Meet the Staff: McKenzie Wotring

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

McKenzie Wotring serves as the Coordinator for the Dental Care Center at the Garrett County Health Department. From her first visit to the dentist, she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up!

McKenzie graduated from Southern Garrett High School in 2011, followed by Garrett College where she earned an associate degree, and then the dental hygiene program at Allegany College of Maryland where she graduated in 2015. After a several year break, McKenzie graduated from Texas Women’s University with a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene in 2021. 

“As silly as it sounds, I lost my first tooth when I was four years old,” McKenzie said. “I had always heard family members say how much they didn’t like going to the dentist. When my mom and dad took me for the first time, I had an amazing experience and walked out of a local office and told my parents that was exactly what I wanted to do. Being an only child, my parents videoed everything and they actually have this on VHS!”

“The favorite part of my job is when I have a young patient who is coming to the clinic for their first appointment and I get to share everything in my ‘tool kit’ such as my tickle brush, Mr. Thirsty, and my ‘tooth counter’,” McKenzie said. “I get a feeling of accomplishment when they return for their follow-up appointments and have no fear! I want all visits to the dental clinic to be enjoyable, not something that is feared.”

McKenzie is not afraid of blood or working inside a patient’s mouth. So, what makes her squirm?

“I am absolutely terrified of bugs and will take a different route or yell for someone to come kill it for me,” she said. “All of the girls in the clinic know what’s going on when I yell.”

When she’s not helping her littlest patients get comfortable at the clinic, McKenzie loves to spend time at the river and camp with her parents, going to Pittsburg Penguins hockey games, beating her boyfriend Drew at mini golf, and watching FRIENDS. 

McKenzie couldn’t settle on a favorite quote because she has two:

• “Everything that we do and everyone that we meet is put in our path for a purpose.”- Marla Gibbs and 
• “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. It’s what sunflowers do.” -Helen Keller