From setbacks to success, Maria Medina’s inspiring path in the GTCC dental assisting program

“I like the environment at GTCC, all of the instructors are amazing, they will clarify everything,” said Medina.

Sometimes career paths are not linear and include unexpected, yet beneficial, turns—and having a positive outlook makes the journey enjoyable, no matter the bumps along the way. This is surely the case for GTCC dental assisting student Maria Medina.

Medina, who was raised in Uruguay, had been working as a manager in the food industry for a decade when her son, Elfer, was born in 2016. The late nights and long shifts were not ideal for a new single mother.

Living in New Jersey, she applied for a receptionist job at a local orthodontics office that would provide a stable 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. position. However, when she arrived for her interview, she learned the doctor had already hired someone for the receptionist job but asked whether she would be interested in working as an orthodontic assistant.

This opportunity proved to be the unexpected, positive turn that shaped Medina’s future career.

“The orthodontist made me fall in love with dentistry,” she said. “He even told me, ‘One day you’re going to achieve something great in this field.’”

Before leaving the New Jersey practice, Medina had worked her way up to lead assistant.

In 2019, she experienced an unexpected and unfortunate turn that left her severely injured when the bathroom ceiling in her apartment collapsed while she was showering. Medina’s mother came to New Jersey and brought Elfer, then 4, back to North Carolina while Medina recovered.

Not soon after, the pandemic began and Medina decided moving to North Carolina to be closer to family would be best for her and her son.

With the goal of continuing her career in dentistry, the first thing she did after moving to North Carolina was earn certification in dental X-rays.

“As soon as I moved here, I took a dental X-ray certification class. I earned my license, but no one would hire me because I didn’t have Dental Assistant II or Dental Assistant certification.”

That’s when encouragement from her younger sister sparked her interest in earning the additional credentials she needed in North Carolina at GTCC.

“I had given up on dentistry for the time and started working at Target. My sister who was still in high school suggested that I start at GTCC. She was there taking classes and really liked it,” said Medina.

In January 2022, she enrolled at GTCC to complete prerequisites for the dental assisting program.

“I like the environment at GTCC, all of the instructors are amazing, they will clarify everything,” said Medina. “This is a good fit for me. It’s close to my home. I’m a single mom and I’m supporting all of the bills for my son and me, and they really work with me.”

In addition to attending school full time, she works part time at Chick-fil-A as a supervisor.

“No matter where I go, Chick-fil-A or dentistry, I’m there to work as a team.”

Her positive attitude has been a catalyst for the hard work she demonstrates, which includes earning her associate in arts in July 2025 and beginning the GTCC dental assisting program in August 2025. Unfortunately, Medina faced another health setback a few months later.

“On October 24, 2025, I went to emergency department because I had a really bad headache,” she said. “The doctors said it was a complicated migraine, but mimicking stroke symptoms, so my speech was altered and my hands were going numb.

“This had happened to me before, so I wasn’t that worried, but when I was at the hospital, I found out that I had a small aneurysm as well.”

Even after a procedure to monitor her aneurysm sidelined her for 10 days the following month, Medina maintained a positive outlook and stayed focused on her goal of graduating from the dental assisting program.

“I tell my younger classmates, ‘If I can do it with a brain aneurysm, you can do it too,’” she said. “You have to be strong in your mind; you have to want to do this.”

Her positive outlook and work ethic have not gone unnoticed by her instructors.

“During her time in the Dental Assisting program, Maria has demonstrated tremendous commitment and courage while going through this rigorous and demanding journey,” said Andrea Powell, GTCC dental instructor. “Maria said that being in the program is the one thing in her life that brings her joy because she knows she's working towards a better future for herself and her son.

“Despite all of the hardships and diagnosis she has done well completing her work, earning good grades, and maintaining attendance. Maria is absolutely inspirational and one of the kindest students,” added Powell.

Medina is not done pursuing her career in the dental profession. After graduating from the dental assisting program in July 2026, she plans to enroll in the dental hygiene program at GTCC—with her biggest cheerleader, her son, by her side.

“I’m positive but my son is even more positive than me,” exclaims Medina. “Every day I get up and open my eyes and thank God that I’m still here.”