The profession of dental hygiene draws much strength from being a sharing community. The continued success of the RDH eVillage is a testimonial to that!
We are often tied by our values in serving our communities, yet those values reinforce us too. Daily clinical hygiene can become “institutionalized,” which dental hygienists can equate with stagnation and even burnout. However, making changes in a profession or an office setting, even when it is clearly desirable, can be extremely complicated.
As we are all aware, changes in the dental hygiene profession, as well as oral health on a global level, are realistic goals. The unknown may seem daunting to graduates.
I ask readers, “If you could provide a single sentence of advice for ‘newbie’ dental hygienists and/or new graduates, what would it be? Is there something that you wish you had been told, or, better yet, prudent enough to have understood when you graduated?”
My advice would be taking the Director’s Message Quiz on staying in present moment. In my opinion, there is no better capability in life, professionally or personally, than being mindful of the current moment. Mindfulness bypasses burnout and allows for appreciation and letting go of anxiety.
I look forward to your responses, and Happy Graduation to all of the new Grads! Click here to offer a suggestion to new grads.
Kristine A. Hodsdon RDH, BS
Director, RDH eVillage
