Oct. 6, 2025
Keyandra Totten is in the second year of her dental hygienist program and she knows exactly what she wants to do once she graduates.
“I used to work as a receptionist at Hackley Community Care in Muskegon,” Totten said. “Many of the people who come there need extra care and education. And that’s exactly what I want to provide.”
Totten started her post-secondary education as a nursing candidate at another college because, as she says, that college didn’t have a dental program. Once she found out about GRCC’s dental education, she transferred schools and changed programs.
“I have always been interested in oral health,” Totten said. “I would ask a million questions as a kid every time I went to the dentist. I was lucky, in that I didn’t have any ‘dental trauma’ growing up. But I know many people are scared of the dentist’s office. If I can help change that perspective through careful work and educating the patient, then I will be happy.”
Having a career aspiration is one thing. Having the finances to achieve it is a completely different proposition. That is why Keyandra was so thrilled to receive a Delta Dental Foundation Dental Hygiene Scholarship this year.
“The dental program is demanding,” Totten said. “I am at school all day, and I’m a parent besides. I worked part time, but that wasn’t enough to cover my financial needs. I had exhausted the financial aid resources available to me, and I didn’t know what I was going to do. I’m so grateful to have received this scholarship, because it means I can focus on school without worrying about money.”
Keyandra found out about the scholarship opportunity through a co-worker at Hackley.
“The hygienist there told me about the scholarship and encouraged me to apply,” Totten said. “I applied, but I never thought I would win it!”
Delta Dental called attention to the shortage of dental hygienists in their press release announcing the winners. They noted a recent survey from the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute reported that 31.7% of dentists have been trying to hire dental hygienists during the last three months, and 77.8% say that it’s been “extremely challenging” to recruit them. Further, that same survey reports that more than 62% of respondents say staffing is the top challenge facing their practices in 2025.
Keyandra knows how hard it is to find people to fill these positions, and she can’t wait to finish her program so she can start.
“It will be full circle for me,” Totten said. “I have had several job offers, but I’m going back to where I started. I learned a lot at Hackley and I am looking forward to the opportunity to help my community.”