Alumni profile: Meet Jenny Maxwell ’13, Dental Hygienist graduate

“WCTC taught me about giving back to the community and that we are stronger together! Awareness is key. Dental hygienists can work beyond a private practice setting." -- Jenny Maxwell '13, WCTC Dental Hygienist gradudate

Jenny Maxwell’s path from WCTC Dental Hygienist student (Class of 2013) to business owner stems from her father’s personal story and a desire to fill a critical need in the community.

A first generation American, Maxwell’s parents were originally from Laos and viewed visits to the doctor primarily for treating illness, not for preventative care. Appointments with a dentist happened rarely, if ever. That cultural approach led to serious consequences for her father, as he was diagnosed with severe periodontal disease that eventually led to extensive oral surgery and dental implants.

The idea for Maxwell’s business, a mobile dentistry service, came in 2020 during COVID-19 when, as a practicing registered dental hygienist (RDH), she helped a friend with a tooth brushing and oral health care program at a nursing home. She quickly realized the pressing need for consistent dental care among residents, many of whom faced barriers like cognitive or physical impairments, lack of transportation, inadequate insurance and other factors.

Seeing her father struggle with dental issues and witnessing a gap in care for older adults led Maxwell to be a part of the solution. In 2021 she founded RDH Communications, complete with all the tools and equipment necessary to provide mobile bedside cleaning services and dental assessments to patients in nursing homes, memory care facilities and adult day care centers. Her business provides accessible, compassionate and high-quality dental care to underserved communities throughout the state, primarily central Wisconsin, with limited service in Milwaukee. While her service is not a substitute for a dentist, Maxwell maintains a solid referral network of trusted dental professionals for patients needing more advanced care.

“WCTC taught me about giving back to the community and that we are stronger together! Awareness is key. Dental hygienists can work beyond a private practice setting,” she said.

The Dental Hygienist program gave Maxwell the hands-on practice and communication skills she needed to be a compassionate and confident hygienist. She is grateful to WCTC as it served as the framework for her career and advanced education, which included earning both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree.

“I thank my lucky stars for my high school counselor who was able to direct me to WCTC. I was able to get college credit in my senior year, and from there it was the cost, the quality and the time spent in the program. I talk about technical colleges and WCTC because they were the ones that made my career attainable,” she said.