Morrow Student Puts Her All into Her New Dental Assistant Career

Her youngest daughter was only seven months old when Eleana Sagers started her educational journey at United Education Institute (UEI) in Morrow, Georgia.

While returning to school meant spending more time away from both her baby and her other two children, Eleana was ready to make a serious investment in her future. After spending years working as a nail technician, she wanted the stability that comes from building a long-term professional career.

“I wanted to find a career or something that actually will benefit me and I could move forward with,” she said. “I didn’t want to keep going from job to job.”

In November of last year, Eleana enrolled in UEI’s Dental Assistant program, turning a lifelong interest in oral health into a rewarding path forward.

Now, having completed the program with a spot on the President’s List, she is actively pursuing her first position as a dental assistant. As she prepares to enter the field, she is already planning where her education might take her next.

Finding a Career to Build On

Eleana graduated from high school in 2018 and worked in nail care for several years before deciding to pivot. Dentistry naturally caught her attention, in part because good oral hygiene had been emphasized throughout her childhood.

“I always looked at people’s teeth,” she said. “I’m big on my oral hygiene. I grew up in a house where my mom did not play about going to the dentist.”

When exploring dental assistant training programs, Eleana looked for a curriculum that offered sufficient time to master the profession through hands-on practice. UEI stood out because it combined direct lab training with a comprehensive externship, rather than the accelerated, weekend-only options she had also considered.

“I wasn’t going to a 10-week program where I go there every weekend,” she said. “I feel like I wasn’t going to learn anything. Here, I actually got hands-on experience, and I was able to go to an externship where people invested in what I was doing, too.”

The time, energy, and financial commitment she dedicated to her studies fueled her momentum throughout her tenure at UEI. Her children served as daily inspiration, as did the memory of her late father.

“My dad passed away, and I felt like I had to do it for him as well as my kids,” Eleana said. “I also had to prove to myself that I could actually do this and get it done. I’m not starting something and stopping. I’m going to finish this.”

That dedication carried directly into the classroom, where she matched the effort put forward by her instructors.

“I wanted to give 100%,” she said. “I didn’t want to come in here giving them 50%. That’s not fair to them or to me. So, I had to go all in.”

Finding Support at School and at Home

Eleana credits the faculty and staff at UEI’s Morrow campus with keeping her grounded and accountable. Instructors took time to ensure students thoroughly understood complex concepts before advancing to the next module.

Her bond with instructor Alisha Holmes proved particularly impactful. Eleana smiles remembering how the two occasionally “bumped heads,” likening their dynamic to an aunt who cares enough to deliver honest, tough love when it matters most.

“She would make sure, even when I was frustrated, to tell me, ‘Uh-uh, you’re not stopping,’” Eleana said. “‘Take a breath for a second, but we’re going to get right back to it. I’m not going to let you give up.’”

That extra push helped carry Eleana through the demanding balance of schoolwork and parenting an infant.

“It was difficult,” Eleana admitted. “I missed her—she was so little—but I had to do what was necessary for our future.”

Her older children recognized the commitment she was making and rallied around her efforts.

“My oldest son was super excited,” she said. “They were always asking me, ‘Did you have a good day at school? What did you learn today?’ They were fully engaged in what I was doing.”

Ready to Put Her Training to Work

Eleana’s externship provided the bridge between classroom instruction and real-world clinical practice. While working in a fast-paced clinical setting presented initial challenges, the office team helped her stay organized, refine her chairside skills, and build professional speed.

Most importantly, navigating those daily clinical demands gave Eleana lasting confidence.

“It made me more confident in what I was doing and gave me that ‘I can do it’ mindset,” she said.

Eleana finished her externship in mid-August and graduated shortly after. She has since relocated about two hours from the Morrow campus, ready to launch the next phase of her life in a new community.

She already has an interview scheduled at a practice she has long targeted. Looking ahead, Eleana plans to gain several years of chairside experience before returning to school to pursue specialized radiology certifications.

For now, she is eager to dive into the dental field with the same work ethic that carried her through the program—a mindset she recommends to every incoming student.

“If you’re going to go to the College, go in ready to give 100%,” Eleana said. “They’re going to give you 100%, so it’s only right for you to match that effort. They’re setting you up for success.”