Life at Work

Throughout my 30-year career as a clinical dental hygienist, I have had several physical therapy sessions for hand, shoulder, neck, and lower back chronic pain and fatigue. I found great comfort and release of tension with these simple and smart stretches. Please do these stretches gently and only as your body feels comfortable. If any stretch makes you feel uncomfortable...

I’ve been practicing for seven years now as a dental hygienist as well as many years prior as an assistant. I’ve seen all types of scheduling − 30 minutes with a hygiene assistant, 40 minutes with the “you must see 10 patients a day” doctor, and 60 minutes with the doctor who understands our value. Consultants have stated this time...

Ten years ago, I picked up my license, walked out of my employer’s office midday, and never looked back. I don’t regret it. What I do regret is not noticing the red flags sooner. Working in a toxic office is not something that every hygienist will encounter in their careers, but many will. So, here is a discussion of...

Some dentists are switching to the trend of assisted or accelerated hygiene. In this concept, the assistants go over medical history, take radiographs, polish, and stay for the exam with the doctor. This leaves just periodontal charting, ultrasonic scaling, and hand scaling up to the hygienist. For the dentist or office manager, this increases production by stacking patients in the...

The anticipation of starting your career path, especially in a field where you know you can make a significant difference, is exhilarating. Unfortunately, that feeling can come crashing down when there are workplace stressors. Picture your most recent workday. Take a step back and assess your work routine. Do you rush into work and quickly set up to call your...

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it’s that wonderful time of the year again. Beginning in January, the whole 1099 or W2 debate is in full swing for dental hygienists who do temporary or fill-in work. Temp work is certainly a great way to make some extra income, network with other professionals in your area, and possibly learn new techniques from...

You wake up one morning, look yourself in the mirror, and realize there is so much more you can be doing. You start to question what decisions need to be made to change the course of your life. All of a sudden, impending fear overtakes you as you come to the realization that it will require surrendering a comfortable...

We are in a new decade, in case you haven’t heard, which by the way, is debatable as some say the decade begins in 2021. That would be helpful to alleviate all this pressure, wouldn’t it? The voice of reinvention is loud – Be bold! Move on! All this forward-thinking can be the catalyst to begin a new future,...

There are two sides to every story except when it comes to online and social media dental practice reviews. As the consumer’s ability to review and speak out rises, you may have noticed a large increase in media for consumers to spread their opinions. The world of dentistry cannot go unaffected by this. At times, reviews can be a great...

Dental hygiene has been known as a “mommy job” in my community. We don’t have to take call, we don’t have to work weekends, and most of us work part-time. I have known few hygienists who do work “full-time,” and most of them have expressed feeling what we like to call clinical “burnout.” They end up feeling the need...