CEW+ celebrates Rowie’s persistence in her education and names her a Joan P. Ireland Scholar.

Rowie Ragudo Fuertes is passionate about educating and serving her communities. Rowie began her career in the Philippines after graduating from dental school at Manila Central University; yet, after several years running her practice, her growing desire to further broaden her knowledge and skills in oral healthcare led her to the United States. 

Rowie never lost sight of her ambition to advance her dental education throughout the 17 years she spent working as a dental assistant and raising her kids in the U.S. She remained active in the dental field and made time to volunteer her services and expertise at Hope Clinic, a nonprofit organization in Ypsilanti. She also participated in 5 dental missions in the Philippines, providing dental attention to underserved populations and kids.

Now, with characteristic persistence, Rowie is earning her master’s degree in dental hygiene at the University of Michigan. Here, she has undertaken an ambitious research thesis entitled “Assessment of the Efficacy of the Periodontal Endoscope as an Educational Tool to Improve Dental Hygiene Students’ Tactile Detection and Instrumentation Skills.” This study has the potential to provide dental hygiene students with a broader understanding of the importance of tactile detection skills during patient assessment and treatment, and ultimately obtain better patient outcomes. 

Rowie has been recognized for her dedication and hard work with a Rackham Non-Traditional Fellowship, an ADEA Crest Oral B Scholarship, the Eduardo and Aurora Sevilla Graduate Student Award, a Rackham Block Grant Award, and the King-Chavez-Parks Initiative Future Faculty Fellowship. More broadly, she is known for her “strong dedication to her studies, ambition for teaching, and enthusiasm for learning.” Following her graduation, she intends to continue serving her communities as an educator.

CEW+ celebrates Rowie’s persistence in her education and names her a Joan P. Ireland Scholar.