Any DH happy with their career choice???

Jamie in Sacramento, California said: If I am, I hope it works out for me. All I can do is work hard, stay positive, and hope for the best. :)

Hey, I am a dental hygiene student at SCC right now. I wanted to go to dental school but I got lucky and got into the program as a last minute back up plan so I decided to just do it since the program cost only 6G for the 2 year!

Anyway, I just finished the first semester but ever since Winter break I have been feeling like I should just go get a real job since I got a BS at UC Davis in Biology.

We started the 2nd semester 2 weeks ago and I haven't been able to focus. In class all I could think about was dropping out and as a matter of fact, I am going to see my teacher in 2 hour to tell her that this profession is not right for me.

The reason I don't want to do DH anymore is because:

1) It's a great profession and the people in the program are very well educated as well as the professors but I felt like I am selling myself short since I went to a University

2) With the way the economy is now, I'm worried that even if I continue to do it and graduate, I might not find a job or at least one with full time/benefits

3) This is the main reason: I don't enjoy it. First semester was really stressful and this semester seems like its going to be worse. Cleaning teeth isn't as easy as it seemed. A lot of stuff to learn and physical fatigue!

Dental Hygiene Student in Sacramento, California said: Hey, I am a dental hygiene student at SCC right now. I wanted to go to dental school but I got lucky and got into the program as a last minute back up plan so I decided to just do it since the program cost only 6G for the 2 year!

Anyway, I just finished the first semester but ever since Winter break I have been feeling like I should just go get a real job since I got a BS at UC Davis in Biology.

We started the 2nd semester 2 weeks ago and I haven't been able to focus. In class all I could think about was dropping out and as a matter of fact, I am going to see my teacher in 2 hour to tell her that this profession is not right for me.

The reason I don't want to do DH anymore is because:

1) It's a great profession and the people in the program are very well educated as well as the professors but I felt like I am selling myself short since I went to a University

2) With the way the economy is now, I'm worried that even if I continue to do it and graduate, I might not find a job or at least one with full time/benefits

3) This is the main reason: I don't enjoy it. First semester was really stressful and this semester seems like its going to be worse. Cleaning teeth isn't as easy as it seemed. A lot of stuff to learn and physical fatigue!

Hi Student, your 3rd point is the most important. If you don't like hygiene now, you never will! Why make yourself miserable? Your second point is true. Hygiene has never been a "normal" full time career. Most dentists prefer to hire PT so they don't have to pay benefits. Your first point is moot. I attended a BS program for hygiene and many of my classmates already had university degrees. Do what your gut tells you! :)

After reading all of these posts it seems that few people realize they will NOT find gainful employment anywhere in the U.S. as a hygienist. There are no jobs anywhere! The worries about physical ailments linked to the profession are nothing more than a possibility and the last thing to be concerned about if your main goal is employment. Anyone thinking of going into this career right now (and probably in the future) is nuts and setting themselves up for heartache & failure. Do some research and you'll find the facts. Don't choose this career blindly. While it WAS once a good career with good income, that is no longer the case due to the economy and many other factors. The whole U.S. is over-saturated with unemployed hygienists and it's only going to increase. Only a lucky few have full-time jobs with benefits. The rest are part-time or doing temp work when they can get it. Temp/staffing agencies have so many hygienists to place in jobs that come available that they are forced to rotate them in order to be "fair," so hygienist may get a call once or twice a month unless a dentist specifically requests them. And when a job opening is advertised, the dentist receives SO many resumes that they just choose a few to interview and toss the rest out. Even if a hygienist is lucky enough to land a working interview, the competition is fierce. The odds of being the chosen one are bad. The dentist is going to hire the person who will take the least pay, which are usually new graduates. The point is, dental hygiene is NOT a good choice if you expect to find work after graduation and there are also many veteran hygienists out of work who are competing with you. I have been a hygienist in North Carolina since 1990 and lost my job in 2009 when the dentist cut back to one hygienist. Since then I have not been able to find a job and have only done some temp work here & there. This is just how it is! Choose another field! Becoming an RN is your best bet for employment.

Im done with trying to tell people about this profession. I know a person I grew up with, and learned about her aspiration to be a RDH. I gave her my advice (Unsolicited) and told her if I were her I wouldnt do it. Its not worth it, told her to come to this site and others (even ADHA) and read about the over-saturation yet she is still determine to go.
I wish I had someone telling me what it would be like, cuz I sure wouldnt do this field over again iof I had to choose. Im teaching now as a DA instructor, but I havent been employed as a RDH in an office since 2008. I temp when I get a chance, but the calls are few and far between. At this point I just hold my peace, cause its not my life. I'll let them learn the hard way. I had too, plus Im tried of being labeled a debbie downer or disgruntled RDH.

I was wondering if I'd find a conversation like this online. I've been practicing for 17 years, for the last 12 in a quiet one doc office. He is now retiring and the purchasing doc is bringing in a corporate dental practice management company with him. On one hand, I look forward to updating my skills, technology knowledge, etc, but I do not like the business dentistry has become, or that it has become business at all. I fear everything will be on the upsell, treatment, products, etc. I've read about offices that are managed by companies like this that root plane when there is 3 4mm pkts in a quad. Really? Oh and if there is an area of bleeding? Just one? 3 month perio recall. This is NOT about the dental health of the patient. This is about BOTTOM LINE and PROFIT. I like the new dentist, just very leary of this new corporation and what they may ask of me. He told me that the day of cottage industry dentistry is over, that it is all big business now, but "patient healthcare won't change"....really?? But if I leave without the new technology training, then I go out to an over-saturated market with less skills than everyone else. I'd go for some other career but I'm 41 with kids in school. My husband has a well paying career and I only work one day a week, but I like the security of being able to get employment if I need it. Even with a BS in DH I don't know what else I could do. I don't want to teach and I HATE sales. Is there any other path?

Dental Hygienist in ontario should come together and do something to protect our profession. pls visit our grops facebook page
on.fb.me/xsCaKq

Spread the word! :)

My recommendation is to run not walk from the dental hygiene profession. Most dentists will work you like a dog, only care about your production and treat you like you're replaceable (which we are). Wisconsin has flooded the state with hygienists while there is a shortage of dentists. This climate keeps the dentists in demand (increases their wages and profits) while keeping the hygienists in supply (decreases our wages). Dentists must think hygienists are stupid....but we are not. We know exactly what they are doing to our profession and our wages and our benefits. Zilch. We produce a lot of revenue for the practice, but it's only the dentists that get ahead. They continue to keep us oppressed. Out office is male dominated with misogynists who are arrogant and self righteous. I've been a hygienist for over 30 years and seen our profession decline in every way. It's been most disappointing. Think of another career.

I have been a hygienist for 34 years and I would never do it again! There is no job security, no vacation pay, no sick days, and no holiday pay. You work for a small business so they can treat you like crap. Go into something else while you still have a chance. Run away from the dental fiedl as fast as you can.

I have been a hygienist for 34 years and I would never do it again! There is no job security, no vacation pay, no sick days, and no holiday pay. You work for a small business so they can treat you like crap. Go into something else while you still have a chance. Run away from the dental field as fast as you can.

I am from Alabama, but I plan on moving like to Tennessee, or Flordia (Maybe somewhere else, I'm not sure yet. I am 16 & I want to be a DH. But I have some questions.
1st-How much do you get paid? Like is it a lot? Or too low. or just the right amount to "get by" with. B/c I want to be able to go in a store and see something i like & then buy it. Will I be able to do it with the salary ?
2nd-Do you guys like your job? I mean do you love getting ready to go to work?
3rd-What are the main differences in a DH & a Dentist? I know they both have different things you have to do, but really. whats the difference?