member and president of Ohio State’s Dental Alumni Society for several years. My time in that organization has brought me friendships and experiences I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I encourage dental hygiene and dental alumni to get involved so they, too, can make an impact. The second point is that I’ve lived out of state during my time on the Board and I love returning to Postle Hall and seeing the evolution of the buildings, technology, and the impact alumni can have on the students’ future educational experiences. I’m so grateful to be an alumna of THE Ohio State University College of Dentistry!