Lasting Impressions | Summer 2016

46 x NSU LASTING IMPRESSIONS Dental assistant Teresa Marquez assists fourth-year dental student John Aylmer. Staff Impressions Dental assistant Teresa Marquez proudly shows off the sterilization department, her home at the CDM for almost 10 years. Her passion for making sure things are right and the best they can be for the students is evident in the meticulous system she has helped put in place, from the cleaning process to the barcoding, log books, and organized methods for dispensing. “Everything that needs to be sterilized comes through us. I always try to do my best to have everything the way it is supposed to be. I like to do it the right way, never skipping any step,” Marquez said. “For me, sterilization is one of the most important parts of the dental school. If something comes out wrong, that can affect the life of another person. That’s why I’m passionate about doing my work to the best of my abilities, and sometimes, going further than I’m supposed to. That’s just how I am.” Marquez will tell you that, first and foremost, it’s all about the students. When she first started the job in sterilization, she thought it was some- thing she might do for a year or two. Then she discovered the joy of interacting with the students. “I found out I love helping the students. I always put them first and do what I can to help them. It gives me so much joy when I see them grad- uate. I have watched them from start to finish, and they change so much and have confidence when they graduate,” she said. “Then they come back Teresa Marquez Goes the Distance to Help Students BY ELLEN WOLFSON VALLADARES