The transition from dental hygiene school and working in a dental practice may sound overwhelming. If this sounds like something you're experiencing, you're in the right place! In this episode, I talk about all the things I wish someone had told me when entering the dental field as a new grad. You'll find advice on interviewing, when to leave an office, personal finances, clinical advice, and more! 

Timestamps: 

(00:00) Intro

(01:17) Questions to Ask in Dental Hygiene Job Interviews 

(03:34) When to Leave a Dental Office

(09:01) Personal Finances after Dental Hygiene School

(12:06) Tips for Placing Sealants

(14:25) Transitioning Between Cavitron and Piezo Equipment 

(21:41) Tips for Giving Patients Oral Hygiene Instructions

🔹 Listen & Subscribe: The Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast is available on all platforms. Never miss an episode—hit follow and stay updated!

🔹 Join the Community: Follow @DentalHygieneBasics on socials for study tips, motivation, and exclusive content.

🔹 Need Help on Your Journey? Check out www.dentalhygienebasics.com to see all of our services! Whether you are applying or recently accepted, we got you!

🔹 Support Future Hygienists! A portion of our proceeds funds the Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship, helping aspiring RDHs achieve their goals. Learn more at www.dentalhygienebasics.com/scholarship.

🎧 Thank you for listening! If you found this episode helpful, please leave a review—it helps more future RDHs find us! 💙

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Future RDH's, finals week is just around the corner and the stress is probably starting to kick in. Trust me, I've been there before, and I get that it can be overwhelming so I've put together my best tips for students to follow so they can be successful on their finals. They're simple and easy to implement, so make sure you tune in to get motivated and in your best headspace. Best of luck on finals!!

Timestamps: 

(00:00) Starting Strong In Dental Hygiene School 

(02:39) What to Focus on for Finals Week

(05:20) No More Passive Studying 

(08:20) The Power of Vitamin D

🔹 Listen & Subscribe: The Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast is available on all platforms. Never miss an episode—hit follow and stay updated!

🔹 Join the Community: Follow @DentalHygieneBasics on socials for study tips, motivation, and exclusive content.

🔹 Need Help on Your Journey? Check out www.dentalhygienebasics.com to see all of our services! Whether you are applying or recently accepted, we got you!

🔹 Support Future Hygienists! A portion of our proceeds funds the Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship, helping aspiring RDHs achieve their goals. Learn more at www.dentalhygienebasics.com/scholarship.

🎧 Thank you for listening! If you found this episode helpful, please leave a review—it helps more future RDHs find us! 💙

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is the second and final part of my interview with Makya Smith, the first student to receive the Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship! In this episode, you'll get to learn how Makya lost access to her full-ride scholarship halfway through dental hygiene school and still managed to graduate with zero debt! I love her perspective on receiving scholarships because it allows her to be more committed to her education. We are honored to support her in her dental hygiene journey and hope this motivates students to apply for as many scholarships as possible while in school! 

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro 

(01:16) Finances in Dental Hygiene School

(07:44) Figuring Out Life Before School 

(09:16) Dedicating Time to Scholarship Applications 

(11:34) Applying to Dental Hygiene Programs 

(14:59) Time-Management TIps 

(16:27) Learning Clinical Skills 

(19:24) Advice for Future DH Students 

🔹 Listen & Subscribe: The Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast is available on all platforms. Never miss an episode—hit follow and stay updated!

🔹 Join the Community: Follow @DentalHygieneBasics on socials for study tips, motivation, and exclusive content.

🔹 Need Help on Your Journey? Check out www.dentalhygienebasics.com to see all of our services! Whether you are applying or recently accepted, we got you!

🔹 Support Future Hygienists! A portion of our proceeds funds the Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship, helping aspiring RDHs achieve their goals. Learn more at www.dentalhygienebasics.com/scholarship.

🎧 Thank you for listening! If you found this episode helpful, please leave a review—it helps more future RDHs find us! 💙

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Congratulations to Makya for being the first Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship recipient!! We're celebrating with two episodes dedicated to sharing her story and showcasing her dedication to helping others. Before dental hygiene school, Makya spent three years volunteering with YWAM Medical Ships as a dental clinic manager, helping to provide dental services to underserved communities in Papua New Guinea. She talks about how excited she is to graduate from hygiene school so she can apply her skills to help others. It's exciting to see students like Makya who are so passionate about their future careers in dental hygiene and how it will allow them to better the lives of so many people! 

Timestamps: 

(00:00) Intro

(02:43) Makya’s RDH Origin Story 

(09:17) Serving Your Community as a Hygienist 

(11:05) Her Timeline from High School to Hygiene School 

(13:33) Scope of Practice for Hygienists in Oregan 

(16:28) Choosing a Hygiene Program 

🔹 Listen & Subscribe: The Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast is available on all platforms. Never miss an episode—hit follow and stay updated!

🔹 Join the Community: Follow @DentalHygieneBasics on socials for study tips, motivation, and exclusive content.

🔹 Need Help on Your Journey? Check out www.dentalhygienebasics.com to see all of our services! Whether you are applying or recently accepted, we got you!

🔹 Support Future Hygienists! A portion of our proceeds funds the Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship, helping aspiring RDHs achieve their goals. Learn more at www.dentalhygienebasics.com/scholarship.

🎧 Thank you for listening! If you found this episode helpful, please leave a review—it helps more future RDHs find us! 💙

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brittany Cox, a dental hygienist for 10 years, joins me on this episode to talk about her career. She graduated DH school at the age of 19 while raising a toddler and working full-time! As if that wasn't impressive enough, she recently graduated with a Master of Arts in oral health promotion and has become a key leader in implementing sustainability in the dental field. Her drive to continue learning to provide the best care for her patients is inspiring and her story is one that all future RDH's should hear! 

Submit your application for the DHB Scholarship HERE! Transcripts are available on Apple or by request. Slide into my DMs HERE: Instagram: @dentalhygienebasics Facebook: Dental Hygiene Basics Twitter: @DH_Basics Email:[email protected]. Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE. Looking for NBDHE prep? Become a VIP StudentRDH member today: https://www.studentrdh.com/?rfsn=8529631.46e55d  

Timestamps:

(00:00) Brittany’s RDH Origin Story 

(06:08) Sustainability in Dentistry 

(14:28) Masters in Oral Health Promotion 

(23:38) Her Dental Hygiene School Experiences

(30:24) Advice for Students

🔹 Listen & Subscribe: The Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast is available on all platforms. Never miss an episode—hit follow and stay updated!

🔹 Join the Community: Follow @DentalHygieneBasics on socials for study tips, motivation, and exclusive content.

🔹 Need Help on Your Journey? Check out www.dentalhygienebasics.com to see all of our services! Whether you are applying or recently accepted, we got you!

🔹 Support Future Hygienists! A portion of our proceeds funds the Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship, helping aspiring RDHs achieve their goals. Learn more at www.dentalhygienebasics.com/scholarship.

🎧 Thank you for listening! If you found this episode helpful, please leave a review—it helps more future RDHs find us! 💙

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Building foundational knowledge is key to being successful in school, especially in dental hygiene school, where all the topics overlap with each other. I've dedicated this episode to explaining why it's important and tips on implementing this into your study routine. As a former educator at several dental hygiene programs and tutor for the DH national board exam, I've seen a pattern in students of those who succeed and those who fail and struggle in the classroom. Students who perform well tend to have a good foundational knowledge of these topics, helping them to connect the dots and think critically. Tune in for my best tips on building foundational knowledge. 

Submit your application for the DHB Scholarship HERE! Transcripts are available on Apple or by request. Slide into my DMs HERE: Instagram: @dentalhygienebasics Facebook: Dental Hygiene Basics Twitter: @DH_Basics Email: [email protected]. Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE. Looking for NBDHE prep? Become a VIP StudentRDH member today: https://www.studentrdh.com/?rfsn=8529631.46e55d

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:55) Monitoring Your Grades in Dental Hygiene School

(05:04) The Best Way to Learn in Class

(08:48) Building a Foundational Knowledge 

(12:10) Using Active Recall to Study

🔹 Listen & Subscribe: The Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast is available on all platforms. Never miss an episode—hit follow and stay updated!

🔹 Join the Community: Follow @DentalHygieneBasics on socials for study tips, motivation, and exclusive content.

🔹 Need Help on Your Journey? Check out www.dentalhygienebasics.com to see all of our services! Whether you are applying or recently accepted, we got you!

🔹 Support Future Hygienists! A portion of our proceeds funds the Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship, helping aspiring RDHs achieve their goals. Learn more at www.dentalhygienebasics.com/scholarship.

🎧 Thank you for listening! If you found this episode helpful, please leave a review—it helps more future RDHs find us! 💙

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heather DeJonge joins me on this episode to share her journey in dental hygiene and how she's become known as The Relaxed Hygienist! Her self-proclaimed title is earned through years of working on herself and regaining her mental and physical health to achieve a more relaxed lifestyle. We cover all topics relating to burnout, stress, and the long-term effects of neglecting your health. She has some amazing stress management tips that I personally think everyone could benefit from! Find her on YouTube and Instagram @the_relaxed_hygienist.

Submit your application for the DHB Scholarship HERE! Transcripts are available on Apple or by request. Slide into my DMs HERE: Instagram: @dentalhygienebasics Facebook: Dental Hygiene Basics Twitter: @DH_Basics Email:[email protected]. Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE. Looking for NBDHE prep? Become a VIP StudentRDH member today: https://www.studentrdh.com/?rfsn=8529631.46e55d 

Timestamps:

(00:00) Heather’s RDH Origin Story 

(05:26) How Her Health Issues Allowed Her to Help Others

(14:49) Radical Self-Care

(23:32) Being Proactive in Preventing Burnout 

(31:14) Daily Tips for Stress Management 

🔹 Listen & Subscribe: The Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast is available on all platforms. Never miss an episode—hit follow and stay updated!

🔹 Join the Community: Follow @DentalHygieneBasics on socials for study tips, motivation, and exclusive content.

🔹 Need Help on Your Journey? Check out www.dentalhygienebasics.com to see all of our services! Whether you are applying or recently accepted, we got you!

🔹 Support Future Hygienists! A portion of our proceeds funds the Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship, helping aspiring RDHs achieve their goals. Learn more at www.dentalhygienebasics.com/scholarship.

🎧 Thank you for listening! If you found this episode helpful, please leave a review—it helps more future RDHs find us! 💙

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, you can hear all about Jazmine's amazing dental hygiene career and how she founded a dental hygiene-independent practice in the state of New Mexico! She's been a practicing RDH for ten years, with experience as an educator and recently took over a dental business development company, Dental HyGenius. Jazmine has found many outlets in this profession that I'm excited to share with you all. I love sharing the different ways you can use your RDH license and truly believe every dental hygienist can find their own niche. Thank you again, Jazmine, for your donation to the Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship! 

Submit your application for the DHB Scholarship HERE! Transcripts are available on Apple or by request. Slide into my DMs HERE: Instagram: @dentalhygienebasics Facebook: Dental Hygiene Basics Twitter: @DH_Basics Email:[email protected]. Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE.  Looking for NBDHE prep? Become a VIP StudentRDH member today: https://www.studentrdh.com/?rfsn=8529631.46e55d

Timestamps:

(00:00) Jazmine’s RDH Origin Story 

(02:27) Her Dental Hygiene Practice 

(12:14) The Oral-Systemic Link

(14:29) New Mom in Dental Hygiene School 

(19:38) Struggles Jazmine Noticed in DH Students

(25:50) How Her Hygiene Office Works

(30:10) Lessons Learned and Advice in Dental Hygiene School

🔹 Listen & Subscribe: The Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast is available on all platforms. Never miss an episode—hit follow and stay updated!

🔹 Join the Community: Follow @DentalHygieneBasics on socials for study tips, motivation, and exclusive content.

🔹 Need Help on Your Journey? Check out www.dentalhygienebasics.com to see all of our services! Whether you are applying or recently accepted, we got you!

🔹 Support Future Hygienists! A portion of our proceeds funds the Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship, helping aspiring RDHs achieve their goals. Learn more at www.dentalhygienebasics.com/scholarship.

🎧 Thank you for listening! If you found this episode helpful, please leave a review—it helps more future RDHs find us! 💙

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode features Angy, a travel RDH who is a learning and development manager with Cloud Dentistry, the online staffing platform! She shares her arduous but inspiring journey to becoming a dental hygienist. As a DACA recipient, she had to navigate paying for school out of pocket and taking the national boards without U.S. citizenship. Angy also worked 40-hour work weeks throughout her two years in dental hygiene school. Working night shifts and then being at school from 8-5 right after deserves some praise! She didn't have it easy in dental hygiene school but it shows that anything is possible with enough drive and motivation. She is a true rockstar! 

Submit your application for the DHB Scholarship HERE! Transcripts are available on Apple or by request. Slide into my DMs HERE: Instagram: @dentalhygienebasics Facebook: Dental Hygiene Basics Twitter: @DH_Basics Email:[email protected]. Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE. Looking for NBDHE prep? Become a VIP StudentRDH member today: https://www.studentrdh.com/?rfsn=8529631.46e55d

Timestamps: 

(00:00) Angy’s RDH Origin Story 

(03:43) Pre Reqs and GPAs

(07:41) Getting into DH School

(11:25) Paying Tuition 

(17:21) Working Full Time in Dental Hygiene School 

(21:53) Support from Dental Hygiene Instructors 

(25:45) Angy’s Personal Struggles in School

(28:04) DACA and taking the National Boards 

(35:34) Tips for Dental Hygiene Students 

🔹 Listen & Subscribe: The Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast is available on all platforms. Never miss an episode—hit follow and stay updated!

🔹 Join the Community: Follow @DentalHygieneBasics on socials for study tips, motivation, and exclusive content.

🔹 Need Help on Your Journey? Check out www.dentalhygienebasics.com to see all of our services! Whether you are applying or recently accepted, we got you!

🔹 Support Future Hygienists! A portion of our proceeds funds the Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship, helping aspiring RDHs achieve their goals. Learn more at www.dentalhygienebasics.com/scholarship.

🎧 Thank you for listening! If you found this episode helpful, please leave a review—it helps more future RDHs find us! 💙

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marisa Kibiersza, known as the financial hygienist on Instagram, joins me on this episode to share her experience of becoming a dental hygienist with a passion for personal finance. We delved into the topic of finance as a dental hygiene student as well as post-licensing to hopefully educate future RDHs on a topic that is not commonly explored in our profession. She shares how she got a bachelor of science in biology with the intentional plan of becoming a physical therapist. After some unexpected life changes, she found herself attending an associate's program for dental hygiene at the College of Lake County in Illinois. Marisa is a clinical hygienist who aims to help future and current hygienists with their financial goals; I can't thank her enough for her donation to the DHB Scholarship!! Make sure to submit your application for the DHB Scholarship HERE! Transcripts are available on Apple or by request. Slide into my DMs HERE: Instagram: @dentalhygienebasics Facebook: Dental Hygiene Basics Twitter: @DH_Basics Email: [email protected]. Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE. Looking for NBDHE prep? Become a VIP StudentRDH member today HERE.

Timestamps: 

(00:00) Marisa’s RDH Origin Story 

(08:23) Her Current Roles 

(11:00) Finances in DH School 

(18:30) Money Advice for New Grads 

(29:00) Adversities Marisa Faced in School

(31:47) Rewarding Memories from School

🔹 Listen & Subscribe: The Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast is available on all platforms. Never miss an episode—hit follow and stay updated!

🔹 Join the Community: Follow @DentalHygieneBasics on socials for study tips, motivation, and exclusive content.

🔹 Need Help on Your Journey? Check out www.dentalhygienebasics.com to see all of our services! Whether you are applying or recently accepted, we got you!

🔹 Support Future Hygienists! A portion of our proceeds funds the Dental Hygiene Basics Scholarship, helping aspiring RDHs achieve their goals. Learn more at www.dentalhygienebasics.com/scholarship.

🎧 Thank you for listening! If you found this episode helpful, please leave a review—it helps more future RDHs find us! 💙

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.