Richard Robinson, RDH
Richard Robinson – Community Champion + Entrepreneur Extraordinaire
My Journey Into Dental Hygiene
I’m Richard Robinson, RDH a dental hygienist at Arkansas Family Dental in Little Rock and a community health advocate committed to prevention, education, and equity. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Health Professions in 2022. Growing up in Pine Bluff, Arkansas shaped my belief that oral health is deeply connected to confidence, opportunity, and overall wellness and that access to preventive care should never be determined by circumstance.
Alongside clinical care, I stay actively involved in community outreach and community health, providing prevention focused education and mentorship across the lifespan from school-aged youth to working adults in underserved areas. I’m grateful to collaborate with partners who share this mission, including Arkansas Family Dental, Delta Dental of Arkansas, the Delta Dental Foundation, and the ADHA Foundation. Together, these relationships help strengthen prevention efforts, expand access, and elevate pathways into the dental hygiene profession.
My journey is also rooted in representation and legacy. As the second African American male to graduate from UAMS Dental Hygiene, I’m committed to widening the pipeline for those coming behind me. After graduation, I founded MY WHY, a nonprofit focused on improving oral health through education and community engagement, and established The Richard Robinson Scholarship through UAMS to support dental hygiene students facing financial barriers. For me, this work is more than a career it’s a responsibility to open doors and build healthier communities.
My Passion for creating MY WHY
I created MY WHY because I’ve seen firsthand how gaps in education, access, and resources can shape health outcomes for entire families. I believe oral health is a gateway to overall wellness, confidence, and opportunity and no one’s ability to live a healthy life should depend on their ZIP code. MY WHY exists to improve oral health in underserved communities through education and community engagement, meeting people where they are with practical tools, consistent support, and dignity.
My passion is rooted in showing up for the community delivering oral health education, prevention-focused outreach, and mentorship for children, adolescents, and adults. I’m especially committed to building pathways into dental hygiene because representation and access to opportunity matter. When people can see themselves in healthcare, they begin to imagine new possibilities for their future and that’s where lasting change starts.
Partnership has been essential to turning this mission into action. I’m grateful for the support of Arkansas Family Dental, Delta Dental of Arkansas, the Delta Dental Foundation, and the ADHA Foundation. Through the Delta Dental Foundation’s Hygienist Inspired initiative expanding access to care by empowering hygienists to recruit future talent through personal stories, I’m honored to serve as an Arkansas ambassador. With support from the ADHA Foundation, including the Mars Wrigley Grant, we helped launch MY WHY University, focused on inspiring the next generation of dental hygiene professionals through hands-on workshops and early career exposure. My purpose is simple: expand access, open doors, and strengthen communities one conversation, one student, and one smile at a time.
