4 answers
Morgan
Student
Elk River, Minnesota
2
Questions
Updated
907 views
What are the pros and cons of a dental hygienist?
Do you like the hours?
4 answers
Krista Goss
Dental Hygienist
2
Answers
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
Updated
Krista’s Answer
Dental hygiene is a great career, and could even be a great stepping stone for something else. You can get an associate's or bachelor's degree and come out making the same amount of money either way. With an associates degree, your debt is relatively low compared to your salary so if you decide down the line that you would like to pursue something else or finish out your degree it is feasible.
You can choose to work full time or part time, and so many offices including private now offer benefits. You can even temp on your own or with an agency and make your own schedule. The hours are great, but because you have appointments the schedule is not very flexible for last minute needs i.e. sick, making appointments, or even having a day off. It is difficult working with people, and can be physically mentally and emotionally draining - but you do make great connections and look forward to seeing your patients. It can also be difficult to get the respect you deserve because so many people don't really understand everything that you do. Overall, it's a great profession but not for everyone. My favorite parts of it are the ability to work part time, and the connections I make with people. I always recommend reaching out to an office and seeing if you can shadow, or just reaching out to some hygienists to ask them questions one on one to really get a feel if this is for you or not.
You can choose to work full time or part time, and so many offices including private now offer benefits. You can even temp on your own or with an agency and make your own schedule. The hours are great, but because you have appointments the schedule is not very flexible for last minute needs i.e. sick, making appointments, or even having a day off. It is difficult working with people, and can be physically mentally and emotionally draining - but you do make great connections and look forward to seeing your patients. It can also be difficult to get the respect you deserve because so many people don't really understand everything that you do. Overall, it's a great profession but not for everyone. My favorite parts of it are the ability to work part time, and the connections I make with people. I always recommend reaching out to an office and seeing if you can shadow, or just reaching out to some hygienists to ask them questions one on one to really get a feel if this is for you or not.
Maria Litvinenko
Dental Hygienist
1
Answer
Tampa, Florida
Updated
Maria’s Answer
Pros:
1)The profession is steadily on high demand.
2)Flexible schedule: Work 2, 4, 5 days a week or even work
only the days you want if you’re a temporary agency employee.
3)The compensation is quite substantial with relatively low time/money investment in education.
4)Helping people to become healthier is extremely rewarding and satisfying.
5)The education is not limiting to only clinical practice. You can work in Sales, Education, Research, and Public Health.
Cons:
1)Finding the “right” place to work could take time.
2)This job is physically, emotionally, and psychologically draining. (You need to come up with the plan how to care of yourself as soon as you start working)
3)You must keep up with changes by learning constantly (new technologies, therapies, approaches to treatment)
4)Repetitiveness of daily activities. Seeing 8 patients a day, 4 days a week means that you repeat the same actions 32 times.
1)The profession is steadily on high demand.
2)Flexible schedule: Work 2, 4, 5 days a week or even work
only the days you want if you’re a temporary agency employee.
3)The compensation is quite substantial with relatively low time/money investment in education.
4)Helping people to become healthier is extremely rewarding and satisfying.
5)The education is not limiting to only clinical practice. You can work in Sales, Education, Research, and Public Health.
Cons:
1)Finding the “right” place to work could take time.
2)This job is physically, emotionally, and psychologically draining. (You need to come up with the plan how to care of yourself as soon as you start working)
3)You must keep up with changes by learning constantly (new technologies, therapies, approaches to treatment)
4)Repetitiveness of daily activities. Seeing 8 patients a day, 4 days a week means that you repeat the same actions 32 times.
Vidhi Patel
Dentist
13
Answers
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Vidhi’s Answer
Working as a dental hygienist comes with lots of perks:
Good pay
Flexible hours
High demand job
Working with patients
You can switch up and become a dentist later if you really enjoy the work and go to dental school. I've seen people go from being a DH to a dentist later on in their careers because early on they thought dentistry would be too tough for them so they choose DH.
cons:
As a dental hygienist there wont be many dental procedures you can do mostly it is just cleaning teeth, so after some time it can become quite monotonous. But its a risk free, respectable without burden job. So anyone who is looking for such kind of a job can definitely choose DH.
Schooling:
In the US it will depend on the state where you live, College can range from 1-2 years with license exam to practice in the state.
Good pay
Flexible hours
High demand job
Working with patients
You can switch up and become a dentist later if you really enjoy the work and go to dental school. I've seen people go from being a DH to a dentist later on in their careers because early on they thought dentistry would be too tough for them so they choose DH.
cons:
As a dental hygienist there wont be many dental procedures you can do mostly it is just cleaning teeth, so after some time it can become quite monotonous. But its a risk free, respectable without burden job. So anyone who is looking for such kind of a job can definitely choose DH.
Schooling:
In the US it will depend on the state where you live, College can range from 1-2 years with license exam to practice in the state.
Debbie Morton
Business Consulting
68
Answers
Phoenix, Arizona
Updated
Debbie’s Answer
Hello Morgan!
Let's explore the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing a career as a dental hygienist.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a Dental Hygienist | Carrington College
Exploring the advantages and disadvantages of a dental hygienist career:
ADVANTAGE: Expanding job market. The dental hygiene sector is showing signs of quick expansion, offering numerous opportunities.
DISADVANTAGE: Limited career diversity. The career options within this field can sometimes seem restricted.
ADVANTAGE: Attractive earnings. A career in dental hygiene can offer a rewarding financial return.
DISADVANTAGE: Potential for repetition. The job tasks can sometimes become repetitive.
ADVANTAGE: Short educational path. The educational requirements for this career are relatively brief.
DISADVANTAGE: Dealing with difficult patients. There may be times when you encounter challenging patients.
ADVANTAGE: Flexible work hours. This career often offers the flexibility to adapt your work schedule to your personal needs.
Let's explore the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing a career as a dental hygienist.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a Dental Hygienist | Carrington College
Exploring the advantages and disadvantages of a dental hygienist career:
ADVANTAGE: Expanding job market. The dental hygiene sector is showing signs of quick expansion, offering numerous opportunities.
DISADVANTAGE: Limited career diversity. The career options within this field can sometimes seem restricted.
ADVANTAGE: Attractive earnings. A career in dental hygiene can offer a rewarding financial return.
DISADVANTAGE: Potential for repetition. The job tasks can sometimes become repetitive.
ADVANTAGE: Short educational path. The educational requirements for this career are relatively brief.
DISADVANTAGE: Dealing with difficult patients. There may be times when you encounter challenging patients.
ADVANTAGE: Flexible work hours. This career often offers the flexibility to adapt your work schedule to your personal needs.
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