In honor of National Dental Hygiene Month, I would like to honor all hygienists with an Ode to Dental Hygienists! I know we all can relate to this ode, and I hope you enjoy it!
Endless hours of studying for competencies, tests, and boards.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Exhausted physically and mentally, you effortlessly put the health and care of someone else before you.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
What’s that I see? You brought me lunch…stuck in your teeth???
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Listening to beloved family stories, complaints of “hating the dentist” and comforting fearful patients.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Running behind, dealing with no shows and cancellations, yet still finding something to do.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Navigating new software, hundreds of oral care products, and different personalities.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Being called a “tooth cleaner,” assistant, nurse, or “tech”!
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Attending countless CE classes; same lecture, different speaker, different day.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Rendering treatment, scheduling patients and treatment planning on a tight schedule.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
OSHA training, HIPAA training, and CPR certification–oh joy!
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Learning new perio classifications, silver diamine fluoride, and laser learning curves.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Your practice act, my practice act…ever-changing they will be.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
X-ray dipping, processing, and now digital imaging—quite the history lesson!
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Writing paper charts. Oh wait! Hold on! Paperless charts—oh my!
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Conquering the opioid crisis, premedication regulations, and antibiotic resistance.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Delivering optimum patient education, including oral-systemic link, dietary analysis, and still no improvements.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Hearing, “I don’t need a flossing lecture,” yet a blood bath occurs for an hour.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Also, hearing time and again and again and again, ”I don’t need x-rays.” Really? It’s been five years!
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Production, production, let’s hear it once more!
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Forming relationships in the chair, out of the chair, while hearing beloved family stories.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Learning of medical conditions small and large, sometimes shedding a tear.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
PPOs, DMOs, fee for service too. Can’t I just do my job?
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Hooray! Today a treatment plan was completed!
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Chitty chatty dentists running us behind.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Watching the calculus flick right off, or using an endoscope to pursue it!
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Back aches, neck aches, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Manual brushes, electric brushes, oral irrigators, and so much more.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Good oral hygiene, bad oral hygiene, educating to a brick wall.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Hygiene school memories and catching up with friends.
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
A career for one, a career for all!
I’m a hygienist, hear me roar!
Wishing all the hygienists out there a fantastic National Dental Hygiene Month. Every single one of us is a valued member of the dental world and deserve a huge shout out for all we do day in and day out considering the hurdles and roadblocks we face. You all rock!
