By her own admission, Sherry Smith’s persistent optimism and happy disposition in life and in the dental clinic earned her the nickname “Sunny,” which is kinda funny since she is an avowed pluviophile.
Smith, a faculty hygienist in UNLV’s School of Dental Medicine, was inspired to get into the field of dentistry by her hometown dentist.
"Dr. Bruce Dow was always encouraging me to go into dentistry," says Smith. "He would tell me I was caring and smart, and that the profession needed more female dentists. When I told him I wanted to be a surgeon, he said, 'That’s great! We need more women oral surgeons.' I never made it that far, but I am grateful for Dr. Dow steering me into the dental world."
Is this what you thought you’d do when you grew up?
Being a dental hygienist was not what I thought I would be when I grew up. I wanted to be a surgeon from the time I knew what one was. Even at a very young age, I would have visions of my future, and I would always be working in a hospital. Maybe it stemmed from all the soap operas my step-mom always had on the television, where all the characters seemed to be working in a hospital setting. My dream was to be a reconstructive plastic surgeon — reattaching limbs, treating burn victims, etc.
Then I met a plastic surgeon my junior year in high school, and he terrified me, so I changed my mind. I used to deeply regret not going after my dream, but I can honestly say, the last six years of being an instructor at the dental school has given me so much joy, fulfillment, and career satisfaction that I no longer look back.
What is the biggest misconception about your field?
That dental hygienists just “clean teeth.” We do so much more than that. Dental hygienists are highly educated healthcare providers and prevention specialists. We understand not only oral health, but also systemic health and how the two are related.
Patients see their hygienists more often than they do their medical providers, and we are on close watch for anything health-related presenting itself in the mouth. We take in-depth medical histories and update them regularly, perform oral cancer screenings, periodontal screenings, manage oral diseases, make recommendations for products and aids, refer to specialists, and perform follow-up care every hour of the working day.
Although dental hygienists aren’t specifically trained for it, we often become amateur therapists and counselors because our patients grow to trust us with their oral health and their mental and emotional health. We become very close to our patients because we see them often and because we truly care about them as individuals, not just as a mouth in the chair.
Who did you look up to in your field when you first started?
When I first started practicing as a dental hygienist 28 years ago, I worked in periodontal practices and loved it! One of the first, and by far the best, periodontists I worked for was Dr. Blair Browand. I looked up to him from the very first time I met him when he came to speak to our dental hygiene senior class. Dr. Browand was a class act, the first board certified and diplomat in our city, and one of the finest human beings I have ever known.
Dr. Browand learned early on in his career that the better you treat your employees, the harder they will work for you. He was so kind and gracious to all of his hygienists, and any one of us would be willing to do whatever he needed to get the job done because we knew we were respected and appreciated. That goes a long way, and he will forever be the upper echelon to me.
We know our faculty and staff can have a profound effect on their students — but tell us about a lesson you learned from a student.
I feel just the opposite. My students have a profound effect on ME! I learn from them every single day. One lesson I continue to learn from all of them is never to judge a book by its cover. You never really know where someone is coming from unless you take the time to get to know them, to ask about their past, their families, their hopes and dreams, their stressors and struggles, to try to understand their moods and thought processes, and their paths in life.
Each and every one of my students is unique and complex and they come from such diverse backgrounds. It is eye-opening and a pleasure to be able to closely interact with so many different individuals on a daily basis.
What was your greatest day on campus? And your toughest?
I realize I may sound excessively positive, but there are too many great days to choose from. I love my job and the students I teach.
When thinking about tough days, the one that stands out was the shooting last December. Some of our students were on main campus that day for a rotation, so I was very worried about their safety, as well as all the others in that horrific situation. Our world has been through so much of this type of devastation, but I wasn’t prepared for how bad it would feel to experience it at our very own university.
Best tip or advice for someone new to UNLV?
Embrace our diverse environment! Get to know some of the awesome people who have been a part of UNLV for many years because they are plentiful. Do a little research and see for yourself the positive growth UNLV has experienced over the years. It’s impressive!
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell my younger self that not everyone is going to like me and that is totally fine. I would also tell my younger self that perfection is unattainable and unnecessary. Basically, I would tell young me to just chill out and relax a bit!
Tell us about an object in your office and what it represents to you.
My object of choice is the sun for a few reasons. I was given the nickname “Sunny” many years ago for my annoying optimism. Last year, the senior graduating class honored me with the “Sunshine Award,” which I have framed in my office. It makes me feel so special and reminds me of that awesome group of students every time I look at it.
What makes the award so special to me is it is proof I accomplished what I set out to do as an instructor. The students here are under so much pressure dealing with the load of dental school, juggling families, financial stressors, and just life in general.
My goal is to bring warmth and lightness to their worlds while they are here, to teach them about dental hygiene in a calm and positive way, rather than add to their stress. The sun makes people happy and is a natural mood booster. I just want to spread a little sunshine at the dental school.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
All this talk about the sun, but I have been a total pluviophile since birth. I was born during a thunderstorm, and rainy days make me giddily happy. Maybe it’s the novelty of it since I’ve lived in the desert most of my life, but I absolutely love the rain. My son, was also born during a rainstorm, and he loves it, too.
Tell us about a time in your life you were daring.
I’m typically the cautious type and not very spontaneous (i.e., boring!), but I have been skydiving, and I would do it over and over again without hesitation. Incredible experience!
What’s your biggest pet peeve (at work or in life)?
It makes me crazy when people don’t put effort into what they do...in all aspects of life. I realize it’s not feasible in every situation but, if you’re going to do something, do it right!
Give us a gear recommendation — an everyday product that helps you do your job or eases some sort of occupational hazard.
I am always a little perplexed when people in my profession don’t wear loupes. We are staring into dark mouths, working on small objects, performing very skilled procedures. I want to see as clearly as possible to do the best job possible for my patients.
What was the last book you couldn’t put down, show you binge-watched, or band you kept on replay?
The last book I couldn’t put down, I read on the plane ride home from Portugal in August. The book is called Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, and it is a historical novel inspired by the true story of Tan Yunxian, a female physician in 15th-century China. The hardship endured by women from that era is shocking and remarkable.
I listen to all genres of music, but recently my friend — who is a music festival producer — turned me on to a band called Hermanos Gutierrez. The band is made up of two Ecuadorian-Swiss brothers and their music is Latin instrumental. It’s a total vibe.
Best tip for staying cool in the summer.
Stay inside! I love Las Vegas, but every summer I say I want to move because the heat gets more unbearable every year.
My ideal summer vacation is: anywhere that includes an ocean in close proximity.
