13 Things You Should Do In a Working Interview To Get The Job

1. Call patients by last names with a smile

THE FRONT DESK IS WATCHING FOR PROFESSIONALISM

2. Offer to numb patients

YOU’VE GOT THE SKILLS

3. If downtime, let them see you cleaning the floors and baseboards

SHOW YOU’RE A TEAM PLAYER

4. Explain everything you are doing on the patient

THE OFFICE IS LISTENING TO ALL THE THINGS YOU SAY TO THE PATIENTS SO LET THEM KNOW YOU PROVIDE A HIGH STANDARD OF CARE 

5. Ask patients to give you a review

AT THE END IF YOU’VE CONNECTED WITH THEM ASK THEM TO LEAVE A REVIEW WITH THE FRONT DESK

6. Make sure the mand. anterior linguals are spotless 

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH, CAN YOU DO THE MOST BASIC AREAS WELL

7. Complement the dentist

THE DENTIST IS LISTENING, FIND A RESTORATION THAT WAS DONE LAST TIME ON A PATIENT AND TELL THEM HOW GOOD IT LOOKS 

8. Set out gloves and set mirror/explorer aside

SHOWS YOU ARE TIME SAVVY 

9. Find to clean or offer to clean an assistants room 

THE ASSISTANT HAS A SAY TOO, MAKE FRIENDS

10. Schedule recall (6 months and 1 day) 

SHOWS YOU CARE ABOUT THE SCHEDULE

11. Stay on time

TOP 2 IMPORTANT OF THIS WHOLE LIST

12. Take a note card to write down names and processes 

YOU DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO ASK OVER AND OVER

13. Know how to take and retake a radiograph

MAKE SURE THOSE RADS ARE PERFECT EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO RE- TAKE IT

CHECK OUT OUR LATEST VIDEO BELOW WHERE SHELLEY DISCUSSES THESE 13 TIPS TO NAIL YOUR WORKING INTERVIEW. 

Considering a Commission Based Pay Model?

Thinking about taking a job with a commission based pay model ? Or would you like to moved to a commission based pay model? Whatever the reason, below are questions to ask and things to consider before accepting the job.

Questions To Ask If Commission Pay is Offered

1. Is this straight commission or comission plus a base pay? 

2. Will I be paid on production or collections?

• If production will this be net or gross?

3. Do I get commission on the dentists exam as it is done in hygiene?  

4. Do I get commission on products I sell? 

5. Are there any services or products that I don’t earn commission on?  

6. What is your now show policy and do I receive commission on the no-show fee? 

7. Consider asking what their previous hygienist produced the year prior. 

8. Consider asking to see if the schedule is full and booked out 6 months.

9. Consider asking for commissions on the sale of cosmetic procedures such as orthodontic clear aligners, veneers etc.

10. If you have negotiated a deal to work on some type of commission pay, get the offer in writing. 

Things To Keep in Mind If Accepting a Job with Commission Pay

1. Consider that you are getting a piece of the pie. The more you produce the more you make.  

2. Consider that you get a raise when you increase your fee’s. 

3. If working on commissions it is important to run your practice with ethics. Remember the mantra, “I recommend for products and services that patients NEED.”  If  the patient won’t benefit from this then don’t do it. 

4. How do I make more money if I work off of commission? Add in more products and services such as in-office whitening, oral cancer screening tools, lasers, silver diamine fluoride treatments, Laser, Arestin, sensitivity treatments, sleep apnea screenings/appliances, night guards, toothbrushes, toothpastes and rinses. 

The Diary Of A Pregnant Hygienist- PART 2, The "Prego"genist

Do you see that picture? Yup, that is me, 8 months pregnant, the “prego”genist working with a watermelon tucked under my scrubs. At this point there IS a daily apology for my baby kicking at least one of my patients in the head.  Once showing you will probably get some funny questions. For example, one patient recently asked if I had a condition that made my stomach large or if I was pregnant. Those patients say the darndest things sometimes. 

 The extra weight you gain while pregnant brings on lots of new things you didn’t know your body could experience such as, swollen hands and feet making running around treating patients all day hard and may cause you to have to use a larger sized glove to keep those hands happy and healthy. Give yourself permission to buy the most comfortable shoes, and consider some type of compression stocking to make life a little easier as well.

You may start to notice your back hurting at some point. Some options to combat this are a seeing a chiropractor, massages, stretching, using a more ergonomic chair, purchasing a belly support band, or consider standing for portions of treatment delivery.  It will also help to keep pounding the water while working. This will make for more trips to the ladies room but will help you feel better at the end of the day.

With my first child, I worked right up to the last day. I felt good and had a flexible sub for when I was ready, which I would recommend lining up at least 2 months in advance. The more you can help the office be prepared for the transition the better off everyone will be. Each pregnancy will be different; with this child I am taking off 2 weeks early to rest and relax. Not everyone has that luxury but do what feels best for you.

You may be asking yourself, how long of a maternity leave should I take? I have seen several coworkers over the years take anywhere from 1 week to 2 months. Some are the sole providers for their family and just don’t have the luxury of weeks off of work without pay. With my first baby, I told them 6 weeks but when it came time to return I called to see if they could give me 8. I was very blessed to have that opportunity and was allowed that because I had lined up the temporary hygienists schedule first before talking with the manager about it. If I had just dumped it on her, for her to figure out all of those details, she may have not been so gracious.  

With my second child I went back very part time just two weeks later (from 2-4 hours 2 times per week.) This was because I had an awesome child care provider. For me, that made all of the difference in my comfort level in returning to work knowing my baby was properly cared for.  Stay tuned for part 3 where I talk about finding childcare and working as a now nursing mother.   SEE PART ONE, THE FIRST "TRAIL"MESTER HERE.

4 Key Strategies for a Successful Dental Hygiene Salary Negotiation

Author Doug Perry                                   gethiredrdh.com

Salary negotiation, whether you are dental hygienist or a school teacher, makes everyone a little squeamish, and yet we use many of the basic principles in the normal course of a day without even realizing it.

So whether you are negotiating a better salary with your current boss or looking to improve an offer from a new employer, it may not be as tough or foreign as you think.

Here are four steps to a successful dental hygiene salary negotiation:

1. Decide It

Studies show women are more reluctant than men to negotiate a salary. So a dental hygienist (more than 95% of all hygienists are women) on the fence should just do it. Obviously, there are instances when you wouldn’t do it that’s why I said “on the fence.” But if you are undecided then go for it.

An annual review of performance and salary may not be something your employer prefers or agrees to. But certainly, if you have not received a raise in more than two or three years you really owe it to yourself to approach the subject with your boss if for no other reason than to remind them of the value you bring to the practice.

2. Plan It

Salary negotiation isn’t something you do without some research and planning. You will increase your odds of success if you take your time to develop a clear and focused plan. There are lots of factors to consider such as, the average wage in your area, what kinds of successes (or failings) you have had recently, how much experience you have, patient load, economic conditions for the employer, and other benefits that might interest you along with or in place of a simple wage increase.

Do some research and have a clear, intentional plan and goals (both short and long-term) that are part of it. At GetHiredRDH.com, I have posted historical dental hygiene salary data for every state in the US – this along with other resources, are valuable in planning your negotiation strategy.

3. Time It

The old mantra “timing is everything” is very true for salary negotiation. Let’s face it, as nice as your boss or new boss may seem, everyone has a bad day and even if you have carefully planned out your moment for negotiating, you may need to be prepared to retreat for a bit to improve your odds.

There are other considerations associated with timing, such as if the office recently gave you a bonus – that’s probably a bad time. Or, if the employer just invested in a bunch in new equipment (hoping to improve or maintain patient retention) – probably not ideal either.

If you are only one of several candidates for the job, don’t even get into salary discussions unless asked. And if asked, you can give them a range, but keep it vague or wide.

Most employers want to know if they are in the ballpark with you on it, so one way is to just simply respond pleasantly with, “I’m aware of what most hygienists make in this area and am comfortable that we can agree on an appropriate figure. But, I’m interested in sharing with you what I can do to become an asset to the practice first.”

4. Negotiate It

You’ve decided to do it, you have a plan, and the timing is right. Now what?

Salary negotiation is all about win-win. If either you or the employer feels like they tipped too far in one direction, one of you won’t be happy and that’s not a good long-term position to be in (and it usually results in parting ways sooner rather than later).

So, yes, you can and should expect to get something more than your offer or what you currently make, but they have to feel good about it, too.

Win-win can mean lots of different things, some of which can be psychological. Maybe an employer is glad they only have to give up a $1/hour more to you to keep you around because you have bonded with the patients.

Or maybe, you have won by drawing attention to the fact that you feel underpaid and there’s now a solid plan in place for regular salary adjustments going forward (even if not right now). Those are victories and even if they seem small will lead to more victories in the future for both of you.

So, let’s get down to a few simple tactics that will help you achieve a win for yourself.

• Before you make your proposed amount, and from your research, be ready to share with them the “why” – three or four specific things you have done to bring value to practice. Share actual examples of the time a certain patient raved about their experience with you, or how you were able to save the practice money.

Always share these before you give them your request. This is true for a job offer, too. Reiterate the things that make you value and specific examples.

• Ask for a little more than what you would be happy with. That gives you room to move on it. Employers want to know an employee is flexible – it’s a good omen for them coming to an agreement with you that is acceptable for both.

• Have several concessions ready to go. These are other things such as some paid holidays or sick days, a bonus program, or maybe it’s paid training or association membership fees. Just know ahead of time some things that may not be quite as good as a salary bump, but that will make life better for you and that might be easier for the employer to accept.

• Don’t be afraid to counter their offer. You don’t want to go back and forth more than a few times, but it’s generally acceptable to start with the big ask, then work your way down to smaller things (the concessions).

• Give their final offer space to breath. What I mean by that is once they give you their final offer, pause – make it look like you are thinking. Sometimes that little pause (of even a few awkward seconds) can actually compel them to offer a little more on the spot.

Then, after you have paused, tell them you would like to consider it and come back to them in say 24 hours. Most employers will agree to that. But that space gives you time to properly consider it and it actually causes them to re-think their position as well and sometimes they will come back prepared to offer a little more still.

And if all you do is come back and agree to their final offer – they will feel as though they got a big win (and that will help you in the future).

Final Advice

Always maintain a high level of professionalism and even give them a “thank you” note when it’s settled – even if you didn’t get as much as you wanted. It also doesn’t hurt to request it in writing, particularly for promises that are made in the future (future reviews or increases based on some measurement).

Salary negotiation can seem a little scary and worrisome, but if you have done your homework, have a plan, get the timing right, and engage in a thoughtful conversation over it you should feel confident.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Doug and Tracie Perry run the popular website gethiredrdh.com where the have helped thousands of dental hygienists land a great dental hygiene job.  

Building a Great Dental Hygiene Resume

We would like to welcome guest blogger Doug Perry, dental hygienist resume coach, from the website gethiredrdh.com. 

Creating an awesome dental hygiene resume that grabs attention and holds it can seem overwhelming at first. There are lots of considerations and most hygienists simply don’t know where to begin. 

But in the several years I have been creating them for hygienists, I’ve found a really good formula that gets results for my clients.

 It’s really pretty simple and is made up of usually just five sections of content: a Header, About Me, Experience and Skills, Work History, and Education History. Sometimes, if there’s room, we can include some additional complimentary information.

Header
The most important content on a resume is your name and contact information, right at the top, in a section I call the Header. Make your name bigger so it really stands out (24-30 pt font). Add some color and graphics (possibly your picture) to really make it pop.

About Me

Most people begin their resume with an “Objective” section at the top, beneath their name and contact information. I prefer to re-label it “About Me” and then tell them about you – your personal brand.  

Keep this section really short, just two (maybe three) short sentences that describe who you are, your ability to represent the office to patients, and your knack for blending in with existing staff. Think of it as a written elevator pitch.

Experience and Skills

Generally, there are three different formats for resumes: Reverse Chronological, Functional, and hybrid of the two, sometimes called a Combination resume. The key difference between them is in how you showcase your skills and experience, which usually appears below the About Me section.

The most common type of resume used in other industries is the Reverse Chronological format, which means listing your work history starting with the most recent. Then beneath each job, you would list the unique things you did for that job.

However, most clinical dental hygienists are doing many of the same things from job to job and so to use the reverse chronological format means repeating the same list of duties and skills for each job – that’s just a waste of space and too repetitious.

A Functional format resume works better. Rather than repeating those items, you simply create a section, beneath the About Me section, that displays your skills and experiences all together. This comprises quite a large section of the resume so that you can thoroughly describe (in bullet point format) how great you are at many of the different dental hygiene duties.  

Ideally, you will be able to include several bullets of results, too. Things you accomplished or goals you helped the office obtain. Real results are more meaningful to employers – they want to know what kind of performance to expect, not that you simply know how to do things.

Work History
The next section, (Work History) is where you list your employers. Start with the current and then go back in time. It’s okay to list dental assisting or other non-dental hygiene jobs to help establish and show you have a work history. You can even use them as a tool to show you have advanced and acquired skills along the way that are useful to dental hygiene (ie patient relations).

A couple things employers look for in your work history are longevity at jobs and if there are any “gaps” or periods of time you were not employed. The further you can remove yourself from those experiences by recent displays of longevity, the better. But you should come to interviews prepared to explain them as employers may ask.

Education History
The next section is your education. This, too, should be listed from most recent to oldest and include the name of the school, the degree you obtained, and what year you graduated.

If you got your dental hygiene education then, years later, went back and received significant other training (I'm mostly thinking of anesthesia), then you should add that too.

Additional Information
If you still have room at the bottom, you can create an additional section called Community Service or Related Participation and Recognition. In this section you would list any volunteer service, including association or community service or any awards you have received.

Wrapping it Up

Using a Functional format for your dental hygiene resume is a great start, but there are other things you can do to stand out, including creating a great design, using color, and choosing the right words and phrases.  

There’s also other materials to consider using that will compliment your resume and strengthen your appearance to employers, including cover letters, testimonial sheets, CAR sheets, LinkedIn profiles, professional websites, and even resume videos.

And before you interview it’s a good idea to review potential job interview questions and review dental hygiene salary averages for your area. 

But it all comes down to doing things different, being different. Employers notice and tend to hire dental hygienists who are unique and so as you search for a job, begin to think outside the box and it won’t be long before you land a great dental hygiene job.

 ===

Doug and Tracie Perry are authors of the book Landing a Great Dental Hygiene Job and provide dental hygiene job coaching tips and services to thousands of dental hygienists. You can get a free copy of their book and free weekly tips at their website at www.GetHiredRDH.com

How to Feel Renewed as a Dental Hygienist

 Are you hitting your 7 year, 7 month, or 7 hour slump of your career? Being a dental hygienist is hard. It’s hard on our bodies, minds, and self esteem. It can also be one of the most rewarding professions by helping so many people smile, so don’t throw in you scalers just yet! Follow these quick tips to help recharge your hygiene spark. 

1.     Get a Mentor. Do you know any Dental Hygienists that you admire and are interested in their life? Having these connections and learning from your colleagues can help inspire your career, learn from their mistakes and grow from their experiences. It also can be great to bounce dental hygiene ideas off of, ask hygiene related questions, or even vent about  a hard work day with. No one can relate as better as friend that knows your dental hygiene world.

2.     Go to a dental convention. Going to a dental convention or class does cost money, but in the long run, it could help make you money. It will help renew your love of dental hygiene, become inspired by other hygienists to improve your workspace, and show your employer you are committed to your career. In turn, being educated and expanding your knowledge of dental hygiene skills could be a good bargaining tool when the time to ask for a raise arises. Also, being inspired can make your practice of dental hygiene more enjoyable and keep you motivated to work those long hours. Don’t go for the CE’s- just go for yourself and learn for the fun of learning! Some options of sessions this summer: RDH Under One Roof is in Las Vegas this summer July 15-17, and ADHA Annual Session is in Nashville Jun 17-23.

3.     Read Dental Hygiene Magazines and Blogs. If going to a convention is out of the question, get inspired with all the free dental hygiene publications. In them, you can learn about other dental hygienists experiences from all over the country. You can read about the latest products, request samples, and learn about the newest techniques. Dimensions of Dental Hygiene is a free monthly magazine that is full of great information on clinical skills, business how-to's, workplace relationship improvement ideas, and everything else dental hygiene related. Subscribe to the free publication HERE.

4.     Get a new pair of scrubs, new shoes, a new headband, anything. Sometimes having something new, even if its small, will help motivate getting to work in the morning. That morning boost can help keep your spirits up all day.

We love dental hygiene and want you to feel the love for this amazing profession. The little steps listed seem minor, but they could help in a major way. Anytime you are feeling a little down with dental hygiene, try to switch it up with a tip and see if it helps! 

Networking- The Magic Bullet During Job Hunting Season

It is job hunting season for many hygienists. 


My Dad always told me, "It's not what you know, it's who you know." As I have gone through the job hunting process myself, I have realized that Dad was correct.  I currently work in education and private practice. Both of these positions came to me through someone I know. I have also been able to keep these positions because of WHAT I know. Both the WHO and the WHAT I know have been because of networking. Networking is the secret weapon of being an extraordinary hygienist.

My Dad also taught me that relationships are one of the most important things to cultivate. The opportunity to create relationships is one of the reasons I chose to become a dental hygienist. I encourage you to look for every opportunity to create networking relationships. For example, I have come to find that going to dental conventions are not only for CE's but for networking. Conventions are for connections too! We sometimes get CE focused and miss out on the most important part... the relationships! At my first ADHA convention I met incredible hygienists that have impacted the way I understand and engage in with patients and students. The one and only Esther Wilkins even beat me down the hall on the way to a class. 

My fellow RDH friends often comment that I know "everyone" when they come with me to our local convention. The connections that I have made at conventions are invaluable. I have been able to help direct colleagues to products and people that have enhanced their lives. I myself have been introduced to mentors, educators and entrepreneurs that have enhanced my profession. When you find yourself sitting in a CE class waiting for the speaker to start or walking from booth to booth in the exhibit hall, stop, look around and strike up conversation with those around you. You may meet your next boss, a new mentor or become a mentor for someone else.  

Here are some suggestions on how to network:
Join a Facebook group of fellow Hygienists. 
Use Linked In.
Be friends with your former professors!
Join ADHA and be involved in your local chapter.
Attend CE courses.
Stay in touch with your class mates.   


                                                                                                                                          -JESSICA