Monica Foster, Dental Hygienist and Jump Rope Coach

In my book A Royal Mess, the Queen has to learn to let everyone choose their own path. But what path do you choose? How do you decide who you want to be? To celebrate A Royal Mess going on sale, I want to introduce you to some cool people who do something that they love. Something that might sound pretty cool to you, too. 

Meet Monica Foster, Dental Hygienist 

and Jump Rope Coach

What does a dental hygienist do?

As a dental hygienist, I check adults and children's teeth for plaque (sugar bugs) and hard deposits. I clean each tooth, removing any harmful substances that can cause cavities and gingivitis. I educate my patients on using the best techniques and products for keeping a clean and healthy mouth. 

What inspired you to be a dental hygienist?

I have always been fascinated with the sciences and the medical field. I had considered the nursing field, but settled on a dental hygienist when I did more research on the work schedule and pay of a hygienist. And I love talking with so many different patients each day and seeing them come back to me every 3-6 months. I've watched so many of my patients grow from young children to adults over the years. 

What did you have to do to become a hygienist?

I attended 4 years of college classes, 2 of those years being specifically geared towards my profession. I had to take the state and national exams for gaining my license after graduation. 

What do you have to know a lot about for your job?

As a dental hygienist you have to know a lot about and be able to recognize patient comfort and discomfort. I can be really good at cleaning teeth and diagnosing problems, but if my patients are not comfortable while in my chair, they will not come back to see me every 6 months. So I spend a lot of time perfecting my skills and keeping up on new procedures, but I also try to really understand my patients needs and do my best to make them comfortable at every visit. 

What is the hardest thing about becoming a hygienist, and being a hygienist?

This job is  surprisingly hard on your body. When I was working 30+ hours a week, I did not have the energy to do much outside of work. For a time my shoulders and back hurt often. But once I was able to balance my work with proper stretching and exercise, things got better. I only work 1 day a week now, so physical fatigue is no longer an issue. 

What do you love most about your job?

I love seeing 8-10 different people every time I come to work. My day is full of colorful people, all with a different story and perspective on life to share. Sometimes patients just want to be quiet and relax through their appointment. And other times an individual wants to talk all the way through their hour appointment. I love them all. 

This is Monica cleaning her husband Matt's teeth. She loves 

all her patients, but I think she loves this one most.

What else do you want to be when you grow up? (This can be something crazy that may never come true, but that's fun to dream about...)

I have always wanted to own and manage my own gym. To this day I dream of building a large gym that can be rented out to other groups (particularly non traditional sports teams/clubs) that may have difficulty finding other places to practice. This would also allow my jump rope team to always have a place to practice and call home. Someday it will happen and it will be a glorious day. 

Tell us about what you do with the ProForm Airborne Jump Rope Team...

I have been associated with this jump rope team for almost 25 years. 10 of those years I was a competitor/performer with the team and 15 years as either an assistant or head coach. Our team is dedicated to getting kids active and living healthy lifestyles. We spend countless hours at assemblies, community shows, and afterschool clinics teaching people of all ages how to jump rope and do simple to advanced skills. 

Where have you traveled with your team?

As a teenager  I traveled the world performing and competing. Some of my favorite places were Australia, Malaysia, Japan, and Holland. One of my mist memorable performances was performing for President Clinton and President Bush in the 1997 and 2001 Presidential Inaugurations. I now travel to help train teams and judges and have spend time in France, Czech Republic, and numerous USA states in this endeavor. Most recently I took my team to Portugal to compete at the 2016 World Jump Rope Championships. They did very well and had a wonderful experience there. 

Monica and Matt with an exchange student jumper.

What do you love most about jump rope?

I love the community of jumpers, coaches, judges, and officials that I get to associate with. My team is hardworking, but more importantly, they are outstanding kids and young adults. I love that it is a unique sport that is still relatively new to many people. In that aspect, the audience is always astounded at the tricks being performed and they enjoy a good show. What we do makes people happy, and that in turn makes us happy. 

This mom can jump!

To learn more about being a dental hygienist, check out this website,

and to see some amazing jump roping, follow ProForm Airborne on Facebook.

At your library:

AVAILABLE FROM:

THE WELL-READ MOOSE, 
COEUR D'ALENE, ID

CORNER DRUG,
DRIGGS, ID

AMAZON

BARNES AND NOBLE

BOOKS A MILLION


When her kingdom falls short in fairy tale rankings, the Queen orders all her subjects to attend her new school for knights and princesses. But when the boys refuse to slay dragons and the girls protest their glass slippers, the Queen has to rethink her idea of happily ever after.