Graduation Awards- So What?
A few weeks ago, Shelley, Jessica and I attended the graduation ceremony of the Dental Hygiene School we teach at. I sat in the audience and watched each student happily except their diploma and gain a degree, a career, and a social life all in one 10 foot stroll across a stage. And I’m sure like most dental hygiene school graduations, several students received awards for their time in school, from being awarded the “Golden Scaler” award for their clinical skills, to being a “Future Leader” for their volunteer work in SADHA and other dental events. Students were also recognized being part of the SADHA leadership, helping with volunteer events, and going on service trips while during their time in school.
When I was a student, I did none of this. I didn’t win any awards at my graduation. I wasn’t recognized for my hard work or my leadership qualities at this ceremony (let’s be honest- I was quiet and wasn’t part of the SADHA leadership at all, so that makes sense). I went on a mission trip as a senior, but nothing was said about it since a few students went on 2 or 3 during school.
Honestly, that graduation night I had so many emotions. So happy to finally be finished a huge and hard chapter of life, grateful my parents were there from Canada to cheer me on, but also a bit heartbroken not to receive any recognition of my 2 year time frame in school. Was I really that bad of a clinician/student/person? All the self doubt crept up that evening. Maybe dental hygiene wasn’t for me?
Fast forward 10 years later, and I know that any of that self doubt that evening was in vain. I’ve learned so much about hygiene, our profession and myself over years. I’ve learned that these awards may seem important at that very moment at graduation, and may be nice to add to a resume, but there are so many other ways to pad a resume, find a dream job, and continually grow and improve in our profession.
So, if you’re a recent grad, congratulations! Did you just barely pass your classes? Who cares. You did it! You didn’t receive any awards during your time in school? So what. That’s just a blip in time. Are you questioning if hygiene is for you? You got this! Try it out and see instead of making up your mind before stepping into an office.
I’m excited for you! And we here at Hygiene Edge are rooting for you at any stage.
We’d love to chat with any new (or more seasoned) dental hygienists! Email us with your thoughts or questions at hygieneedge@gmail.com, or comment below!
Advice for the New Dental Hygiene Student
Starting dental hygiene school this semester? CONGRATULATIONS! Getting into dental hygiene school is tough, and we’re proud of you for making it! Now, we want to warn you. Sometimes, the first few days of school is overwhelming. Learning about the clinic flow, the requirements needed to pass clinic, and the science course load on top of clinic can be overwhelming at times. However, you can get through these first few difficult weeks and make it through the rest of the two years! We’ve rounded up some of the best advice for the new RDH student and made a list to hopefully help make this first little bit a tiny easier.
“If you’re interested in joining SADHA, do it! You’ll learn some new leadership techniques, get to know different people in your class that you may not have originally, and have something different for your resume. I felt too insecure to run or be part of the leadership, which now I’m not sure why I was.”
“These first few days can be a lot. I remember the 1st semester of school being the most difficult. It gets easier as you get to know your professors, have patients lined up to come, and feel more comfortable with the flow of clinic.”
“Your professors and instructors are there to help you. Ask them for help!”
“Get really good at Google Calendars. Having each assignment on some sort of calendar keeps everything straight. Nothing is worse than showing up to class and realized you forgot to finish a paper that was due that day.”
“Watch videos to help with instrumentation. The Hygiene Edge ones are awesome.”
“Don’t worry about boards and clinicals in the 1st semester. Take it one day at a time and you’ll get to that point. As of right now, just study your classes, which are all on boards anyway, and you’ll be prepping for it in a round about way.”
Dental Labor Day Sales
These amazing Labor Day Sales are killing my pocket book! But with so many amazing ones, how could it not? We’ve rounded up some of our favorites so you can join in!
Figs- 25% all scrubs. We LOVE these scrubs, and really want to try a lab coat. Maybe we’ll order some today.
Dental Hygiene Nation- 30% off and free shipping with a $50 purchase. We love these fun dental products, and are our favorite to give as gifts. Anyone else starting to think about Christmas shopping?
Jaannuu Scrubs- 25% off site wide.
Hygiene Edge- us of course! Buy one, get one FREE of our Hygiene Edge Stickers. No code needed, we’ll just add extras to your order!
The Columbia 4L 4R
It’s like a Barnhart (that has a toe) with a long shank. Wonderful for posteriors and pockets. Do you use this in your practice? Let us know what you think.
Dental Mentors
Two years after I graduated dental hygiene school, I signed up for the local Utah Dental Hygienists’ Association Annual Session. I was so excited to go to a larger meeting to meet hygienists from all over the state, but listen to a few national speakers. I hadn’t been to a large dental convention before, and since I was starting to feel more comfortable with my profession and working with patients, I knew learning new skills and tricks would be amazing for my practice. The day of the convention, I picked a front row seat. I pulled out my notebook and was wide eyed to listen to a national speaker who I’ve looked up to and read about in all the national publications.
The speaker started her lecture. I’m sure the content was amazing (I honestly don’t remember the topic) and I’m sure learned a lot from it. But, the one thing I absolutely remember from the lecture was the feeling after I had about dental hygiene. Unfortunately, the speaker was negative toward the profession and where it was heading. And I’m not going to lie- I was heartbroken! My newbie hygiene heart hurt after that lecture. I was excited to meet and listen to this powerhouse in the dental hygiene world and thought she could be a potential mentor to me. But, instead, I left sad about being picking a career in dentistry.
In contrast, my dad is a dentist. I’ve never worked for or known anyone who loves their job as much as my dad. He was obsessed with learning new techniques and technology, changing his patient’s lives, and finding the best way to treat many oral health and systemic health issues. He would tell me though that dentistry wasn’t always his favorite. When he first started as a dentist, it was hard. Starting a business, working with people, and finding great employees were all very difficult. But, once he had a rhythm and his focus was more on patient treatment instead of starting a business, he loved every second. He loved it so much that he encouraged all his kids to go into the dental field, which 3 out of the 5of us did.
So, what’s the difference between these 2 dental mentors?
First of all, they both had long, amazing careers in dentistry. And they were hard workers in a sometimes difficult career. However, one was positive about the outcome of dentistry and one maybe wasn’t as much. One loved the outcomes and saw the differences in patient’s lives, while one chose to focus on the negative aspects of dentistry. At this point in your career in dentistry, you can choose where you want to focus. Do you want to focus on the hard days, the late patients that just ate Oreos before their patients, or the way dentistry is changing in a way you don’t like? Or do you choose to focus on the positive outcomes of patients, the relationships made during your clinic day and the people’s smiles you helped create? For me, I’m choosing to follow my dad’s footsteps and legacy, and keep a positive outlook on what dentistry has done for me.
Which mentor will you be after your years in dentistry?
Jinx Challenge- Dental Edition
Ever seen the Jimmy Fallon Jinx Game? Watch it below for a quick and fun break between patients.
Now that you understand how the game works, we’ve made you your very own Jinx Challenge with a dental spin. Print off the words (card stock works great so you can’t see through the paper), grab a coworker or dental bestie, and try it out! See if you can connect and get as many Jinxes as you can! Plus, if you’re looking for a fun and easy game to start off a staff meeting, this game is the answer!
We’d love to see you play! Tag us @hygieneedge in your posts so we can see your cute faces!
Is the Amazon Dental Light Worth it?
Last year, my loupes light broke. And I was heartbroken. It was my 1st patient of the day at 8 am. After the usual chit chat and radiographs, I laid the patient back and immediately put on my loupes and turned on the light. Except it didn’t turn on. I played with the cord, unplugged it several times, and double checked it was fully changed. But it still didn’t turn on. I felt blind the entire day! I have no idea how much I loved having a light until it was gone. I used loupes without a light for a few years even when I first got a pair of loupes, and didn’t know what I was missing! That evening, I jumped online to find a new light and to price out which brand to get, and what was in my price point. Turns out, it was going to take a while to buy a new light from one of the big brand companies, so of course, I turned to Amazon. And of course, there is an affordable option from overseas that would be at my house in 2 days. So I jumped on board and decided to try it for a few months. HERE it is and here is what I found:
Pros
- It was cheap. Like 5x cheaper than other dental specific brands.
- It was the perfect light to get me through the months when I was out a professional light.
- The newer model has a better clip than the older model. The one I purchased last year had a slip on clip that unfortunately didn’t fit on my Surgitel Oakley frames. However, the newer model has a clip that opens and should fit most designs and frames.
Cons
- The cord is not flexible, which makes the light tricky to manage
- The screw that attaches to the light isn’t that tight, so it tends to get loose over the day. At the end of the day, I use just a small screwdriver to tighten it.
- The battery does not have a clip to attach to a pocket or a waist band. Instead, you just have to place the battery in your scrubs pocket which can be odd to get used it.
- With the older model, the plastic slip on clip broke after a few months. After the plastic snapped, I couldn’t figure out a way to attach it to my safety glasses.
- It gets really hot. My other light would warm up during the day, but this light would get difficult to touch or move if it had been left on for a few hours at a time.
- The battery life lasts 4-5 hours when it’s brand new. So, I had to plug it in during lunch to make sure it latest the entire day. As I used it, the battery day span got shorter. But since they’re so cost effective, you could totally invest in 2 or 3 to have a few back up batteries on hand.
So, if you’re finding you need a light, this cost effective one on Amazon might be the answer!
Have you tried this light before? What’s your experience with it?
The Eagle Talon with XP Sharpen-Free Technology from American Eagle Instruments
If you love scaling anteriors then you will love the Ealge Talon with XP Sharpen-Free Technology by American Eagle Instruments. It combines the Jacquette 3 and the Nebraska 128, into one instrument. Check it out in our latest video below.
The Boge 513 A New Must Have Dental Instrument
Emily Boge, a fellow dental hygienist that I had the privilege to meet in person at the recent 2019 American Dental Hygienists' Association meeting, invented an instrument with a HOE on one side and a NEBRASKA 128 on the other. A hoe is particularly difficult to sharpen so when the XP Sharpen-Free Technology became available, eliminating the need for sharpening this unique instrument, the Boge 513 can now be an instrument you have in all of your setups. Check it out in our latest video.
Boge 513
How to Prep for a Dental Hygiene Convention
Convention Season is here! Going to a dental convention, especially a dental hygiene convention, is always a fun and exciting time in an RDH’s career. There’s always things to learn, new people to meet and learn from, and new products and technologies to learn about. I always love attending a convention to dentally geek out.
1. Come Prepared
Check out what classes are being offered and make a plan. Even spending a half hour before the convention begins will help you organize your time and make the most out of your educational experience at the convention. You’ll see all the classes and pick which ones apply to you most, instead of just attending whatever class has the most openings. If you’re going to spend the time and the money at a dental conference, might as well learn the most that’s going to apply to you in practice!
2. Wear Comfortable (especially not brand new) Shoes
It’s always fun to wear something other than scrubs and sneakers to a professional event. However, you do a ton of walking at these conventions. More than you think! You’re on your feet walking from your hotel to the exhibit hall, to your class across the center, then back to the exhibit hall, then over to lunch…. You get the idea. So much walking is involved so wearing those really cute brand new heels may not be the best choice. Save them for a party or a dinner that goes along with the convention.
3. Bring a Sweater
Is it 100 degrees outside while you’re at the convention? Who cares! It’ll be 68 degrees in your classrooms, so I’d dress for that weather instead of what’s going on inside. Bring a sweater or a shawl to wrap around you when those classrooms get chilly. Being cold makes it very difficult to concentration on what’s being presented.
4. Reach out to Companies Beforehand
If you have a certain company or product you want to see, reach out beforehand! Let them know you’ll be stopping by the booth to see it and would love more training on it. That will ensure they have it on hand if they know someone’s interested.
5. Enjoy It!
You’ll love being at the convention! Enjoy every second! Go to all the classes, network with other dental hygienists from all over the country at lunch, sit by someone new at an event. You never know who you’ll meet or who you’ll learn from for a lifelong dental bestie.
Do you have plans to attend any dental conventions soon? Anyone went to ADHA Annual Session last week? What is your favorite part about attending these conferences?
