Would appericate some guidence

Hi all,
I happened to stumble across this forum while looking for some more information on dental hygiene ( I hope I posted this correctly). You see I'm in a bit of a pickle. I happened to be finishing up my associate’s degree at my community college, and I was rejected from the dental school I had really wanted to go to (VCU if anyone is from VA). Honestly I am completely at a loss of what to do. In my area there are only TWO schools to really go to, and I really cannot afford to go out of state (which makes me sad). Now, I have searched the internet and found that one college in my area has a dental assisting program. While I have not given up on my dream of going to the college I want, I was thinking that maybe going into this school’s dental assisting program would be a good way to not only learn more about dental, but also make myself look more acceptable to the other college. I also hear that the dental assisting program there can help you get a job at an office (something I do not have, but I have interviewed and observed). Another choice would be to enter VCU itself, not its dental hygiene program, and finish one pre req and somehow bide my time.

I'm not quite sure what to but I am leaning more to the dental assisting program. I would really appreciate someone’s suggestion/opinion.

Thanks,
Whitney

If you don't mind driving Germana has a 2yr program. Germana is in Fredericksburg. There is no difference in pay with a 2yr or 4yr. 4yr you can teach. Before you waste the money on assistanting look into an office that will train you and pay for xray license. DAs in Va don't have to board certified. Also look into 2yr RN programs. You take some of the same prereqs and you can work as a RN with flexible hrs while you go to hygiene school. I wish I knew these options myself. I'm not a big fan of hygiene. That's my opinion because I have worked for jerks since I've been in Va. Hygiene does have the best hrs.

You might also want to contact schools with programs in states surrounding VA. I'm not sure about tuition at my school, but my brother in law went to medical school out of state and talked them into allowing him to only pay in state tuition. Also, if you are considering going to a community college, there are several more programs than universities and the tuition would be much cheaper (or equal to a university if you go to one out of state).

Dental assisting can give you a good insight into dental hygiene and maybe even help getting into hygiene school later on, but they are very different. Many people in my program that were assistants have said that the experience they had only helped in the first semester with classes like Dental Anatomy. Assistants are very high in demand in my area and in my opinion it wouldn't hurt you to go ahead and go for it. It takes a lot of people a few tries to get into hygiene programs so don't be discouraged. My school had 120 applicants last year and only 85 this time so it's just a matter of the competition each year.

Destiny in Johnson City, Tennessee said: You might also want to contact schools with programs in states surrounding VA. I'm not sure about tuition at my school, but my brother in law went to medical school out of state and talked them into allowing him to only pay in state tuition. Also, if you are considering going to a community college, there are several more programs than universities and the tuition would be much cheaper (or equal to a university if you go to one out of state).

Dental assisting can give you a good insight into dental hygiene and maybe even help getting into hygiene school later on, but they are very different. Many people in my program that were assistants have said that the experience they had only helped in the first semester with classes like Dental Anatomy. Assistants are very high in demand in my area and in my opinion it wouldn't hurt you to go ahead and go for it. It takes a lot of people a few tries to get into hygiene programs so don't be discouraged. My school had 120 applicants last year and only 85 this time so it's just a matter of the competition each year.

Don't recommend that this person go into the HYGIENE FIELD it is and will be for a LONG,LONG, LONG!!!! time overcrowded. I would suggest DENTAL SCHOOL, NOT HYGIENE SCHOOL, or the medical field, where there is ALWAYS a demand for NURSES, etc... also longevity and, AND...... BENEFITS! USUALLY NO BENEFITS IN HYGIENE, REPEAT.....NO BENEFITS FOR MOST R.D.H.'s!!!!!!

I'm only trying to help guide someone's decision. I don't think that anyone should go into a career misinformed, but I don't think they should spend the rest of their lives loathing it either. Go into hygiene if it is what you want. Don't do it for money or great hours... these things should be a bonus to an enjoyable career. The majority of your life will be spent at work so you might as well like it.

I don't understand why so many people recommend nursing. They are similar careers but also very different... dental hygiene is about preventative care and maintenance. Sure the demand is high until everyone and their brother is going to nursing school and there's oversaturation once all the Babyboomers are dead and gone. This economy is hard on everyone, not just hygienists. There are cashiers, mechanics, and so on out of work.

As for benefits... maybe some people don't need a career with an excellent benefits package. My husband is a nurse and I'm on his insurance plan. Insurance policies and plans for retirement don't have to come from your employer alone. Set aside the money that would be taken out and purchase those things from a third party if necessary. I shadowed at three different offices and all their hygienists received full benefits. They exist.

For what it's worth for those of you who have been discouraged by all the negativity in these posts, if you want to be a hygienist, go for it! Weigh your options and what is most important to you and make that decision.

Destiny in Johnson City, Tennessee said: I'm only trying to help guide someone's decision. I don't think that anyone should go into a career misinformed, but I don't think they should spend the rest of their lives loathing it either. Go into hygiene if it is what you want. Don't do it for money or great hours... these things should be a bonus to an enjoyable career. The majority of your life will be spent at work so you might as well like it.

I don't understand why so many people recommend nursing. They are similar careers but also very different... dental hygiene is about preventative care and maintenance. Sure the demand is high until everyone and their brother is going to nursing school and there's oversaturation once all the Babyboomers are dead and gone. This economy is hard on everyone, not just hygienists. There are cashiers, mechanics, and so on out of work.

As for benefits... maybe some people don't need a career with an excellent benefits package. My husband is a nurse and I'm on his insurance plan. Insurance policies and plans for retirement don't have to come from your employer alone. Set aside the money that would be taken out and purchase those things from a third party if necessary. I shadowed at three different offices and all their hygienists received full benefits. They exist.

For what it's worth for those of you who have been discouraged by all the negativity in these posts, if you want to be a hygienist, go for it! Weigh your options and what is most important to you and make that decision.

Whether or not you would like to pursue a career as an R.D.H. depending on the state you wish to practice, the field is overcrowded. Even if you are not in need of insurance, if you are spending your hard earned money on a career, the Dental Hygiene field in most states does not allow the employment opportunities it did 2-3years ago. In the medical field there always seems to be a need, so employment is more available.

I believe if a person asks for advice, the more people share their experiences the better informed the decisions will be. The market is oversaturated in hygiene and will be for quite some time as many new grads are getting ready to hit the street and many more are getting ready to start new programs. As for the comment about the baby boomers all dying and being gone- WOAH! I am one and don't plan on dying that soon. Nurses will always be needed and there are many more job opportunities for them than for us. Facts vs. hopes. As far as benefits in hygiene, there are not very many private practice dr's that offer them. If they are offered, how many are actually given? How many never materialize? What is the cost to the hygienist of their portion of the insurance? Retirement at the most is 3% profit sharing which is going to accumulate very slowly and if you leave that practice, which there is a good chance you will, there goes your retirement. If you opt for short term disability, long term disability, medical, dental, retirement, you are not taking home near what you think you are making. That $30 plus an hour just went down to about half. I have never heard of life insurance at a private practice either. So what if you have a husband and are on his insurance? Who's to say he won't lose his job or that you will stay married? In this economy, nothing is a sure thing. I believe a person has to take care of their own needs. If you are becoming a hygienist to treat patients it's great. I love it. But if you are planning on hygiene until you retire, be prepared for nothing at the end. When your paycheck stops, that's it.

Ok, I'll throw in my 2 cents. Whitney, I personally think dental assisting is not a bad idea, especially if you do expanded functions. Here in Ohio, I see adds all the time for EFDA's. And I think the average pay is $20-25 per hour.? It would be great experience in a dental setting in case you still want to consider hygiene. I've been a hygienist for many years...work 2 separate offices, and have benefits in both, even the commission office. Paid vacation and personal days, retirement(in one office only), paid continuing education, paid scrubs, free dental, and other little perks..no insurance, though. I pay for my own. I was offered it in one office, but he wanted me to go full time and I didn't want to quit the other office, so I declined it.

As stated earlier, though, hygiene is very overpopulated at the moment. It is difficult, I hear, to find a full time position. I happen to agree with Destiny that due to the economy, hygiene isn't the only field struggling at the moment, but, if it's something you really want to do, go for it, hon. It has allowed me to support myself and 3 children for many years...and I still enjoy going to work each day. God luck to you.

Susann in Newark, Ohio said: Ok, I'll throw in my 2 cents. Whitney, I personally think dental assisting is not a bad idea, especially if you do expanded functions. Here in Ohio, I see adds all the time for EFDA's. And I think the average pay is $20-25 per hour.? It would be great experience in a dental setting in case you still want to consider hygiene. I've been a hygienist for many years...work 2 separate offices, and have benefits in both, even the commission office. Paid vacation and personal days, retirement(in one office only), paid continuing education, paid scrubs, free dental, and other little perks..no insurance, though. I pay for my own. I was offered it in one office, but he wanted me to go full time and I didn't want to quit the other office, so I declined it.

As stated earlier, though, hygiene is very overpopulated at the moment. It is difficult, I hear, to find a full time position. I happen to agree with Destiny that due to the economy, hygiene isn't the only field struggling at the moment, but, if it's something you really want to do, go for it, hon. It has allowed me to support myself and 3 children for many years...and I still enjoy going to work each day. God luck to you.

Oops...thank goodness I'm not a secretary...my typing skills are pathetic! lol

I meant "ads" and "Good luck to you".