78 Photo Essay: Brenisha Belser

Dental Assistant, Mother

Words by McKenzie Wade | Image by Blakeney Clouse

Brenisha Belser is a young woman who is where she is today because of an unwavering dedication to every area of her life, including her career and her family. 

When Brenisha was a student at Cordova High School, she knew she had an interest in dentistry. “I have always been into it,” she says. “Every time I went to the dentist, I was asking questions and looking at everything.” 

After graduating from Cordova in 2013, Brenisha became involved with the Adam Bishop Center, a mental health treatment facility where her grandmother worked for many years. Recalling her own time working with younger children there, Brenisha says one of the most rewarding parts was “seeing their progress and making a difference in their lives.”

In 2015, Brenisha welcomed her first child, a daughter named Hadley. The responsibilities of motherhood placed her dreams of dentistry on hold for a short time. When she heard about Bevill State’s Dental Assistant Program in 2018, she realized it was a way to achieve those dreams, so she enrolled. “That opened the door for me. That was really what I needed,” she says.

After completing the program, Brenisha began looking for a job and eventually landed a position at Dr. Thacker’s Orthodontics (now Bates Orthodontics). Approaching her third year at the office, Brenisha says she “started from the bottom,” but has learned so much and advanced in her position over the years. 

The work environment is fast-paced and involves many moving parts. On any given day, the office might see 60 to 70 patients. Brenisha does impressions, x-rays, and explains how braces work to many people, but her favorite part is simply the interaction she has with her co-workers and her patients. 

Today, Brenisha is a working mother and her daughter Hadley is approaching her sixth birthday. “She is me. She is my child for sure,” Brenisha laughs. 

With the continued support of her family, Brenisha looks forward to the possibility of returning to school and advancing in her work. She is eager to learn even more than she already knows. At the end of the day, her passion and dedication to work goes back to her daughter. 

“I want her to be proud of me,” she says. “Really, it’s all for her.” 78