3 Necessary Resolutions For Your Professional Growth

Have you already dropped the ball on your resolutions? Mine seem to stay the same each year, and the results seem to stay the same too – unfulfilled. This year, I want to break this cycle and reexamine how I set my priorities. I am entering my 10th year as a dental hygienist and am already feeling the exhaustion and boredom of my stagnant routine at work. I want to bring the excitement and motivation back into my career and write down the resolutions to make this goal achievable.

Have you been feeling stagnant and unmotivated, too? It’s not too late to pick the ball back up and make new resolutions that will make a difference in your professional life.

1. Find an Alternative for the “F” Word 

I don’t know about you, but I am sick of the “F” word. I’m exhausted from saying it, hearing it, and preaching it. And by “F” word, I mean floss. I’ve worked in the field long enough to know that patients also are tired of the “F” word, as evidenced by their non-compliance. According to the American Academy of Periodontology, 14% of Americans said they’d rather clean a toilet than run the white string between their teeth, which means we desperately need an alternative. My goal in 2023 is to eliminate flossing from my vocabulary and change it to “interdental cleaning aids.” 

Interdental Cleaning Aids

Did you know? Interdental cleaning aids are proven more effective for gum disease, and more patients prefer using them due to their ease and comfort. Interdental brushes come in all different shapes and sizes to secure a tight fit between the teeth. Some brands come with a specialized probe and guide to ensure you choose the right size for your patient. End tuft brushes, soft picks, and rubber tip stimulators are also effective alternatives. For those patients willing to invest, Waterpiks are especially for patients in orthodontics, bridgework, or implants. 

I feel excited to teach my patients new and effective ways to keep their gum care in check and learn new products I overlooked as a hygienist while being stuck only saying the “F” word. 

2. Learn A New Skill 

“I want to learn a new skill” is a very broad statement. As a hygienist, this can mean learning to communicate properly, managing time wisely, assisting with restorative restorations, or mastering manual dexterity. When I say “I want to learn a new skill,” I mean I want to learn a new, modernized way to remove oral deposits in the mouth. In my office, I have noticed our hygiene department stays stagnant with our hygiene protocols and routines, while our dental assisting department has learned how to 3D scan and 3D print models, retainers, and crowns. Why is the investment only going toward restorations and not preventative care? As dental clinicians, we have the power to change this! For me, that meant signing up for some new educational courses:

Guided Biofilm Therapy

Last year, I attended a Guided Biofilm Therapy course that presented a different outlook on how a hygiene appointment should be carried out. Guided Biofilm Therapy recommends hygienists use a disclosing agent before starting prophylaxis to show patients exactly where they are missing and provide home-care instructions. I usually save my homecare instructions for last, but this way, I can more easily show how effective my new interdental brushes are versus flossing. I wish I had changed this routine sooner! 

Airflow Max

This course also introduced an Airflow Max technology that removes stains, biofilm, and early calculus by spraying a special powder before touching a piezo or hand scalers. It cut the time in half needed to scale teeth and was extremely comfortable for the patient. This technology would ensure longevity in my career since it lessens the stress of the tight thumb and index finger pinch while scaling and brings new excitement to patients in the chair. The Airflow Max is an expensive piece of machinery, but I believe it will bring value to our office. My goal this year is to provide my dentist with this information and make my case for why we should bring this technology to our hygiene department!

Pro tip: Find free virtual and in-person CE for your position on DentalPost’s Industry Events page.

3. Make More Money 

DentalPost’s new 2023 Dental Salary Report revealed that more than 30% of the dental workforce is considering a job change (including more than 31% of dental hygienists, 27% of dental assistants, and 39% of dental front office associates!). Despite increased incomes and job satisfaction, better pay was the top motivator for those seeking new jobs!

While many factors go into income satisfaction beyond salary, we all have the power to take matters into our own hands – whether that means asking for a raise, negotiating better benefits, looking for a new job, or finding ways to supplement our income.

Temping

As hygienists, we are fortunate enough to have temp work as a great option to control our schedules and make more income. Even though I have been aware of this option in my career, I have failed to utilize this until now. With the fast-increasing costs of groceries, gas, and interest rates, I have found my family struggling to save for our future, let alone make plans for vacations or just fun nights out.

Dental hygienists and assistants are in higher demand than ever, with offices struggling to find permanent staff, so there’s never been a better time to get your foot in the door and bring your professional skills to those offices in need! Even if you only have weekends available to pick up dental temp jobs, working one Saturday a month or every couple of months can go a long way in helping you reach your goals. 

Temping is not only beneficial to your pocketbook, but you also get the chance to expand your skills and network within the dental community. You can gain exposure to different offices’ operations and knowledge with multiple dental software programs, equipment, and protocols. You can learn how to master different scaling instruments, ultrasonics, or air polishers. It is a great way to become familiar with many things you may not have worked with before. This will also help expand your resume for your future when you are looking for a new job opportunity. 

Get started by setting your temp availability on your Resume Profile.

Motivation for Professional Growth

Making resolutions is inherently hopeful and optimistic. We set goals because we expect our efforts to yield a positive outcome for ourselves, our families, our careers, and our communities. This positive view of the future, in turn, tends to motivate action. I feel motivated to make this year one of professional growth and personal achievement, and I hope sharing my resolutions will motivate you to do the same. Throughout the year, I will write my updates periodically to share how effective these changes have been for my patients and me. I hope you’ll also share your updates with me on Facebook or email!