Bulletin of Dental Education Article

Cristina Flores-Villarreal sent her sons, Gueriel and Eduardo Mendes-Flores, to Texas A&M University in College Station, TX, like many proud Aggie parents, full of hopes and dreams for their futures. And she celebrated when each received a bachelor’s degree and went to law school.

“From a young age, I made sure they understood that college wasn’t optional; it was the next step,” she said. “I couldn’t give them everything financially, but I could give them vision, discipline and belief in themselves.”

It was her turn May 25.

When Texas A&M University College of Dentistry (Texas A&M Dentistry) hosted graduation, Ms. Flores-Villarreal of Lewisville, TX, was among 27 dental hygiene students to receive bachelor’s degrees. The oldest graduate in her class and possibly the oldest new graduate in the program’s history, at 58, she matches her diploma with decades of life experience.

From left to right: Maria Cristina Mendes-Flores, Gueriel Mendes-Flores, Cristina Flores-Villarreal and Eduardo Mendes-Flores at the Texas A&M Dentistry graduation ceremony.

“I always wanted to finish my bachelor’s degree, but I was raising my kids, taking care of my parents and running my printing business,” Ms. Flores-Villarreal said.

After the passing of her father in 2013 and the loss of her mother during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Flores-Villarreal found herself at home alone in Mexico, especially with all her children grown. She made the decision to return to school.

Ms. Flores-Villarreal had considered a career in dental hygiene about 20 years ago. After all, she comes from a dental family in Mexico: Her father was a general dentist, her oldest brother is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, another brother is an orthodontist and one sister is a pediatric dentist. However, newly divorced, she dismissed the idea because family obligations in the Nuevo Laredo, Mexico-Laredo area prevented her from moving away for school.

With both family encouragement and financial support, this time she finished her associate degree and additional science courses at Laredo College and was accepted to Texas A&M Dentistry.

“When you are out of the loop for such a long time, it’s hard to believe that people would be interested in what you have to say,” said Ms. Flores-Villarreal, whose college records date back to 1987.

Eduardo Mendes-Flores said his mother was nervous about entering dental college in August 2023.

“My mom is a testament to the fact that it’s never too late to follow your dreams and keep your priorities straight,” he said.

Mr. Mendes-Flores, like his brother, was a member of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M. He graduated with a degree in political science in 2020 and earned a law degree from Elon University School of Law in North Carolina. He recently passed the bar exam and celebrated with his mother at the dental college, where she cleaned his teeth.

He also completed a master’s degree in Business Administration this month and will soon move to Charlotte, NC, to begin a career in immigration law.

Gueriel Mendes-Flores graduated ,in 2018, with a degree in Environmental Studies and then from St. Louis University School of Law. He’s an entertainment attorney in Austin, TX.

“She’s encouraged us to embrace opportunities and run with them; to be bold, even if it isn’t in our zone of comfort,” said Gueriel Mendes-Flores, who reminded his mother of her advice. 

Going back to school later in life isn’t easy.

Ms. Flores-Villarreal’s resilience and perseverance continue to impress Maureen Brown, B.S.D.H., M.S.H.I.E.D., RDH, the Interim Executive Director and Clinical Assistant Professor of the Dental Hygiene Program at the Texas A&M Dentistry.

“She made no excuses for her age, but she did comment many times how it took her longer to study and retain information than her younger counterparts,” Prof. Brown said. “Even with this knowledge, Cristina still volunteered her time to serve as one of the class technology chairs.”

From left to right: Texas A&M Dentistry Interim Executive Director and Professor of Dental Hygiene Maureen Brown and Cristina Flores-Villarreal celebrate her graduation.

One of Ms. Flores-Villarreal’s proudest moments was traveling to College Station, TX, in April with classmates to receive her Aggie class ring. All her children, including her daughter, Maria Cristina Mendes-Flores of Lewisville, TX, a cybersecurity student at Western Governors University, attended. They, along with about 40 members of her extended family, watched Ms. Flores-Villarreal graduate.

She plans to work as a temporary dental hygienist until she finds a permanent position in a private practice. Ms. Flores-Villarreal also contemplates a faculty position at some point, which requires a master’s degree to teach in the classroom.

“It’s never too late…,” she said. “Everything has fallen into place exactly as it should have.”

Courtesy of Texas A&M University College of Dentistry

Published on August 13, 2025