Dental Hygienists Get Paid Better than Some Dentists Wish! (video)

I practice in Western New York State. The fees in our area are very different than in the NY City area. I like the salary based on production but there are many factors to consider. Who is responsible for filling up their schedule? Do you want them to do telemarketing instead of hygiene. Then you can run into problems from other staff who feel they are doing the work of filling their schedule and all hygiene has to do is show up. I think this is best summed up as a good hygienist/employee is worth her weight in gold. The bad ones should be shown the door. I had an excellent part-time hygienist who was not a team player. I had a complaint from every employee. It was not worth losing other good employees to keep her.

Dental Hygienists are very qualified to be entrepreneur’s. The legislative laws and dental association controls our destiny. Being in dentistry for 35+ years, does not qualify me to drill and fill or create beautiful permanent dentistry. Our education is that of an RN – the entire body – not from the neck up.
If the dentists really knew what hygienists provide for our patients and what knowledge we have they might think differently.
Dental hygiene license restricts us from providing the same work from the east coast to the west coat. I don’t believe teeth or the oral cavity changes from geographic regions? Ridiculous.
This is the only professional career that the employer (dentist) controls our future our destiny. Some times controlling. The nurses got out from under the doctors. They are a different profession. Why can’t the hygienists get out from under the dentists? We provide prevention – dentists fix holes and fill them.
Not to say there are some very talented dentists out there.

I have been fortunate to have quality dentists I have had the honor to work with. They themselves are high quality. Their attitude about dental hygienists is one of respect. Dentists don’t want to provide preventive care – hygienists are care givers and want their patients to have quality life and healthy mouth. Until the dentists open up their eyes to see what hygienists really can provide for them, they will stay in their practices wishing and hoping.
Some dentists are allowing their dental assistant to provide services to their patients as professional prophylaxis – would they want an untrained, unlicensed professional providing their colonoscopy or any other physical exam? Quality is quality with a qualified professional.
If they don’t think hygienists provide quality services maybe they have the wrong hygienists or they need to educate themselves on what our profession does.
Good Luck to all hygienists that have to work with dentists that don’t know what he don’t know with an attitude.
I must say that I feel that dentistry has come a long way. It is a fantastic profession with the right professionals working side by side and together for the best interest of the patient – not the almighty dollar.
The money will come if the care is professional and honest.
Dental Hygiene needs to become a separate entity to dentistry. If the hygiene department is not making money – there might be a restricted reason – the dentist.
I feel there is a place for everyone in dentistry – greed just can’t get in the way of quality care for the client.

Heads up the dental community is moving to the medical model. Moving in that direction is in the best interest of the patient. We can now work without being blindsided. We will have test results that will assist in a true treatment plan that is customized to the patient from head to toe. Hygienists fit into this risk management role for care. Yipee.