dental hygenist

Well I love my job and I love what I do. The desire to help in this silent epidemic we have keeps me going. I am fortunate to have a great job with all benefits and paid holidays. I do know this is hard to come by. You have to prioritize what what look for first (pay,distance,hours,insurance,ect) and then be picky on your job choice. There are different levels of hygiene work; private clinics,correctionsl facilities, state jobs to mention a few. Get your BS!! Thats what I am working on now. I then will be able to do some teaching, research, and sales. Its always a good backup plan too if my wrist back or whatever starts to pain me or I would like to stay involved with out all the physical work. I am very passionate about my work. We need more hygienist with the same strive!!

River said: I have read every ones comments about the down sides of practicing Dental Hygienist. I want to know why it is difficult to find fulltime work in this profession and if all jobs within this field pay hourly? weather clients cancel or not? Thanks and I look forward toward a response.

I am a Dental assistant and have been for 12 hyears. I can tell you first hand that I have only come across 1 Hygenist that would tell you that she loves it. The rest would tell you to choose something else. The reason you will not find full time is that most every dental office is Monday through Thursday. Sure, the pay is great but if you like the chiropractor and massage therapist, believe me you will need them. The average carreer span for a Hygenist is 5 years. Another factor is the area you choose to wotk. I work in a large city that does not supply fluoride in the drinking water, and a lot of patients are not complient and this is very frustration. m On the flip side I have worked in areas that have very complient patients and it is very rewarding. I know I am a Dental assistant but I ahve a little insight. Carpel Tunnel is an issue for all in teh Dental field. You know a lot of people will advise you not to go into the field but in the end it is your decision and who knows...you may love it and you may find iour passion. Good luck with whatever you choose.

Dental Assistant in Spokane, Washington said: I am a Dental assistant and have been for 12 hyears. I can tell you first hand that I have only come across 1 Hygenist that would tell you that she loves it. The rest would tell you to choose something else. The reason you will not find full time is that most every dental office is Monday through Thursday. Sure, the pay is great but if you like the chiropractor and massage therapist, believe me you will need them. The average carreer span for a Hygenist is 5 years. Another factor is the area you choose to wotk. I work in a large city that does not supply fluoride in the drinking water, and a lot of patients are not complient and this is very frustration. m On the flip side I have worked in areas that have very complient patients and it is very rewarding. I know I am a Dental assistant but I ahve a little insight. Carpel Tunnel is an issue for all in teh Dental field. You know a lot of people will advise you not to go into the field but in the end it is your decision and who knows...you may love it and you may find iour passion. Good luck with whatever you choose.

@Dental Assistant in Spokane, Washingtonwhat do you think the carpe tunnel is a big an issue for dental assistantsor more so for hygienists?

I will be heading to Florida from Nov 17th to 29th and am inquiring if there are any temp hygiene available for those dates. I have been preacticing for over 6 years and have my Florida license. Please let me know if I can help anyone out with their holidays. Thanks

thanks to the info i found on here i changed my major to nursing!....I is tough but glad i did it! Thank you ladies!

fitchc in Elmhurst, New York said: thanks to the info i found on here i changed my major to nursing!....I is tough but glad i did it! Thank you ladies!

very wise decision! good luck

Ex-hygienist in Turlock:
I just read your post. I completely agree with you. Yes, there are some nice offices with good equipment and decent staff, but they are few and far between. It's a highly stressful job as well. The only "carrot" in the past has been a decent paycheque, but now that's gone by the wayside because of the vast number of new hopefuls looking for work. I wouldn't recommend this job to anyone.

I'm the husband of an RDH and I can tell you that after 17 years of practice, my wife is only showing slight signs of wrist and back fatigue. Nothing debilitating at all.

The down side is, after 17 years working in the same practice, she's never had a pay raise and the doctors constantly mess with the Hygienists regarding their pay rate and office responsibilities.
Currently, she's on commission basis and at one time the doctors tried to base that commission on accounts receivable; which is, against the labor law in Canada.
Needless to say, the doctors aren't the brightest at running a business and have done more to drive it into the ground than anything.

Based on her commission rate.. a good billing day will yield $60/hr. (Saturdays)
On a bad day, with lots of cancellations, it's around $15/hr.

Unfortunately, with our current global economic environment.. there's more bad days now than good.

Hotdiggity:
Good to hear that your wife hasn't had anything debilitating;she must have been blessed with working in good offices with decent equipment, or with good genes. She's lucky. Depending upon an office's patients and equipment, and the need to make silk purses out of every patient (or at least attempt to do so) takes its toll on many of us.
I agree about the pay raise issue. Raises are few and infrequent. I got a raise when my dentist went on antidepressants. She took herself off them and I was sure she'd rescind that one dollar raise. (To her credit, she didn't.) And as for the topic of running a business, you're spot on. I guess you're talking about her particular dentists, but it's pretty ubiquitous in this industry. I see it all the time.

Actually, her office is a dump and they're being harassed by the management to renovate it.
I don't go into her office all that much, but I was in there a few weeks ago and was disgusted by the condition of room. I never really noticed it before.
Her chair looked like something out of a 1970's typing pool and the patient chair had a huge rip down the side.

But, that said, her office does have a lot of "government subsidized patients" and as I'm sure you know, the government doesn't pay current ODA rates. And to top it off, they're not allowed to refuse these patients.

She once worked Saturdays at a modern downtown practice where they not only had an Office Manager, but a Hygiene Coordinator. Two doctors, five Hygienists.
All the equipment and environmentals were top notch and they paid their hygienists exceptionally well.
But, alas, my wife didn't like the constant pressure of cleaning quotas and quit.

Farmingdale State University-long island
Monroe CC
Hostos CC
NYC College of Tech-Brooklyn

This question is for the (employed) dental hygienists in NY...

how long did it take for you to find a job?
what are some temp agencies that you use?
are you in a FT or PT position?

trypanosoma... "Was this comment helpful?" Yes(0)/No(50)

elena in Brooklyn, New York said: hey guys, can anyone tell me what colleges can i apply to for dh, i live in brooklyn,ny

There are plenty of good schools to apply for, especially in the dental field and dental hygiene. Go to www.HygienistSchools.com to search the database of schools in New York.

KNEEC in Bronx, New York said: @Dental Assistant in Spokane, Washingtonwhat do you think the carpe tunnel is a big an issue for dental assistantsor more so for hygienists?

I don't think she can speak for hygienist, so I will. As a hygienist carpal tunnel is a neg BUT you need to sit properly and not pick up bad habits. Personally I love dh and would never think about doing anything else.
You can make a awesome salary working 2-3 days a week.
We rdhs make more than rns in most states. It's also less stress :)

NYC or farmingdale in LI
Hostess I have heard bad things about. Plus every hostess temp we had have been clueless.

trypanosoma in Bethesda, Maryland said: This question is for the (employed) dental hygienists in NY...

how long did it take for you to find a job?
what are some temp agencies that you use?
are you in a FT or PT position?

trypanosoma... "Was this comment helpful?" Yes(0)/No(50)

Where will you be living?

Mrdh in Valencia, California said: I don't think she can speak for hygienist, so I will. As a hygienist carpal tunnel is a neg BUT you need to sit properly and not pick up bad habits. Personally I love dh and would never think about doing anything else.
You can make a awesome salary working 2-3 days a week.
We rdhs make more than rns in most states. It's also less stress :)

thanks for your reply. have you noticed that any of the DAs have trouble with it?

I have practiced for 39 yrs and have severe cmc arhtritis ( both thumbs) and several herniated cervical discs, but no carpal tunnel. I still practice pt thanks to steroid inj + celebrex. However I have a friend who is 74 + works 3 days a week-no arthritis. Genetics plays a role too.

elizabeth in Washington, District of Columbia said: Hey girl are you doing Dental Hygiene just wondering because I was really interested in getting into the field because it pays really well I have heard about the long term affects like you said the wrist problems and all that but I have had cruddy jobs my whole life and som ething tells me to change and go after a job that appreciates me why are you being pessimisitic about Dental Hygiene?? you are not the only one I would like to get your full insight on this career before I even think about persuing it

What kind of job you had where you felt unappreciated? I am aRN thinking about changing my career to dh

Cherri smith in Pooler, Georgia said: What kind of job you had where you felt unappreciated? I am aRN thinking about changing my career to dh

Cherri....don't go for RDH. If you want to go into Dental, train as a DA...you will find employment and benefits, etc...RDH's , majority of us receive "zip! It will also, cost you less for training and you will be able to re-coup the money you spent on schooling. RDH's. recouping their investment? Not happening for the majority. VET

sb1952 said: I have practiced for 39 yrs and have severe cmc arhtritis ( both thumbs) and several herniated cervical discs, but no carpal tunnel. I still practice pt thanks to steroid inj + celebrex. However I have a friend who is 74 + works 3 days a week-no arthritis. Genetics plays a role too.

have you noticed that any of the DAs have the same problems?

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.

Hygienist Schools in Hendersonville, Tennessee said: You can also check out www.HygienistSchools.com if you want a second opinion. There you will find out more facts about the jobs and requirements and also pay ranges.

LIES.....schools are a BUSINESS = take your money...and when you graduate, you are on your own...GL!....Flossbabe hits the nail on the head...and she has been in the field working most likely FT at one point to temping if she can find work NOW. It's a VERY costly learning experince for anyone choosing to go the DH route. Do you really have the money $$$ and time to WASTE on going to DH school? Think of benefits, you will need these as you become older in any field, retirement ben's that you and your employer pay into for when you choose to retire or have to retire, nest egg. Benefits are important! The DH field does not provide you , except for a VERY few, with anything other than your paycheck...zip...benefits...to be able to live comfortably and not struggle with monthly bills, food. etc...unless you have relatives in the field or have a job in writing from a Dr. you work for now...choose another field. You will be glad you did*.

exp in Seabrook, New Hampshire said: LIES.....schools are a BUSINESS = take your money...and when you graduate, you are on your own...GL!....Flossbabe hits the nail on the head...and she has been in the field working most likely FT at one point to temping if she can find work NOW. It's a VERY costly learning experince for anyone choosing to go the DH route. Do you really have the money $$$ and time to WASTE on going to DH school? Think of benefits, you will need these as you become older in any field, retirement ben's that you and your employer pay into for when you choose to retire or have to retire, nest egg. Benefits are important! The DH field does not provide you , except for a VERY few, with anything other than your paycheck...zip...benefits...to be able to live comfortably and not struggle with monthly bills, food. etc...unless you have relatives in the field or have a job in writing from a Dr. you work for now...choose another field. You will be glad you did*.

i agree, your comments were very helpful. the spammer above should not be allowed to post a wedbite for DH schools. i am so glad i switched my major from DH to nursing. i also have a certificate for dental assisting, although the school has yet to place me in the internship. but hopefully once i do complete the internship, i'll be able to find a dentist who is only slightly abusive, lol

I am not a spammer, I am an actual person trying to let people know that not everything about hygienists and their jobs in bad and gloom and doom. There are many happy dental hygienists out there in the world that love their jobs and the rewards they get from helping real people with their mouth and hygiene needs. People can go to hygienistschools.com and get more information and even find the right school that fits their needs in their own state. Thanks

(his year will mark 40 yrs since I became an RDH. I did want to become an RN- then changed my mind to dh at the last minute. One of my biggest regrets. I work 2 P/T jobs-due to chronic pain issues aggravated by what we do every day I will never make it to full retirement age. My health insurance costs more than my mortgage. Not to mention no sick pay, no vacation pay etc etc.The "nice " dentists are few + far between. Corporately owned offices want you to be like a used car salesman- sell, sell,sell. It is difficult to find an office that will allow you enough time to actually provide quality care. I could go on + on. I would NEVER recommend becoming a hygienist. Too much to go into here why I didn't change careers when I was younger- now I am getting close to retirement thankfully.

Thanks,"exp" in Seabrook, New Hampshire. You're right, I've worked full-time most of my career and when I was between jobs I temped and always worked 4 days a week when temping as well. When I got out of hygiene school in 1990 there was actually a shortage of hygienists and we were in high demand. Most of us had jobs waiting for us before we even passed the state board, including me. Dentists would contact the school and ask the graduates to send resumes and they hired us unseen! I walked straight into a job as soon as I got my license in the mail as did most of my classmates. None of us were out of work & we all had full benefits. Many of us changed jobs over the years but it was always easy to land another one so there was no worry. It was a totally different world. Now it's not only more expensive to go to school, it's harder to pass the exams and if they fail you, you have the expense and the stress of finding another board patient. Once you do pass, forget finding a job or even being placed by a temp agency---and those of us who temp know how stressful that is, trying to learn a new office each day and being treated like a non-entity by the staff.

And to the person posting under "Hygienist Schools in Hendersonville, TN", yes, there are some hygienists who are happy, safe, and secure in their career. But that's not the topic here & those hygienists are the minority. There are NO schools that fit any of a hygiene student's "needs" because there are NO JOBS once they graduate! Hygiene is not a smart career choice and I'd be the first to say different if it were true. But it's not.

Agreed, Flossbabe. I graduated shortly after you did, and our class was the first in the school's history to NOT have jobs lined up before graduation. The jobs disappeared, almost overnight. Most of us were left scrambling to find anything at all. My "career" consisted mainly of working for difficult dentists. All of the "good" ones were taken. It takes a huge toll on a person and their psyche to work under such conditions. I wouldn't recommend this life to anyone. I should have swallowed my pride earlier on and admitted that I had made a bad choice to go into hygiene, but I thought that I would find that ONE good working situation. It never materialized. It's ironic that at a time when we need fewer hygienists that there are more and more hygiene schools popping up. And, their glossy advertisements are enticing these young hopefuls with claims of high earnings. It just isn't so any more. Sad, eh?

Superfluous RDH in Ottawa, Ontario said: Agreed, Flossbabe. I graduated shortly after you did, and our class was the first in the school's history to NOT have jobs lined up before graduation. The jobs disappeared, almost overnight. Most of us were left scrambling to find anything at all. My "career" consisted mainly of working for difficult dentists. All of the "good" ones were taken. It takes a huge toll on a person and their psyche to work under such conditions. I wouldn't recommend this life to anyone. I should have swallowed my pride earlier on and admitted that I had made a bad choice to go into hygiene, but I thought that I would find that ONE good working situation. It never materialized. It's ironic that at a time when we need fewer hygienists that there are more and more hygiene schools popping up. And, their glossy advertisements are enticing these young hopefuls with claims of high earnings. It just isn't so any more. Sad, eh?

I have had ONE really good job with a great dentist: on salary and no time clock (so I got paid the same amount even if I left early), 1 hour per appt., no pushing production, full benefits, 401-K, paid holidays, direct deposit, 4 weeks paid vacation, and we could use our unused paid sick days as extra vacation days to name a few things. I have also temped in a few offices that I wished I worked in, but those hygienists knew how good they had it and weren't going anywhere! Yes, it is sad that schools are advertising hygiene as a good career--what a joke. I just hope that anyone considering this is smart enough to do extensive research & choose another path. I should have become an RN but I didn't because I didn't want to work all hours of the night or clean bed pans, etc. Now I'm too old to go back to school, don't have the money, and don't think I could deal with another state board exam of any kind! May I use what you said for the article I'm writing about hygiene?

Superfluous RDH in Ottawa, Ontario said: Agreed, Flossbabe. I graduated shortly after you did, and our class was the first in the school's history to NOT have jobs lined up before graduation.

My wife graduated in 1992 from Algonquin College.
And if you attended there, I'm sure you remember the psycho instructors.

But, I remember the trouble she had trying to find a job when she graduated.
She pretty much walked into 200 offices with a resume in hand and asked if they had work for her.
The other girls from her class ended up taking jobs all over the country because there was no work for them in their home town.

City Tech in Staten Island. Dental Hygienists make up to $40 an hour- $35,000-$40,000 yearly. It is a job where time counts the most and you need to learn to work effectively in order to get things done. You get about 30 minutes for a single prophylaxis (cleaning) and about an hour for sealants. If you work at a small office, you may have to help set up the instruments for the dentist and sometimes even assist the dentist if there is no Dental Assistant. It is a good job and you do not develop any back, neck, or wrist problems if you know how to properly handle equipment and how to properly carry yourself (keep your back straight while sitting down, do not slouch). You do not have to be a Dental Assistant before becoming a Dental Hygienist. It is usually two years of Hygiene School right after College, therefore you can become an independent 20 year old. The field is very competitive hence a lot of people are going into the dental field and those who don't make it usually downgrade to being a Hygienist. Therefore, during school you need to keep your head in the game and your grades high. I hope that this has helped. :-)

Anna in Staten Island, New York said: City Tech in Staten Island. Dental Hygienists make up to $40 an hour- $35,000-$40,000 yearly. It is a job where time counts the most and you need to learn to work effectively in order to get things done. You get about 30 minutes for a single prophylaxis (cleaning) and about an hour for sealants. If you work at a small office, you may have to help set up the instruments for the dentist and sometimes even assist the dentist if there is no Dental Assistant. It is a good job and you do not develop any back, neck, or wrist problems if you know how to properly handle equipment and how to properly carry yourself (keep your back straight while sitting down, do not slouch). You do not have to be a Dental Assistant before becoming a Dental Hygienist. It is usually two years of Hygiene School right after College, therefore you can become an independent 20 year old. The field is very competitive hence a lot of people are going into the dental field and those who don't make it usually downgrade to being a Hygienist. Therefore, during school you need to keep your head in the game and your grades high. I hope that this has helped. :-)

Is this a joke?? 30 min. for a cleaning and 60 min. for sealants (that should take 20 min.)? "Downgrade" to being a hygienist? What in the world are you even talking about???

Anna in Staten Island, New York said: City Tech in Staten Island. Dental Hygienists make up to $40 an hour- $35,000-$40,000 yearly. It is a job where time counts the most and you need to learn to work effectively in order to get things done. You get about 30 minutes for a single prophylaxis (cleaning) and about an hour for sealants. If you work at a small office, you may have to help set up the instruments for the dentist and sometimes even assist the dentist if there is no Dental Assistant. It is a good job and you do not develop any back, neck, or wrist problems if you know how to properly handle equipment and how to properly carry yourself (keep your back straight while sitting down, do not slouch). You do not have to be a Dental Assistant before becoming a Dental Hygienist. It is usually two years of Hygiene School right after College, therefore you can become an independent 20 year old. The field is very competitive hence a lot of people are going into the dental field and those who don't make it usually downgrade to being a Hygienist. Therefore, during school you need to keep your head in the game and your grades high. I hope that this has helped. :-)

Is this a joke??? 30 min. for a cleaning and 60 min. for sealants (that should take 20 min.)? And "downgrade" to being a hygienist? What are you even talking about??

1. $40 per hour comes out to more than quoted unless you are only working 2 days per wk. 2. Sitting properly + using "equipment" properly does not guarantee you will not have any physical issues. Severe thumb arthritis causes extreme pain + has a genentic predisposition. And that is just the tip of the iceberg if you have arthritis . It sounds to me like the original comment was written by a non-hygienist? Forgive me if I am wrong.

sb1952 said: 1. $40 per hour comes out to more than quoted unless you are only working 2 days per wk. 2. Sitting properly + using "equipment" properly does not guarantee you will not have any physical issues. Severe thumb arthritis causes extreme pain + has a genentic predisposition. And that is just the tip of the iceberg if you have arthritis . It sounds to me like the original comment was written by a non-hygienist? Forgive me if I am wrong.

Sure sounds that way to me!

Anna in Staten Island, New York said: City Tech in Staten Island. Dental Hygienists make up to $40 an hour- $35,000-$40,000 yearly. It is a job where time counts the most and you need to learn to work effectively in order to get things done. You get about 30 minutes for a single prophylaxis (cleaning) and about an hour for sealants. If you work at a small office, you may have to help set up the instruments for the dentist and sometimes even assist the dentist if there is no Dental Assistant. It is a good job and you do not develop any back, neck, or wrist problems if you know how to properly handle equipment and how to properly carry yourself (keep your back straight while sitting down, do not slouch). You do not have to be a Dental Assistant before becoming a Dental Hygienist. It is usually two years of Hygiene School right after College, therefore you can become an independent 20 year old. The field is very competitive hence a lot of people are going into the dental field and those who don't make it usually downgrade to being a Hygienist. Therefore, during school you need to keep your head in the game and your grades high. I hope that this has helped. :-)

are you talking about the school City Tech?

Yes, I was talking about City Tech. However, there are much more Cuny Dental Hygiene schools. There are also private and Suny schools that you can attend to get your degree.

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I am retiring from the Army soon and have looked on Career Outlook sites and DH is a "no-brainer". It IS in very much high demand now (Minnesota and North Carolina) and will be for sometime(?),, like RN's? Oh and the pay is displayed as mid 50k now with 80+k with experience.. False advertisement? Gosh I hope not.

Never heard the inside stories of full time vs part time issues similar to LPN's though. Regarding LPN's,, I always considered it to be a plus to that career. You get variety in job environment and you really get to set your own hours for the most part it seemed like at least in San Antonio Texas. My Army buddies moonlighted all the time to boost there income.

So this job pays via commision like in a barber shop. Do you get to choose which people you want to work on, lol.

Hi Piedmont...you're very wrong about hygienist's being in high demand. Especially in NC. NOT choosing this profession is the "no brainer." Pay is not as high as you've read AT ALL and most of us are out of work or can only find part-time or temp assignments. No benefits. Please do not choose this career---you'll be sorry and unemployed. Be a RN instead.

Flossbabe in Garner,,, Wow,,, thanks for the inside scoop. My source was the Job Outlook web page,, www.careeroutlook.us/table.php?state=NC&cluster=all&interest=all&order=growth

I am even more concerned about the info that is being posted under legit pretenses.

I will continue to do more research and keep my ears open. I still hope the DH forecast improves in about 2 yrs.

I recently needed a substitute RDH for two weeks for my vacation and was astounded at how many recent graduates of these "private hygiene schools" were still looking for their first job even after two years. Many are working as dental assistants. Dentists (especially periodontists) hire them because they will anesthetize their patients and can do more legally than RDAs. Then they give them low dental assistant wages.
These people are all still paying off huge student loans and aren't yet working as hygienists. And this is in California where "supposedly" hygiene is a booming profession. What a joke! Hygiene positions are scarce here despite what one reads online. Unless of course one "knows" or is related to a dentist.

Anna in Staten Island, New York said: Yes, I was talking about City Tech. However, there are much more Cuny Dental Hygiene schools. There are also private and Suny schools that you can attend to get your degree.

City Tech is in downtown Brooklyn sweetheart

All I hear is bitching and complaining from this forum. Would you all have rather gone into nursing, bc P.S the forum that they have is all bitching and complaining too. From what I've gathered you are all dissatisfied with your job. Are there any good aspects of Dental Hygiene? Does anyone actually have a positive attitude about this profession? Please help me, I have an interview with an Admissions rep tomorrow.

jacquelyn in Fort Myers, Florida said: All I hear is bitching and complaining from this forum. Would you all have rather gone into nursing, bc P.S the forum that they have is all bitching and complaining too. From what I've gathered you are all dissatisfied with your job. Are there any good aspects of Dental Hygiene? Does anyone actually have a positive attitude about this profession? Please help me, I have an interview with an Admissions rep tomorrow.

The good aspects of dental hygiene ended years ago before the market was over-saturated & affected by the economy & lack of employment opportunities, etc. It's not like it once was. You can't be dissatisfied with a job when you can't find one. Some have great jobs, others are in negative situations but can't leave because they need the income even if their benefits have been cut. You don't see any positive comments on here because the satisfied hygienists won't be on here. It comes down to being able to find a job and then hope it's not a bad environment once you're hired. This is a tall order these days. Just the way it is. Most of us are trying to tell it like it is and sway people from committing to a profession that's not going to lead them anywhere.

Reallyzanne in Fort Lauderdale in Fort Lauderdale, Florida"]GED's and tattoos go together...they have a bad stigma.....most of the people that have choosen that path are not college bound. Most of them and like I said I never had friends that had dropped out of high school and my parents would not allow me in the first place to be hanging around with that kind of crowd. I do not know any hygienist's personally that got a GED and then an AS in dental hygiene.Everyone I know graduated high school and went straight to college or University. Anyway........

REALLY??? Well, meet the first RDH that had to get a GED due to taking care of my family. I got my GED and when I was able to I went to college graduating with a bachelors. DRUGS?? Trouble with law?????? UNBELIEVABLE!!! I have been practicing for 12 years as RDH and have never heard such an ignorant remark!!!!!

Reallyzanne in Fort Lauderdale in Fort Lauderdale, Florida"]GED's and tattoos go together...they have a bad stigma.....most of the people that have choosen that path are not college bound. Most of them and like I said I never had friends that had dropped out of high school and my parents would not allow me in the first place to be hanging around with that kind of crowd. I do not know any hygienist's personally that got a GED and then an AS in dental hygiene.Everyone I know graduated high school and went straight to college or University. Anyway........

REALLY??? Well, meet the first RDH that had to get a GED due to taking care of my family. I got my GED and when I was able to I went to college graduating with a bachelors. DRUGS?? Trouble with law?????? UNBELIEVABLE!!! I have been practicing for 12 years as RDH and have never heard such an ignorant remark!!!!!

Reallyzanne in Fort Lauderdale in Fort Lauderdale, Florida"]GED's and tattoos go together...they have a bad stigma.....most of the people that have choosen that path are not college bound. Most of them and like I said I never had friends that had dropped out of high school and my parents would not allow me in the first place to be hanging around with that kind of crowd. I do not know any hygienist's personally that got a GED and then an AS in dental hygiene.Everyone I know graduated high school and went straight to college or University. Anyway........

REALLY??? Well, meet the first RDH that had to get a GED due to taking care of my family. I got my GED and when I was able to I went to college graduating with a bachelors. DRUGS?? Trouble with law?????? UNBELIEVABLE!!! I have been practicing for 12 years as RDH and have never heard such an ignorant remark!!!!!

Reallyzanne in Fort Lauderdale in Fort Lauderdale, Florida"]GED's and tattoos go together...they have a bad stigma.....most of the people that have choosen that path are not college bound. Most of them and like I said I never had friends that had dropped out of high school and my parents would not allow me in the first place to be hanging around with that kind of crowd. I do not know any hygienist's personally that got a GED and then an AS in dental hygiene.Everyone I know graduated high school and went straight to college or University. Anyway........

REALLY??? Well, meet the first RDH that had to get a GED due to taking care of my family. I got my GED and when I was able to I went to college graduating with a bachelors. DRUGS?? Trouble with law?????? UNBELIEVABLE!!! I have been practicing for 12 years as RDH and have never heard such an ignorant remark!!!!!

Reallyzanne in Fort Lauderdale in Fort Lauderdale, Florida"]GED's and tattoos go together...they have a bad stigma.....most of the people that have choosen that path are not college bound. Most of them and like I said I never had friends that had dropped out of high school and my parents would not allow me in the first place to be hanging around with that kind of crowd. I do not know any hygienist's personally that got a GED and then an AS in dental hygiene.Everyone I know graduated high school and went straight to college or University. Anyway........

REALLY??? Well, meet the first RDH that had to get a GED due to taking care of my family. I got my GED and when I was able to I went to college graduating with a bachelors. DRUGS?? Trouble with law?????? UNBELIEVABLE!!! I have been practicing for 12 years as RDH and have never heard such an ignorant remark!!!!!