The connection between cheerleading and the field of dentistry is quite clear for Ashley Hobbs (B.S.D.H. ’11). 作为堪萨斯城酋长队啦啦队的一员, she used her athletic skills to pump up crowds and keep them smiling at Arrowhead Stadium. 现在, 作为一名牙科保健师, she’s still focused on bright smiles – but she’s using a different set of skills to motivate and engage with her 病人.

“你是他们的口腔健康教练。” 霍布斯谈到她的病人时说. 作为一种欢呼领导，你带来了正能量，你鼓舞了所有人. 我也这样做 病人. You are encouraging them to not only improve their oral health, but their overall quality of life.”

霍布斯是一名儿童牙齿保健师她是密苏里大学堪萨斯分校的一名自豪的校友和教员. 从2013年开始 到2016年，她还是酋长队的一名啦啦队员leader, a unique experience she shares with other 牙科学院 校友. 这所学校有几所mer Chiefs cheerleaders and at least one Chiefs drumline member among its 校友 ranks.

These 校友 have taken valuable lessons into their careers from their 在场边的日子. 对霍布斯来说, 蒂姆·奥尔布赖特(民主党.D.S. 21)和凯瑟琳 Teruya (D.D.S. ’22)，经验 强化纪律的重要性， 团队合作，以人为本.

在人群和椅子上微笑

As a member of the Chiefs drumline, the KC Rumble, from 2016 to 2020, 奥尔布赖特被人群所鼓舞. 现在 he gets that feeling from the gratitude of his 病人. 不管是无法察觉的补牙还是直牙隐形牙饰面, the smiles of his 病人 take him back to his days drumming in front of 70,000名尖叫的粉丝.

“I still experience euphoria whenever I have a solid crown,奥尔布赖特说. “你的病人很高兴，他们容光焕发. 跟我给别人演奏音乐时的表情一样. 它让我继续前进.”

在球迷面前的时间并不局限于比赛日. The Rumble and the cheerleaders had public appearances throughout the week. These opportunities to connect with people prepared them for future chairside interactions.

“每个人都有自己热衷的事情. 那些对牙齿护理漠不关心的人, 你要找到激发他们的东西,奥尔布赖特说. “Once you find their icebreaker, you’re able to make that connection.”

Public appearances also provided Hobbs an opportunity to hone her 儿科的技能. 经常有孩子们兴奋地想见啦啦队. Those conversations laid the groundwork for the six years she’s practiced in pediatric dentistry.

“只是学习如何与他们互动，”霍布斯说. “I took everything that I learned from the Chiefs and applied it to my work in pediatrics.”

舞蹈、击鼓和牙科学科

Whether drumming or dancing, a common thread emerges: discipline.
All three credit the discipline required to succeed in their respective crafts with helping them manage the rigors of dental school.

That discipline was formed back in seventh grade for Albright, when he took up drumming and would practice until midnight every night. 然而，牙科学校改变了他的观点.

“I don’t think you need 10,000 hours to master something anymore,奥尔布赖特说. “I learned in dental school about the importance of deliberate practice.”

Discipline is also essential in cheerleading because of the demanding schedule. 对霍布斯来说, cheering for the Chiefs felt like a full-time job on top of her full-time job as a hygienist. She had weekly appearances and daily five-hour practices in addition to long game days. She also had fitness testing, mandatory training sessions and extra time in the gym.

“I was newly graduated and new to the dental hygiene profession,” Hobbs said. “在两种生活之间挣扎.”

Hobbs and Teruya said their love of dance drove them to take on the arduous schedule. 霍布斯拥有舞蹈学位，住在纽约, performing with professional dance companies before coming to UMKC. 她在牙科卫生学校教舞蹈.

Dance has been a presence in Teruya’s life since she was three. A former Miss Hawaii (she was crowned in 2017), she’s an experienced dancer in hula, ballet and jazz. She credits the perfectionist nature dancers have to her success in dentistry.

“We always joked on our (Chiefs) dance team that a lot of us are type-A people,” Teruya said. “这与牙科有很好的关系. 我们喜欢井然有序的事物.”

Although the pull toward dance was strong for both Hobbs and Teruya, their priority was always UMKC. 霍布斯是 雷射专注于成为一名全职教员. 特鲁雅在牙科学校期间要参加许多活动， 包括2020年到2021年的酋长啦啦队. 但她最看重的是未来的牙医.

“First and foremost, I moved from Hawaii to Kansas City to be a dental student,” she said.

牙科实践中的团队和社区

啦啦队的日程安排很紧凑霍布斯和特鲁雅承认. 但他们喜欢成为团队的一员 women who lifted each other up, both literally and figuratively.

“It’s much more than just dancing on the sidelines,” said Hobbs. 它变成了 sisterhood where you were supportive of one another and you were in it together.”

Teruya在UMKC期间, 她的两个团队一起组成了TeamSmile, an event at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium with Chiefs players, 教练 和拉拉队，在此期间UMKC 学生和教师提供牙科服务 照顾得不到充分服务的儿童. 她以学生和啦啦队长的双重身份参加了比赛.

“这是我最美好的回忆之一，”特鲁雅说. “It was really special to be able to celebrate my classmates and connect with the kids.”

The moments standing in front of a crowd at “the loudest stadium in the world” may now be only memories for Hobbs, Teruya and Albright, but those memories serve a purpose. 纪律形成了牢固的纽带 made and feelings that come with energizing a crowd have all made an impact on who they are as dental professionals. 的奉献精神, sense of community and drive to help people connects the worlds of cheer and dentistry.

“Every single year a student will ask, ‘were you really a Chiefs cheerleader?’ and every time I wonder, ‘when will this not be a thing anymore?’”霍布斯说. “But those are some of the best memories of my life and I wouldn’t change it.”