By Jennifer Reese, RDH
August 22, 2013
As a pregnant dental hygienist and mother of two young children, I often find my time is stretched thin. It is not always practical to commit to a full- or part-time job in my current stage of life, which is why I love temping as a hygienist. It allows me to be flexible, earn extra income, and keep my skills sharp.
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I started temping right after graduation so I could gain “real world” experience before I found a private practice position. It enabled me to find out what I was bringing to the table as a new hygienist. I was able to see how well I could work in different environments with instruments I might not be familiar with, and see how comfortable I was meeting patients I hadn’t seen before. I was able to build my confidence with each office I temped at – and sometimes it made me reflect on how I could do better.
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Although some days were better then others, I quickly learned some tips that I found valuable for the days I knew I would be temping at an office. I already had a favorite instrument during school, and because I owned five of these scalers, I started bringing them with me to any office I would work at: sharp, sterile, and ready to go. I could grab my instrument if I felt I was struggling using their selection. I also was able to establish a routine that I utilized on every patient – making sure to incorporate anything the particular doctor I was working for requested. I also wanted to portray a sense of professionalism in every office I went to, so I wore neutral-colored scrubs and made sure my appearance was always well kept and that I was in line with OSHA standards. Along with a sense of professionalism, I found my note-taking to be a valuable asset. Although many software programs have the automatic notes where you just fill in the blanks, I wanted to make sure the regular hygienist there knew exactly what happened when I had seen their patient. With all of these personal standards in mind with every temping opportunity, I was able to establish a working relationship with many offices where I was invited back whenever the regular hygienist would be gone. This was a huge compliment to me when I would be requested back by previous doctors.
There are so many ways to utilize your dental hygiene degree – working as a temporary hygienist is just one of the amazing perks of our field. One day I would like to get to a place where my life is steady enough that I can hold a full-time job in the same office and reap the benefits of having that constant in my life, but until then I know that temping and having the flexibility to work when my schedule allows it is perfect for me and my current stage of life.
