Meet Megan Bridges Haas, dental hygienist and Cy Young Festival queen
Megan Bridges Haas, a lifelong resident of Newcomerstown, is a dental hygienist with Gesiotto Dental in Mount Eaton, and also was the 2011 Cy Young Festival queen. The daughter of Roy Bridges and Laura Bridges attended St. Joseph’s Elementary and graduated from Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School, both in Dover. Megan and her husband, Nathan, were married in October 2022.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR DAYS AT TUSCARAWAS CENTRAL CATHOLIC AND WHERE YOU ATTENDED COLLEGE – Although I have resided in Newcomerstown my entire life, did not attend school in the village. However, I grew up with many friends from town and continued those friendships over the years. In high school, I was involved in volleyball, dance, choir, and track. I graduated from Tuscarawas Central Catholic in 2011 and went on to pursue a bachelor of science in dental hygiene at West Liberty University. There, I was an active member in Alpha Xi Delta fraternity as membership vice president and other roles. I was involved in the Student of American Dental Hygiene Association, and I am still a member today.
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TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY AND WHAT YOU ENJOY IN YOUR SPARE TIME – I purchased my family home in Newcomerstown in 2019, and Nathan and I have been spending free time renovating our residence. We have two dogs, and we love to enjoy the outdoors together. My hobbies include hiking, off-roading side by side, going to wineries and boating at Salt Fork.
WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO BECOME A DENTAL HYGIENIST? – I grew up observing our dentist take care of my whole family every six months. Thinking I wanted to be a dentist, I originally went to dental hygiene school for an undergraduate degree with plans of attending dental school, but I quickly realized dental hygiene was what I longed for as a career. I love being able to educate patients on oral health and build relationships with them.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORK – I started with Dr. Gesiotto six months after I was licensed as a registered dental hygienist. He has taught me a great deal about working as a hygienist that hygiene school did not. The best part about my career at Gesiotto Dental is that we have some of the best patients, and not only do I get to educate the public on oral hygiene and systemic health, but I have built amazing relationships with them. Gesiotto Dental had an office in Strasburg for over 20 years before relocating to Mount Eaton full-time in the last few years.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO STAY IN NEWCOMERSTOWN AFTER YOUR EDUCATION? – My roots have always been in Newcomerstown. I love the small-town feel and the village has always been home to me. I plan to hopefully raise a family here someday and continue the life I appreciate here.
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WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? – Something surprising about me would be that even though I drive about 45 minutes to work each day, I cherish having the time to think and process the day. All I need is my coffee and true crime podcasts!!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A FORMER CY YOUNG FESTIVAL QUEEN, AND WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO FUTURE ROYALTY? – Yes, this year’s Cy Young Festival is coming up June 23-25, and applications to enter the queen’s contest are on the Cy Young Festival website currently with the deadline being May 24. There is detailed information on the application regarding fees, meetings and ages. All applicants must be Newcomerstown residents, and there are categories for young children as well as teens. Being the festival queen in 2011 was awesome! I attended about 30 different festivals and parades while serving as the ambassador for our Cy Young Days Festival! One of my major highlights was making many friends from other towns, and that in turn made for great attendance of other queens coming to the Cy Young Festival and parade the following year. My message to contestants would be telling them to be knowledgeable and ready to talk about the festival dates and details. Should you be chosen as Cy Young royalty, remember to promote the festival not only at other towns’ events, but even in your spare time out and about! It helps the festival keep going year to year!
WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT? – Life can be so busy, but please make dental visits a priority in your life, as it is so important to your overall health. Dentists and hygienists work hard to provide you with the utmost in dental healthcare. Please take a moment to thank them the next time you are in the office, and if you do not have a regular dentist, please find one!
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Meet Megan Bridges Haas, dental hygienist and Cy Young Festival queen
