6 Tips to Thrive as a Freelance Dental Hygienist
There are countless benefits of working as a freelance dental hygienist. When you work independently, you can set your own schedule, choose which practices you work in, decide your hourly rate and even open your own practice if you want to really progress in the industry.
Whether you’re a first-time freelance hygienist or you’ve been temping for years, walking into a new dental practice for the first time is always a little intimidating. To help you fit right in and ensure you’ll get called back, follow our six tips to thrive as a freelance dental hygienist.
1. Confirm important details in advance
The day before you’re due to arrive, contact the person who offered you the position and confirm the important details. Double check the address, starting time, working hours and hourly rate. If you don’t get these particulars settled in advance, it could lead to some confusion and unpleasantness further down the line.
2. Familiarize yourself with the equipment
When you practice at different offices, it’s almost certain you’ll be required to work with different types of equipment than you’re used to. To avoid looking unprofessional in front of patients, make sure you understand how to use all the apparatus in the room before your first appointment.
Don’t be scared to ask your coworkers how the ultrasonic scaler or x-ray software works. It’s much better to ask your coworkers for help before the day begins than taking up everyone’s time asking questions during treatment.
3. Fit in with the workflow
Take note of how the dentist treats their first few patients and try your best to mimic their treatment style. Do they have a strictly professional appearance with minimal talking using proper terminology? Or are they really friendly and make a lot of small talk using layman’s terms to make the patient feel at ease?
However the dentist acts toward their patients, it’s important you fit in well so as to not disrupt the workflow or clash.
4. Be a team player
Some of your coworkers might feel a little put out by your presence. Try and shake off any potential hostility by getting involved in the team as much as possible. At the beginning of the day, offer to help set up treatment rooms and lay out equipment used by other dental hygienists. At the end of the day, ask if anyone needs help breaking down rooms or cleaning equipment.
When your coworkers see you’re invested in the team and not just there to earn your hourly rate, they’ll be much more welcoming toward you. You’ll also greatly increase your chances of being called back if your client can see you’re willing to go that extra mile.
5. Ask for helpful feedback
When all the patients have been treated and the workstations have been cleaned, ask for feedback on how you did and ways you can improve in the future. Even if your client doesn’t have much criticism for you, most will be thrilled you’re showing an eagerness to improve and work better within their team.
If you do receive advice on things you could do to better fit in with the practice, tell the dentist that you’ll take it on board and work on it for when you return or for your next client. Try not to take any criticism personally. Constructive feedback is designed to help you progress and develop in your career.
6. Document everything
For many, the biggest downside of working as an independent contractor is taking on the responsibility of doing your own taxes. Here’s a brief overview of the paperwork you need to submit each year when working as a freelance dental hygienist. So you can file everything accurately, it’s important you keep track of:
Names of your clients and their registered businesses
Dates and hours worked
Money earned for each position
Proof of work-related expenses
If you don’t monitor this information as you go, you’ll find it almost impossible to fill out your tax forms and will land yourself in some serious trouble.
To benefit from the incredible freedom you get from working as a freelance dental hygienist, it’s important you win over your coworkers, impress your clients and do an excellent job. Follow our advice and you’ll be well on your way to filling your work schedule with exciting new opportunities.
-Special thanks to Clouddentistry.com for the provided post!