July 2026 Amber Grant Awarded to Sterling Hygiene

We’re excited to announce the July $10,000 Amber Grant recipient. Congratulations to Anne Charles, founder of Sterling Hygiene.

Recently, WomensNet Advisory Board member Jama Hernandez sat down with Anne for an exclusive interview. You can listen to Anne’s answers and view the transcript below.

Video Transcript

Tell us about your business and what or who inspired your business?

Well, there were actually three patients that I saw in traditional dental offices who had lost some level of independence, and I saw how difficult it was for them to access traditional dental care simply because they were having a difficult time in the dental office. I saw the need for better access to care.

The first one was in a wheelchair. He was unable to transfer into the chair, and he had his head tilted, which made it hard for us to take X-rays on him. Unfortunately, we had to turn him away.

The other one did come to the office. However, as she had lost most of her memory, it was hard for her to remain in the dental chair because she would get a little bit agitated. She wouldn’t know what she was doing, why she was there, or where her loved one was.

And lastly, there was one who, even though they were able to get in the chair, sometimes the dental office would require them to be there for two hours for an extraction and then a dental cleaning or whatever care they needed. Their loved one had to sit and wait during that time, or at least be readily accessible during that time.

So it really made me realize that access to care was something that everyone needed, and it shouldn’t be limited based on their mobility.

What also inspired Sterling Hygiene is that the name Sterling comes from my late little brother, who passed away in 2019. His name was Sterling, and I wanted to do something in his honor so that his name could be remembered.

What makes your business/approach unique from other businesses that are also providing your service/product?

One thing that makes Sterling Hygiene unique compared to the other providers who offer the same care is that my background in caregiving started long before I became a dental hygienist.

I immigrated here from Haiti, and caregiving is one of the easiest jobs that someone can get as an immigrant. My mom was a caregiver, my sister was a caregiver, and I myself became a caregiver for at least five years when I started working in my career.

Working as a caregiver taught me patience, compassion, and understanding. It really made me value the little time that we have because I saw that the connections I was building with the patients would fade, because I would meet them toward the tail end of their life.

So, I became a dental hygienist, I continued to practice that same care and compassion with every patient I met. I built true rapport with them, and I would even build friendships with my patients.

As I build Sterling Hygiene, I continue to bring that same care directly to each one of my patients, where they are guaranteed to receive compassion every single time and a level of care that is directly catered to them.

The thing about Sterling Hygiene is that I make my own time. I don’t have to rush. I can make sure that everyone gets the care they deserve, regardless of where they are cognitively that day. Because when patients have Alzheimer’s or they’re a little bit older, you never know how they’re going to feel from day to day. With Sterling Hygiene, one thing that is guaranteed is that compassion, dignity, and respect are always there at every single visit.