Even when offices began to reopen their doors, many of the 98% of women who practiced dental hygiene were forced to juggle child care and help their children with Zoom education. There are a lot of ways for those who enjoy dental hygiene to move forward, but feel held back by the monotony of office tasks. By January, 30 states had authorized dental hygienists to perform the ADEX clinical exam based on mannequins. Ultimately, dental hygienists want what all professionals want: to be able to use their education to its fullest potential and be respected for their work. And while many long-time hygienists have left, others are enrolling in dental hygiene school, eager to pursue a stable and rewarding career.
It's no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the dental industry and that it is facing a severe shortage of staff. Dental hygienists demonstrate extreme attention to detail, have incredible time management skills, work independently, are entrepreneurial, and have exceptional social skills. The frustrations caused by state practices that are too restrictive and the difficulties in obtaining a license are two other areas that hygienists have cited as reasons for leaving. With the right dentist, office, equipment, information and time, hygienists have the ability to literally change lives. Banks are willing to give loans to young dentists, even if they have student debt, because dental offices rarely fail.
You're not the only one who has shared a passion for dental hygiene, and the operating room wasn't everything you expected. Dental hygienists are highly educated and licensed oral health professionals, but sadly, over the years, they have sometimes been referred to as prima donnas in a negative context, which implies that it is difficult to work with them or they exclude themselves as part of a team. Most dental hygienists enter the profession because they want to make a difference in patients' oral health by partnering with their dentist, employer and co-workers. A low COVID-19 infection rate (8.8 percent) was reported among dental hygienists, lower than the rate in the U.
