Meet Trish Thomas, MEd., BSDH, RDHAP

Trish brings over 25 years of clinical and administrative experience to the dental field. She began her career as a dental assistant at the age of 16. After relocating from Hawai'i to San Diego, she earned her Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) license in 2003 by passing the Dental Board of California's exam. In 2015, Trish advanced her career by obtaining her Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) license, followed by the completion of a Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice (RDHAP) certificate from the University of the Pacific.

Trish transitioned into academia in 2022 as an Adjunct Professor in a dental hygiene program teaching both didactic and clinical courses. In 2024, she was appointed as a full-time Assistant Professor. That same year, she earned her Master of Education in Transformational Leadership from Aspen University.

In addition to her academic and clinical work, Trish serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the Dental Hygiene Board of California (DHBC), where she contributes her expertise to the regulation of policies and best practices in dental hygiene.

As a native islander of Hawai'i, she enjoys going back as often as she can - soaking up the sun on the beach, and eating all of her favorite island foods, but most importantly being able to spend time with her family and friends.

Trish holds memberships with the California Dental Hygienists' Association (CDHA), CDHA San Diego (CDHASD), California Dental Hygiene Educators' Association (CDHEA) National Network of Healthcare Hygienists' (NNHH), American Academy for Oral & Systemic Health (AAOSH), and California Association of the Deaf (CAD).