Dental Hygienist Interview Questions
Hi! My name is Jenny and I am a current high school student. I'm conducting an interview with any professional in the dental field, specifically a dental hygienist, for a Foundations in Health Science Class project about careers! I have created a total of 13 questions. Comment on this post, answering all 13 questions to be apart of my assignment.
1. What do you do for work on a regular basis?
2. What was your biggest challenge when preparing to become a dental hygienist?
3. What skills are required to be a dental hygienist?
4. What is your favorite thing as a dental hygienist?
5. How many years of school did you have to do?
6. How has the career changed from when you started?
7. How would you describe the overall work environment?
8. What did you need to do to become a dental hygienist?
9. Why specifically a dental hygienist and not in any other dental specialities?
10. What caught your interest to pursue this career?
11. What is your favorite thing about your job?
12. What have you learned since the start of your career?
13. Did you always want to pursue in dental hygiene?
2 answers
Krystal’s Answer
-Clinical dental hygiene
2. What was your biggest challenge when preparing to become a dental hygienist?
-Being able to juggle clinic with a heavy didactic course load (it just took some time management improvement on my part)
3. What skills are required to be a dental hygienist?
-Empathy, team player, positivity, resilience
4. What is your favorite thing as a dental hygienist?
-Being able to help/interact with patients and see them improve their oral health
5. How many years of school did you have to do?
-4 (Bachelor)
6. How has the career changed from when you started?
-I started a few years ago so it has not changed drastically, but it is interesting to see the scientific/ technological advances in the dental field
7. How would you describe the overall work environment?
-I really like it, you just have to find an office that you fit with
8. What did you need to do to become a dental hygienist?
- I did 4 years of college, the first two years I took classes like Microbiology, Chemistry (basic science courses). The last two years were mostly dental/clinic based (took, Oral Facial Structures, Dental concepts, etc., and saw patients)
9. Why specifically a dental hygienist and not in any other dental specialities?
-DH is more preventative-based while other 'specialties' are more restorative, meaning I like the idea of helping the patient before they got to the point of needing surgery, fillings, etc. I liked being able to teach them about the importance of oral health!
10. What caught your interest to pursue this career?
-I have always liked the field of dentistry since I was a kid
11. What is your favorite thing about your job?
-How satisfying it is to clean/ polish teeth
12. What have you learned since the start of your career?
-Patients will forget what you say/ do but they never forget how you make them feel, so it's very important to make everyone feel welcome in your chair (even if they do not return it) so they will be comfortable and more willing to learn from you!
13. Did you always want to pursue in dental hygiene?
-I always loved dentistry but did not always know I wanted to be a DH
Hope this helps, good luck!!
Barb’s Answer
For me there weren’t really any challenges other then just the work you have to put in with college courses.
The skills needed to be a hygienist include: positive attitude, wanting to work with people, being a team player, and flexibility.
My favorite thing about being a hygienist is the relationships I have formed over the years with patients. Patients tell me the most interesting things. Some of my patients have become friends, and have invited me to their weddings and other events! I do also in some weird way like cleaning teeth.
I went to college for 4 years, so I have a bachelors of science in dental hygiene. There are shorter programs, but I wanted to get a bachelors degree.
The reason I like being a hygienist is that I am a respected healthcare provider, I can decided what treatment is needs for my patients, but yet I do not have the responsibilities of the dentist. I also like I can be flexible with days and hours and in the state I live in, hygienists can actually own their own practice, and also with that I can work in the office when the doctors are out.
Thank you so much for answering my questions!
Jenny
If you are willing to answer more interview question, please answer those below.
1. What jobs did you work before you landed your present professional job?
2. How can I decide if I should earn a Ph.D. in this field?
3. Were you in a college program?
4. Did you shadow another professional in the field?
5. Did you join any school clubs related to your current profession?
6. Was there a particular subject you struggled with during your school years?
Have a great day!
Jenny