5 Things No One Ever Tells you About Dental Hygiene School

Whether you’re just starting out in school, or getting ready to jump into a dental hygiene program, get ready for the ride of your life. You’ll learn a lot, realize many things about people and yourself, and find out how tricky but exciting this profession really can be. Have you chatted with your dental hygienist before about their school experience?

Here are a few things that your RDH may not have told you about before jumping into your school applications:

1. Blood, sweat and tears will go into your degree- and it’s not just from you. Working in dentistry can be tricky because of the patients feelings about being in your chair. I still can’t get over how so many people sit down in my chair, and the 1st thing they say is “I hate being at the dentist or I hate the dentist”. Do they say things like that to other people and professions? Because of this, sometimes appointments have a bit of anxiety around them. But, you are the provider, the patient trusts you, and you got what it takes for the appointment to go smoothly.

2. Your instructors want what’s best for you. I’m not going to lie- being graded on work you’re doing is hard, especially getting feedback right away that may not be want you want to hear. It’s difficult! But, instructors want you to succeed! They want you to learn, grow, and become your best. Unfortunately, sometimes there’s a grade attached to that growth.

3. You’ll make lifelong friends in school. No one really understands what it’s like to go to dental hygiene school unless you’ve been through it. Your classmates will become like family to you over those 2 years- someone who can listen and commiserate with you. Even when you see each other years after school and life has changed, you’ll still be instant friends.

4. Start saving now for boards. To get your license as a dental hygienist in many states, you’ll need to take a written and clinical board exam. Unfortunately, they aren’t cheap, and aren’t part of your school tuition. Start saving now since you’ll need at least $3000 for these exams, to pay your patient, get new instruments if you choose to, etc, in your last semester of school.

5. You’ll get tired of your assigned scrub color real fast. I’m not going to lie- it’s been 12 years since I graduated dental hygiene school and I just bought myself a pair of royal blue scrubs. I couldn’t bring myself in buying them again, especially since the last time I owned a pair of royal blue scrubs, I burned them on the last day of school in a class bonfire. But, wearing them definitely brings back fond members of school, the patients that I met and treated, the lessons I learned from my instructions, and the friends I made while in school.

So, if you’re just jumping into school, or in the thick of if as the semester is winding down, you’ve got this! You will definitely learn more than you ever though and come out of the program stronger than before starting.