CMC Dental Hygiene graduate celebrates her journey

"I wanted to show my daughter the value and importance of getting a degree."

Silvia Vicuña did exactly that — enrolling in CMC's brand-new dental hygiene program the same semester her daughter left for college.

Now, Silvia is one of nine graduates from CMC Vail Valley at Edwards' first-ever dental hygiene cohort — a group that achieved a 100% national board pass rate. After 15 years as a dental assistant in Summit County, she's already been offered a position as a hygienist at Dillon Family Dental.

Originally from Chihuahua, Mexico and now based in Breckenridge, Silvia balanced family, work, and school to become the first person in her family to earn a college degree. She was selected as student speaker at this year's Vail Valley at Edwards commencement ceremony — and she's already thinking about pursuing her bachelor's degree next.