What Being a Dental Hygienist Means to Me
I’m not going to lie. I specifically remember a moment in dental hygiene school where I questioned everything. I was in my last semester, sitting with my cute perio patient, sitting in the very back corner operatory in the clinic. He was numb and I had just put down the Piezo to start using Graceys. I specifically remember picking up the instrument and thinking “Is this really happening? Will I be picking up instruments just like this, doing wrist motion just like this, and treating patients just like this for my entire life?”
Fast forward 10 years later. A few days ago while temping at one of my favorite offices to temp at, I picked up a Gracey during a periodontal therapy. The patient was a cute perio patient, she was numb (and very nervous might I add) and that picture of me as a dental hygiene student popped into my head. Guess what. I’m still treating perio patients just like in school. I’m still doing wrist motion (which I’m grateful for. If not, I may not be working anymore due to finger and joint pain). And I’m actually really loving being a dental hygienist. However, now being out of dental hygiene school for more than 10 years and having a completely difference perspective on the profession, dentistry does and will always have a place in my heart. Being a hygienist means so much more that removing calculus.
1. You’re a Friend
As my patient was looked up at me with fear, I worked with her to become her friend. And our patients become our friends, if not our families, by spending time with them in a very vulnerable place. I often forget that a dental office is personal, sometimes scary, and vulnerable to the general public. These patients are trusting me when they are nervous and scared, and in turn we become friends in the process.
2. You Save Lives
That sounds dramatic. Most people think we check out gums, love to pick off “stuff” from teeth, and can take a mean bitewing. All true, but we also can save lives. We find suspicious areas of oral cancer that not many other people can find. We educate on overall health and the importance of not only oral, but systemic health. We help get people out of pain so they can get back to the things they love. We screen for high blood pressure, for artery problems on panos, for systemic issues like diabetes and heart disease with bleeding gingiva.
3. You Support Overall Health
The mouth is a key component in systemic health. The oral cavity is such an important area of the body. It aids in breathing, sleeping, proper nutrition, digestion, communication, social connection, emotion, plus so much more. Without the mouth, your patient’s standard of living would be drastically decreased. Knowing how important health and prevention of the mouth for the entire human you’re working on is a big responsibility! We can do it!
4. You’re a Teacher
We educate every hour for each of our patients. We talk about oral health, easy ways to increase their home care, and discuss with patients what’s working and what isn’t. We also translate after a dental exam what work is recommended, and give advice to the patient on what they’re looking for when it comes to dental work. We talk about increasing confidence by teeth whitening, and educate how to best complete the whitening process. We talk about ways to improve the patients life and their family’s lives through great oral hygiene and staying away from dental pain. We educate all day, and I personally love seeing the difference it makes it patient’s lives.
5. You can take a break if needed
Dental hygiene is hard. Physically from repetitive motions, emotionally from working in stressful situations with stressed patients, to mentally by working in a small business and figuring out relationships and dynamics of an office. Because of this, it’s ok to take a break! Take off a week or even a year to do some self care and make yourself the best clinician possible.
Dental Hygiene may not have been what I thought it was going to be. It ended up turning out so much better! Thanks to you and all the many dental hygienists who paved a way for our career, and who have helped and inspired be to be the best RDH I can be.