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CDHA Member Spotlights

CDHA · Dental Hygiene Month 2026

Our members.
Our inspiration.

Celebrating the people behind our profession. Meet the CDHA professionals and students whose dedication to education, compassionate care, and community makes a difference.

Professional memberBrittany Soto, BSDH, RDH

Central Coast Component
Care. Connection. Leadership.

Brittany SotoBSDH, RDH

Central Coast Component President · CDHA Trustee

Connecting oral health to whole-body wellness through patient education, compassionate care, and professional advocacy.

Brittany is a full-time dental hygienist, a devoted mom, and the owner of BSharpRDH, a dental hygiene instrument sharpening business. She began her career as a registered dental assistant before earning her BSDH from West Coast University.

For Brittany, the heart of dental hygiene is the opportunity to build meaningful patient relationships, tailor science to each person’s needs, and explain the connection between oral and overall health. Outside of work, she loves spending time outdoors with her family.

Get to know Brittany

What inspired her career?

Early dental experiences and time in the orthodontist’s chair sparked Brittany’s interest in smiles. While exploring her career options through shadowing, she was drawn to the ongoing relationships dental hygienists develop with their patients.

What does CDHA membership mean to her?

CDHA connects Brittany with a professional community that supports, inspires, and advocates for California’s dental hygienists. Through her involvement, she builds leadership skills, collaborates with colleagues across the state, and helps advance her profession.

How does she hope to make a difference?

Brittany strives to educate her community about the connection between oral and systemic health. Her involvement in CDHA helps her stay informed and bring that knowledge to her work.

Student memberIsabella Barajas, dental hygiene student at Carrington College in Sacramento

Carrington College, Sacramento
Anticipated graduation: 2027

Isabella “Izzy” BarajasBS in Biology

Senior Student CDHA Representative · Sacramento Component

A future in dental hygiene rooted in empathy, education, and helping patients feel at ease.

Growing up in a household of healthcare providers, Isabella knew she wanted to help others. The positive energy of the dental community inspired her to pursue dental hygiene at Carrington College in Sacramento.

She takes pride in the resilience and determination her education requires. Her goal is to ease dental anxiety, adapt care to individual needs, and help patients feel informed and involved in their oral health. Outside of school, Izzy enjoys time with family and friends, travel, concerts, fashion, and coffee.

Get to know Isabella

What does CDHA membership mean to her?

Isabella is excited to become an active member of her community and make connections with dental hygienists who are passionate about their field.

How does she hope to make a difference?

Through empathy and kindness, Isabella hopes to create positive dental experiences for patients who feel anxious or afraid. She wants to help change their perspectives on dental care.

What is she passionate about?

Patient education is central to Isabella’s vision for her career. She hopes to help patients understand their periodontal health and the specific steps they can take to maintain or improve it.

Her encouragement for future dental hygienists

“Believe that you can do this and, most importantly, say out loud that you can do this!”

She also encourages students to stay on top of their responsibilities, accept that not everything will go as planned, and trust the process.

Every member has a story.

Thank you to the professionals and students who make our CDHA community stronger. Check back throughout Dental Hygiene Month as we share more member spotlights.

#CDHA_Strong #ProudToBeRDH #DentalHygieneMonth #PurpleForDentalHygiene

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