WWU ART STUDIO MAJOR CONSIDERS A CAREER IN DENTAL HYGIENE

#engagementstory

By MAX LEISTEN

Career transitions can be challenging, but they’re also an opportunity to explore new directions and connect with professionals who can offer guidance. A student at Western Washington University, originally pursuing a degree in art studio, is considering a shift to dental hygiene. Through a connection made within the community, she received an offer to shadow a dental clinic and get a firsthand look at the daily work of dental hygienists.

This is a perfect example of how meaningful connections can provide clarity and support during times of career uncertainty.

Keep it simple,

Max

The "ask"

Hello, I’m a junior majoring in Art Studio who is intending to graduate with a BFA. To support myself and give myself time to build a name in the art world I am exploring career paths related to my other interests. Before I switched to art I had taken multiple anatomy, medical terminology, and patient records classes.

I’m getting a feel for what careers there are in health and medicine, and dental hygiene has peaked my interest, however there is a lot that I do not know about the profession. Could you share what a day of work looks like for a dental hygienist? What is the biggest challenge you face in a week at work and how do you work through it? What is your work environment like between patients and coworkers? Additionally, I would like to know what personal lessons you have learned within the profession.

Thank you for taking a moment for this. I value your advice going forward.

The "give"

Hello, thank you for your question. I currently work in Bellingham as the associate dental director at unity Care Northwest. If you would like to, you could come shadow at our clinic. You could see what a typical day is like for our dental hygienists.

My cell phone number is ***-***-**** if you would like to reach me directly. I am a dentist but I supervise hygienists and dental assistants.

A typical day includes seeing patients for cleanings, scaling and root cleaning, also known as a deep cleaning for gum disease… You give patients education about home care and how to take care of their teeth at home, flossing, diet, products to use and not use…

The profession is very rewarding and you develop relationships with your clients over years of working together, you can treat children and adults… It is a very rewarding health care field. And you can make a great salary nowadays especially in Western Washington state.

You should check out Bellingham Technical School, or other dental hygiene programs around Washington State, I believe Eastern Washington University had a program… But the best way to learn is to shadow in a clinic with the hygienists.

We are a public health clinic so our model is a little bit different than a private practice. Private practice hygienists are usually paid a combination of their salary and or production based, so when they do more work they earn more money… There are lots of ways you can do it. One of the biggest challenges is managing patient expectations. Patients sometimes have an idea of what things will be and we have to explain the differences in the treatment options and allow the patient to make decisions regarding their care.

I have been a dentist for 13 years and I am still challenged everyday. It is a lot of fun as well.

Good luck in the future!

Ready to make it simple for everyone?

Let’s find a time for Max & team to show you just how smart, simple, and scalable it can truly be for alumni and students to connect to one another for advice and support. We promise you’ll be inspired by how artificial intelligence can be a force for good.

Protopia’s artificial intelligence technology makes it truly simple for everyone in your community to connect for advice and support. Without another app to sign up for or learn.

Delivering Alumni As A Service across the entire learner’s journey.

Welcome to the Future.

What’s Protopia?

How Can Protopia Help?

More Resources