UC Blue Ash Grad Will Travel 4,500 Miles to Treat New Patients

A graduate from the dental hygiene program at UC Blue Ash College will travel halfway around the world to begin her career and try to make a difference in her home country of Estonia.

A little over five years ago, Brigitta Kulberg followed her mother to the United States with a plan to earn her degree in dental hygiene and eventually return to her home country to begin a movement for better oral health. Now, her vision is becoming a reality.

“The people of Estonia are not very well educated when it comes to dental care; even basic care like flossing every day. One of the things I am looking forward to is holding workshops about proper dental care,” says Kulberg.

Along with providing information on ways to improve and maintain good oral health, dental hygienists also provide preventative care, perform teeth cleanings, take X-rays, administer local anesthesia and examine patients for signs of oral diseases, such as gingivitis.

Kulberg grew up in the small town of Viljandi with her sister. When she was about 15 years old, her parents divorced. Her father left the family and a few years later her mother decided to move to the U.S. in hopes of better job opportunities. She had some friends in the Cincinnati area and wound up living in Blue Ash.

When Kulberg eventually decided to come to the U.S. to live with her mother and go to college, she envisioned attending to a big university with a large campus. That was until she found UC Blue Ash just a few miles away, with its picturesque campus, small classes and famous dental hygiene program – the largest program of its kind in Ohio.

After a few semesters at UC Blue Ash, Kulberg became comfortable with the college and very active on campus. She was a student ambassador, worked in the Student Life office, and was elected vice president of her dental hygiene class, while making countless friends with fellow students, faculty and staff. “I really like UC Blue Ash a lot, everyone gets to know you and the professors are very supportive. I could not have asked for a better college experience,” she says.

Kulberg graduated this spring with associate degrees in business and dental hygiene and plans to make the 4,500-mile trip back home to Estonia this fall where she will live in the capital city of Tallinn and use her education to help others. She says she is especially interested in helping children learn more about proper dental care and nutrition. She may even start her own nonprofit organization to support that work.

While Kulberg is extremely passionate about improving dental care in home country, she insists she is not a pioneer. “I just want to give back to the people of Estonia, especially the children, and share what I have learned. This is what I really want to do, so I hope it goes well.”

UC Blue Ash College is a regional college within the University of Cincinnati. It offers one of the best values in higher education with access to a nationally recognized UC education in nearly 50 degrees and certificates, as well as tuition that is about half of most colleges and universities. The college is located on a scenic 135-acre wooded campus in the heart of Blue Ash, Ohio. To learn more, call 513-745-5600, visit us online at www.ucblueash.edu, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.