Is Dental Hygiene a dying profession?

---

Here it goes - I will lay out full disclosure here.  Don't hate me for it!

• Dental Hygienists ARE NOT making NEARLY as much money per hour as we used to
• We seem to have more responsibilities but making much less
• Business is slow for 95% of dental offices, so we may work one day and not the next
• I know more dental hygienists now then ever, who are looking to go back to school to do something else :(

There you go!  Full disclosure.  You are reading this likely because you are an RDH and are becoming increasingly frustrated by at least one (if not all) of everything I have mentioned above.  

I too am an RDH and have been for many years.  I am like you in that I LOVE being an RDH and the profession.  But, I am becoming frustrated often when I feel I am not appreciated for the hard work I do.  Either by patients who get annoyed when I am a mere 10 minutes behind or being called that the schedule fell apart and I won't be working that day.  I want to tell these patients "Ok Sir, you have no idea but I have 30 minutes to clean someones teeth.  My last patient hasn't had their teeth cleaned in 5 years PLUS he was 10 minutes late (for his 30 min appointment).  Ah the things we WANT to say sometimes...

The dental office is a business so it's  not our bosses fault, they need to make money too and having us sit around and do nothing certainly makes NO SENSE.  But...I still want to work and get paid.  You do too right?

Hang in there everyone!  Do whatever you can to fill that schedule if lost hours is the issue.  Get on the phones when you have time and call!  Call, call and call some more!  Booking patients in your schedule will help you and making sure they book an appointment before they leave is HUGE.  I do this in my own office.  

Last but not least, as I am sure your hourly rate is an issue.  Ask your boss for a raise!  If he or she says "business has been slow" and it doesn't make sense to give you one, then ask for an extra week PAID vacation or something else.  Do NOT take no for an answer and I mean it. If your boss needs to think about it, that is OK, but make sure to follow up a few weeks later.

GOOD LUCK!  Email me if you need a pep talk or some tips :)