While the majority of dental hygienists enjoy their career and the incredible flexibility it provides, there are some dental hygienists who have grown tired of working for someone else and want to move in a different direction. If you want to take control of your professional life and become more independent, consider opening up your own dental practice and being your own boss. 

If you’ve been working as an RDH for a while, there’s a good chance the thought of being an independent dental hygienist has crossed your mind at least once. Choosing this career path means you get to continue doing the job you love, while gaining all the liberating freedom of becoming a freelancer. Before you make a rushed decision, it’s important you’re aware of all the additional responsibilities which come with that freedom. 

This is part 1/2 of our miniseries on agile dental staffing

Being a registered dental hygienist (RDH) in the U.S.A can be a rewarding profession. It’s a field that is known to offer flexibility, prestige, financial security, and high levels of job satisfaction. However, to be allowed to practice as a hygienist in the U.S, you must have graduated from a dental hygiene program and met the qualifications for your respective state-licensure.

If you are contemplating becoming a medical assistant or dental assistant, you will realize that the two professions are quite similar. Both medical assistants and dental assistants work under the supervision of certified doctors: dentists and physicians. They both play supportive roles in the office, like patient record management and paperwork filing.

Are leaders born or made? Some people are born with a strong personality that compels them to lead. But that doesn’t mean everyone is doomed to a lifetime of following the leader.

 “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so,” — William Shakespeare.

Dental hygienists play an indispensable role in every dental practice up and down the country. These integral people are in charge of everything from cleaning patients’ teeth and making nervous people feel more relaxed to taking mouth x-rays and educating patients on at-home dental hygiene. 

COVID-19 devastated many industries and cost thousands of workers across the US their jobs. But one small piece of positivity to come out of the destructive virus is many employers recognizing the importance of the sharing economy and leveraging the skills of independent contractors.

Work is changing. It’s true for professionals in every sector. Businesses are hiring freelancers and consultants instead of full-time workers. People are leaving corporate jobs and starting their own small businesses. The Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences reports that 60 million Americans will be self-employed by 2020. In every sector, people are offering their talents and skills directly to businesses and individuals.