It is common knowledge that a dental hygienist gets paid well as it is a licenced profession. It is a vital role at any dental office as this person has to clean teeth, take x-rays, examine for oral diseases and make patients feel comfortable before a more significant procedure. The dental hygienist helps patients with their overall oral health. They can also remove tartar, stains and plaque.
Being a dental hygienist is not just giving advice, but they lighten the workload for qualified dentists because they can carry out minor procedures. This job is in abundance as several health care settings require a dental hygienist such as a private health clinic, dental offices, schools, public health clinics, hospitals, nursing homes and more.
A dental hygienist can help prevent gum disease, enhance teeth appearance or keep teeth healthy. To become a dental hygienist, you will have to complete an associate or bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene.
As a dental hygienist, you have a big cheque to look forward to every two weeks, but you also make people’s lives better and brighten their day. There are many benefits to choosing this career path. However, although this profession offers financial and personal satisfaction benefits, there are an equal amount of drawbacks.
Let’s compare the ten dental hygienist pros and cons:
1. High competitive pay
You enjoy a high salary for this profession, and almost every dental clinic will want to hire you. This is because you have to be a licenced healthcare professional and you have to carry out a broad range of duties and responsibilities. You can earn more than $60,000 each year depending on your experience. Even if you are a fresher, you start with a good salary level.
2. Minimal education compared to dentistry
To become a fully qualified dental hygienist, you have to complete an associate degree at regular colleges and universities. However, it Is not the same if you want to become a dentist. A dentist has to complete a degree as well as undergo more skilled training.
3. Flexible working schedule
You can work part-time and still earn a decent living with this profession. This is perfect if you want to keep family obligations and enjoy personal time.
4. Plenty of work opportunities
This profession is needed in every healthcare setting. You will always be able to find a job and will never have to worry about work. A dental hygienist has more opportunities to find work compared to other positions.
5. Personal satisfaction
This is the perfect profession for you if you love helping people with their teeth problems. Putting a smile on every patient’s face that visits you, will offer personal satisfaction. Moreover, there is a level of prestige you experience by working in this profession.
6. No growth prospects or change
This profession can land you a job, but that is all there is to it. You will be assisting dentists and the work can get repetitive. You will be doing the same tasks every day for almost all your patients. Examine the teeth, clean them and then talk to patients about proper dental hygiene practices. If you are ambition and want to progress in your career, then this profession will not suit you in the long-run unless you continue your education to get a dentist qualification.
7. Dealing with unpleasant patients
You will have excellent as well as bad patients. Many patients may have a bad attitude from the moment you greet them. They generally are not looking forward to their appointment and speak to you using an angry demeanor. You cannot avoid the latter. All you have to do is learn how to deal with them. You will also have to deal with the bad breath when examining your patient’s teeth.
8. Undervalued profession
Despite your training and essential role at the dentist clinic, you will often feel undervalued or overlooked for your contributions. You might also be assigned to small administrative tasks that are do not put your skills to best use.
9. The workload can be extraordinarily heavy
You may burn out due to the amount of work or preparation work you need to do for bigger procedures. You may have to put in long hours as some of the sessions can be long and you may have booked more patients that day. Some clinics demand a high production level to ensure maximum profitability. You can end up being physically exhausted and stressed.
10. The reputation of the dentist can reflect on your skills
If you are working for a dental clinic that has a poor reputation in the community it serves, then your status is affected. If the dentist you work for has patients who have complained about their treatment, this can also reflect badly on you.
