why do dental hygienists who can't find a job assume that there must not be any?

hyerpraise in Knoxville, Tennessee said: Hi, I am a Dental Hygienist in Knoxville, Tn. Can you tell me who the local temp agency is for Hygiene temp work. Not having much luck finding one. thanks

Hi, Have you tried googling: dental temp. work agencies....it's a start. Also, try googling: dentists in Knoxville, and surrounding towns/cities....then get the addresses/ph #'s/ and or websites...to check out their offices online, sometimes you can see who you may be working for....GL

exp in Epping, New Hampshire said: Hi, Have you tried googling: dental temp. work agencies....it's a start. Also, try googling: dentists in Knoxville, and surrounding towns/cities....then get the addresses/ph #'s/ and or websites...to check out their offices online, sometimes you can see who you may be working for....GL

yes, I have. The closest one I can find is in Oakridge, Tn. I guess I will be doing some calling around to some dental offices. I just thought that my contact here, on this site from Knoxville might be able to help. Thanks

guest in North Richland Hills, Texas said: This series of comments all started with someone wanting to know if they could work in PA if they were a hygienist in Alabama. While I can understand how you could take offense to some of the comments posted here, the fact is, most hygienists practicing in Alabama are trained through preceptorship and have neither graduated from an accredited school nor sat for the National Board Exam. These hygienists cannot practice in any other state, period. Until they have graduated from an accredited program, passed the National Board Exam, passed the appropriate clinical board and jurisprudence exam for the state they wish to practice in, they are confined to working in the state of Alabama.

P.S. Those of you having a hard time finding work in other parts of the country...move to Texas. The job market is great here and the compensation is far better than anything I have seen posted here. A 4 year degree is definately a plus. Hope this was helpful. Good luck to all.

Choose another career go into nursing where u will actually be able to find a job. Its sad that there are so many hygienists and not many jobs, save yourself the stress and upset and find another career unless you wanna waste your money graduate and then not work.

RDH in Windsor, Ontario said: As far as the other staff who think the RDH makes SO much more than they do...the CDA's and receptionists at our office make $22 per hour, and I make $30 after 13 years service. They get to chat it up, have regular breaks, go to the bathroom whenever they feel like it, call their spouse on company time, all the while I am out back busting my tushy all day long without so much time as to go pee once during the day. There is a huge misconception that the RDH doesn't deserve what they get paid....I have no benefits and no pension, no sick days, no vacation pay. The receptionists at our office have paid sick days(12 of them!) which is technically paid vacation time, and uniform allowance ($400) for the year which for some reason the RDH's in our office do not qualify for. All things considered they get paid better, and we are the ones in the back putting all the sweat into the day to make money for the practice. I am so sick and tired of all the greedy attitudes in this profession, people need to remember that the grass is not always greener on the other side even if we think it is!

Thank you! Thank you! I couldn't have said it any better, if only they knew what it was like on the clinical side, and we're bringing in all the production!

planning to move to dallas tx in june 2011.graduated from nyu in may and doing temp jobs in nj, no real job yet. can anyone fill me in on the job market in dallas tx, pls

It is excellent! Congratulations and good luck!

hyg sucks in Richmond, Virginia said: Here is something that has been bothering me and I hope I am wrong. I've been out of work since Obama has been in office. I am Afro-American. I am not the only one. I get interviews but I see the interviewers faces when they realize I am black. Not saying all places do that but I can tell which ones. I've been on 14 interviews. I was offered a job at a black office but they couldn't decide on a hire date. I'm tired of jobs being based on color. I'm to the point if the office has a website and there is not any minorities on it I won't apply. It's said but why waste my time. I don't want to work where I am not wanted. I wish minority pts knew how some of these DDS are. I personally like a mixed environment. I don't like all black or all white offices.

I'm white and I'm tired of jobs being determined by color too.

Am certified and have passed boards to work in several other states. Must take boards here in Florida. My qualified patient just bailed on me today and my exam in on June 7th
HELP........

Am certified and have passed boards to work in several other states. Must take boards here in Florida. My qualified patient just bailed on me today and my exam in on June 7th
HELP........

I have been looking for a job since 2009 and I was not able to find any. I am a male hygienist and I felt most dr's are stereotyoing against male hygienists and dont hire them. What can I do to get out of this situation.

I feel for you, but I"m a SWF,and am in the same boat. The military comes to mind as a civilain. Call the ADA on this one, or hygiene magazines. It's about time they starting writing and adressing relevant topics, instead of the monthly same old crap! Good luck to us both! Love my career, but really over the hygiene school glut should have went into nursing. Who would have thought, the woulda, coulda, shoulda of dentistry vs a nursing career. PS: Texas is booming with RDH positions, if relocation is feasible.

Becoming hygienist used to be my dream....now it is nothing but a NIGHTMARE!!!I Graduated a year ago and have had only 3 interviews all of which I was told there were 50+ other applicants!! STILL JOBLESS and in DEBT. Graduated with a 3.9 GPA...perfect score on NERB clinical and damn near perfect on nationals and JOBLESS!!! WTF!!! Looking into other healthcare fields/going back to college :( SOOOOOOO FRUSTERATED!!! I <3 hygiene but it is a USELESS degree!!! If your thinking about going to school to be a RDH....do yourself a favor and DON'T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are spot on, WTF !

You are spot on, WTF!

cht in Langhorne, Pennsylvania said: if a dental hygenist from alabama moves out of state. is their license still valid in pa?

If you have an Alabama license, you will probably need to take the NERBs (North East Regional Boards), which will make you eligible for licensure in 15 states. Then you'll just have to pay the fee for your PA state license, once you pass the NERBs. But only if you graduated an accredited dental hygiene program...not preceptorship. BTW, the job market in western PA is horrible! I have been unemployed for 9 months and have 24 years of experience. Out of all the resumes that I've submitted, I've only been acknowledged by 2 of them. Not a single interview. Had ONE interview scheduled, and they cancelled it the day I was supposed to go. The salaries here are going down. I was making $25/hr two years ago, and now they barely want to pay $22/hr. Some EFDAs are making more than that! It's really frustrating, especially now...the lastest graduating dental hygiene classes have just taken their boards. The eastern part of the state seems to pay much better and have more jobs available, but the cost of living is higher. Good luck!

Suzy dental hygienist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania said: If you have an Alabama license, you will probably need to take the NERBs (North East Regional Boards), which will make you eligible for licensure in 15 states. Then you'll just have to pay the fee for your PA state license, once you pass the NERBs. But only if you graduated an accredited dental hygiene program...not preceptorship. BTW, the job market in western PA is horrible! I have been unemployed for 9 months and have 24 years of experience. Out of all the resumes that I've submitted, I've only been acknowledged by 2 of them. Not a single interview. Had ONE interview scheduled, and they cancelled it the day I was supposed to go. The salaries here are going down. I was making $25/hr two years ago, and now they barely want to pay $22/hr. Some EFDAs are making more than that! It's really frustrating, especially now...the lastest graduating dental hygiene classes have just taken their boards. The eastern part of the state seems to pay much better and have more jobs available, but the cost of living is higher. Good luck!

The Eastern part of the USA Does NOT...repeat, NOT have more jobs and as for pay...it is going down in the Northeast too = oversaturation of the field. Repeat: don't believe the govt/bls/online articles or the schools...don't care , don't know...you are on your own once you pass all the paperwork, tests, licenses. Please think forward in any choice for a career = think of BENEFITS. Many RDH's get zip or close to it.

hyerpraise in Oak Ridge, Tennessee said: yes, I have. The closest one I can find is in Oakridge, Tn. I guess I will be doing some calling around to some dental offices. I just thought that my contact here, on this site from Knoxville might be able to help. Thanks

The one in Oak Ridge actually staffs all of Knoxville also. The owner's name is Mary. I have worked for them before and they are really nice. The pay rate is decent also.

I live in Iowa, and have worked as a dental assistant and a dental hygienist for the last 20 years. There are no jobs the last two years for any type of full-time hygienist. I have tried the subbing option, but am discriminated against because of my age, and salary. What can one do to get past this problem? What sets you apart from the other 50-100 applicants that are interviewing for every job. They should creat a website so RDHs can place their resume and request dental offices to contact them to interview them.

denicollie@bellsouth.net in Harriman, Tennessee said: I believe no other state will accept an Alabama hygienist, since they do not have or are required to have a license. Many are "trained by the dentist", and that's why their base hrly salary is $10.00-$12.00 hrly!

That is NOT true. You have to attend UAB in Birmingham Alabama and Take Clinical and Written test to have a License. I was in Dentistry for several years before I applied for School. THis was very helpful in that I was able to explain and educate about the procedure before the Dentist Checked my patient. I worked in General and Oral Surgery and found this to be a huge plus in my experience. As for the Pay, I work here in the State and am very pleased to say I have make a very admirable Salary. I also have Great Retirement Benefits that my Employee matches and have done very well. We are NOT required to have but 12hr's of CE, but my Employer Taught Dentistry before Practice, and we alway have many more credits than required. My Doctor has been recognized as one of the Top Cosmetic Denist, and is a Active member of the Panky! WE also as Hygienist have attended some of the Best Classes in the Nation.I have been trained under Linda Miles, and Racheal Wall, as well as a few other fine Consultants here in the States. I diffinatly understand your concern and I agree that We as Hygienist should be held to the utmost professionalism and Education as possible. So, to answer some of your question, I feel I have had an advantage over other Hygienist, but I am dedicated to my Doctor, the Practice, and most of all my Patients. I will continue to inform, educate, and provide great dentistry for my Patients.One of the best features I can offer my patients, is a beautiful view from our picture window overlooking the River and the University of Alabama. (Roll Tide)had to add that!(: We also just returned last week from Saint Thomas VI with my team members,and was smiling all the way there and Home. !! (:

you need a degree from accredited dental hygiene school, and ofcourse national and a state board to be licensed in any other state by accrediation. DH in Alabama are stuck in Alabama unless they do the college.

hygAL/FL in Pensacola, Florida said: Hygienists in Alabama are required to have a license. They take a state board just like everyother state. The only difference is that they do whats called a preceptorship program for a year instead of going to school and don't take the national board. That would be the only problem in working in another state. You would have to first take the national board. But the base salary in Alabama isn't 10-12 an hour. The area i have been looking in is more like 20-25.

I came across this forum and just had to put in my two cents. I do not believe that I saw anyone else reporting from Georgia (if so, sorry I missed it).
I have been a registered dental hygienist in the state of Georgia for twenty years. I too have been unemployed for two years now. I have been able to do a few temp jobs here and there but nothing consistent.
When I first graduated in 1993, I had dentists calling me on a weekly basis to try and get me to come work at their office. This went on for many, many years.
Now, jobs are so far and few between it is sad. I love my profession, my patients, really everything about dental hygiene but as most on this site say, the saturation of dental hygiene schools has left a lot of real dedicated hygienists in a real mess and also has left a lot of just graduating hygienists very disappointed.
Why was no one regulating the number of hygienists against the number of hygiene schools opening and graduating students? Is there someone that does this? It seems to me that those students that went to school recently to be a dental hygienist should get their money back so they can choose a new career. These students looked at all the statistics for future dental hygienists and based their education decision on those promising numbers.
I read a statistic just today that said once again that dental hygiene was growing, a great career to get into, and that the field would continue to grow at a fabulous rate of 36% through 2016!!!!.....ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? Are they just basing this on the number of hygienists that keep graduating from these schools that promise fantasy jobs?
If that is the case, yes, the schools are doing a terrific job of graduating hygiene students, taking their hard earned time and money to get into a make believe job.
I was fortunate enough to be able to work in the dental hygiene field when there was a fair number of jobs to be had and the dentists respected your opinion.

Is it true that dentist are self regulating in this field, and that they are pushing to allow DA's to do a lot of the work that only DH's use to be able to do? Is it the dentist fault themselves?
I'm not in this field, but almost went into it, and yes, I'm seeing statistics making it sound like a promising future & career. If it weren't for this forum I might have made a mistake going into this field. Now I'm looking for something else...but what??? I was thinking nursing, but if you go to their forums you see them saying there is no shortage of nurses, just shortage of nurses willing to put up with all the abuse they have to endure. Which leads me back to my original question...but what then???

You are spot on! I read the same report in the Wall Street Journal, last week. Try Simply Hired.com. Good luck to you. I am in the same sinking boat.

Unfortunately, every state is being completely saturated with dental hygiene schools, it's a great way for the schools to make money. And no, there are not many jobs. I live in Oregon, have been a hygienist for over twelve years, and I lost my full time job over 2 years ago due to being laid off because of the economy. I have not been able to find ANY permanent employment since! I ahve been to several interviews, but never able to land a job. I found out the last office I had an interview with received over 100 resumes!! They narrowed it down to about 20 people to interview. Whatever you do, do NOT come to Oregon, there are absolutely no jobs here. My husband and I are now planning to move out of state to seek employment.