A Preventive Care Consultant shares her journey of empowering dental professionals through encouragement and education, helping teams prioritize prevention while combating burnout in the profession.
Her Story
About Becky
Becky Barrios is an accomplished dental professional, educator, and preventive care consultant with approximately 20 years of experience in dental hygiene and preventive oral care. Her career began in 2006 as a dental assistant, where she discovered her passion for patient care and prevention. She went on to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene with honors from Coastal Bend College, where she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, consistently appeared on the Dean’s List, delivered the commencement speech, and received the Hu-Friedy Golden Scaler Award for clinical excellence. Her commitment to professional development has continued through specialized training in soft tissue diode lasers and other areas of dental care.
Today, Becky serves as a Preventive Care Consultant with Elevate Oral Care, where she works with dental practices and professionals across Central and South Texas to strengthen prevention-focused protocols, provide education, and support the adoption of evidence-based oral health solutions. Her professional interests extend beyond traditional dental hygiene, particularly through her work exploring the connection between oral and systemic health. Inspired by her father’s experience with undiagnosed esophageal cancer, Becky researched the potential relationship between enamel erosion, acid reflux, and esophageal disease. Her research led to two published articles in RDH Magazine and has helped reinforce her commitment to recognizing oral health findings that may warrant further medical evaluation.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Becky is passionate about education, mentorship, and service. She enjoys empowering the next generation of dental hygienists through presentations and continuing education while supporting dental professionals in delivering higher standards of preventive care. She is involved with the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health, the Esophageal Cancer Action Network, and Starfish Ministry of Texas, through which she participates in mission trips providing dental services to underserved communities. Guided by faith, compassion, honesty, authenticity, and lifelong learning, Becky continues to use her expertise to promote prevention, strengthen the dental profession, and make a meaningful difference in the health and lives of others.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Becky
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to God, perseverance, and a commitment to continuous learning and growth. About 25 years ago, I changed careers and worked my way from the front desk through dental assisting to dental hygiene and preventive-care consulting. My curiosity and desire to understand the connection between oral and overall health have also driven my success.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is to remain open-minded, never become stagnant in my education, and stay curious. My own journey has shown me that growth often comes from being willing to change direction, pursue further education, and continuously learn.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I encourage young women entering my industry to stay open-minded and committed to lifelong learning. Never become stagnant or assume that one degree or certification is the end—continue growing, learning, and seeking new opportunities.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I see tremendous opportunities in strengthening the connection between oral and systemic health. Educating dental professionals and patients about these connections can support earlier intervention, better outcomes, and stronger preventive care.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are love, honesty, authenticity, faith, compassion, service, lifelong learning, and helping others. I believe in being genuine and using my work to improve people’s health while serving others and helping make quality care accessible to underserved communities.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Becky
Speaking Life Into the People
Empowering Dental Professionals Through Encouragement and Education
Speaking Life Into the People
To me, being an influential woman in dentistry isn't about having the loudest voice in the room; it's about using your voice to lift others up.
My journey in dentistry began in 2006, and over the years, I've had the privilege of experiencing the profession from different perspectives, from dental assisting and clinical hygiene to my current role as a Preventive Care Consultant. Each chapter has taught me that dentistry is about so much more than procedures and products. It's about people, education, confidence, and the lives we have the opportunity to impact every day.
Today, I have the privilege of traveling throughout Central and South Texas, connecting with dental teams, students, doctors, hygienists, and assistants. I strive to bring more than information to these conversations; I want to bring encouragement. I want dental professionals to recognize their value, trust their knowledge, and feel empowered to have meaningful conversations about prevention and whole-body health with their patients.
I want to help dental teams build prevention into the way they care for their patients. Whether I'm speaking to a classroom of future hygienists, leading a Lunch & Learn, or sitting one-on-one with a dental professional, my goal is the same: to educate, encourage, and speak life back into the people who spend their careers caring for others.
Dentistry can be demanding, with a high burnout rate, and sometimes the people who pour so much into their patients need someone to pour a little encouragement back into them.
That is where I believe my influence lives.
If I can leave a dental professional feeling more confident, more inspired, and reminded of why they chose this profession, then I know I've made a difference.
I don't just want to influence dentistry; I want to breathe life into the people who make dentistry better.
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