My older sister is the original hygienist out of the two of us. She convinced me to be a hygienist, walked me through all the various steps it would take, and brought me under her wing at her office as a newly graduated baby hygienist learning my first steps. We slowly became a sister hygiene duo who were nearly impossible to tell apart. We have similar voices, heights, body types, laugh, and hair.
Sometimes, I think our patients could hardly tell us apart. When patients requested to see one of us again, they often said, “Just put me with the sisters.”
However, there is one big difference between us that, over the years, I began to notice must have made my sister’s career challenging. That difference is she is left-handed. Being left-handed may not come with the trials and troubles it did decades ago, but in a career that is so hand-focused in a world of righties, a lefty is “left” to fend for themselves and adapt.
I realized I’d never asked my sister how her lefty life made her feel at work, so I decided it was my sisterly duty to give her a voice!
Without further ado, I introduce (through interview questions) my sister, Rachel, the best hygienist to have ever lived (yes, that’s a fact).
Hannah: What unique challenges do you face as a left-handed dental hygienist in a predominantly right-handed profession?
Rachel: It really is a right-handed world! My biggest challenge has always been the operatory setup – the tray table, the handpiece, the floor pedals. When you try to move all of this to the left side of the dental chair, more often than not, you or your chair get very tangled up!
Hannah: Have you found any specific techniques or tools that help you navigate these challenges effectively?
Rachel: The previous office I worked at was proactive in ensuring I was set up well. They added a separate tray table attached to the left side of the patient chair and provided me with a cordless slow-speed handpiece. The IT team ensured the computer screen could easily be moved from the left to the right side of the chair without wires getting crossed.
A few extra built-in shelves were added on the left side of the operatory for my oral hygiene supplies so that I could have easier access to patient samples directly instead of having to walk to the other side where most of the drawers naturally were.
Those few little adjustments made such a big difference! I will always be grateful to them for being willing to accommodate me. The three dentists I worked for were all right-handed, and they would always wait patiently, albeit sometimes awkwardly, for me to do a few minor things before they sat down to make it more like an operatory they were used to working in. This usually took one to two minutes.
In a career where every minute makes a difference, this was no easy sacrifice.
Hannah: What would it look like if you could have your dream operatory set up?
Rachel: I think everything would be cordless! Maybe most hygienists wish this as well? I would have the computer, dental unit, pedals and rheostat, and any products or cabinets all on the left side.
Hannah: What have been some challenges you have come across when temping? Does the temp agency ensure an office can make adjustments for a lefty?
Rachel: I’ve temped a few times. Unfortunately, most temp agencies did not relay the message that I was left-handed to the dental office as requested. I would often show up to work, and the office I was temping at would have no idea how even to begin setting up the operatory for a lefty.
Because of this, I called offices ahead of time myself so they would be fully prepared. However, depending on the office, this still didn’t work out well in my experience.
Hannah: Have you encountered any ergonomic issues related to your left-handedness, and do you believe being left-handed has influenced your approach to patient care or treatment?
Rachel: At times, being a lefty can feel like a slight shortcoming. I often sacrifice my ergonomics due to cords getting crossed or tangled up to ensure the patient stays comfortable. This happens more often than I’d like to admit.
I think, although being left-handed is not exactly a rarity, it has given me more empathy, obviously for other lefties, but anyone with something about them that inherently sets them apart.
Hannah: Do you feel like newer technology, such as handheld/portable x-ray units, cordless handpieces, and cordless foot pedals, could help improve ergonomics for left-handed hygienists?
Rachel: Absolutely! By the time those were becoming more popular, I was on my way out of clinical hygiene because I had my third baby and decided to be a stay-at-home mom. I temped at an office once where they didn’t have a cordless slow-speed handpiece like I was used to, and it was just an absolute nightmare trying to maneuver the cord around the patient’s head or over their chest without bumping into them.
I feel like cords end up being the same hassle whether you’re left-handed or right-handed, so cordless/handheld versions of equipment would be ideal for both types of hygienists.
Hannah: Do patients ever react to you being on the opposite side than they’re used to?
Rachel: You would think patients would notice that you were sitting on the opposite side of them from what they are used to, but, shockingly, most people never notice! Or at least they don’t say anything. If I point it out, they always say, “Oh yeah, how did I not notice?!”
Hannah: What’s your scaling instrument of choice as a lefty?
Rachel: My favorite scaler is the S204S by far! It’s so universal and can be adapted to any angle!
Hannah: Are there any hygiene instruments that are difficult for you to use?
Rachel: Thankfully, I never found specific instruments to be difficult to use as a lefty. It seems like hygiene instruments were made to be adaptable for any side of the mouth you’re working on. It’s just the reverse angle of what the right-handed side would be – an exact mirror image.
Hannah: Do you feel like your hygiene education was accommodating for you as a left-handed learner?
Rachel: If I’m honest, on my first day of hygiene school, the instructors literally groaned when they realized they had not one but two lefties in the class. I think it is harder to teach a lefty hygienist than it is to be one, so I imagine they had to try and rewire their brain and hand movements when helping me learn.
If I were in their shoes, trying to teach or understand how to be a right-handed hygienist, I would be incredibly confused!
Hannah: Do you have any suggestions to help faculty who may find it difficult to teach their left-handed students? Can you remember anything an instructor did to make it easier to adapt? Any advice for left-handed hygiene students?
Rachel: There was one part-time instructor who was fairly ambidextrous, actually! She practiced as a right-handed hygienist, but since she had good control with her left hand, she was able to sit with me and walk me through it a bit more. I was extremely fortunate to have her available because that isn’t always the case for left-handed hygiene students.
For the purely right-handed faculty, I would say that teaching both right-handed and left-handed methods needs to be a part of the curriculum. In my experience, only right-hand methods were taught, so they had to work individually with me in each class to help explain the left-handed aspect. It almost felt like the faculty had never had a left-handed student before. Being prepared and implementing right and left-handed methods into the curriculum as much as possible would help the faculty and future students.
It would be helpful to set up at least one operatory specifically for lefties. I had to rearrange the dental unit each time I started the clinic day. The operatories were most certainly not set up for a lefty or even adaptable. I couldn’t even bring my tray around.
I think students need to advocate for themselves if the program isn’t advocating for them – request a unit solely to be designated as their own so that they don’t have to rearrange it each time. Don’t be afraid to ask for cordless options or other things you need because chances are you’ll have to ask in the real world!
Hannah: Does being left-handed come into your personal life in any interesting ways?
Rachel: I always look at people to see which dominant hand they are – do right-handed people do that? It’s one of the first things I notice about people.
Hannah: For aspiring left-handed dental hygienists entering the field, what advice would you give them to navigate and excel in a predominantly right-handed environment?
Rachel: I would say just make sure not to feel like an inconvenience, no matter how much maneuvering and individual change needs to happen to the operatory. Perhaps purchase your own cordless handpiece if you plan on being a temp hygienist because most offices will not have that available for you.
Let any offices you plan on interviewing or temping for that you are left-handed and ask if you can arrive at least a half hour before the shift starts to adjust the operatory as needed – with their permission.
I know it can be awkward and tedious, but it’s good to remember that being a lefty has made you an incredibly adaptable person since it’s a right-handed world. You’ve got this!
In Closing
Although being left-handed may have been wrongly considered an oddity in the past, the number of individuals who achieved great success as lefties shows that this assumption was gravely mistaken. The Greek philosopher Aristotle was known to be a lefty! Vincent Van Gogh’s unique artistic style was often mentioned to potentially be due to his left-handedness. Other left-handed well-known people include Mozart, Barak Obama, Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla, Marie Curie, and even Oprah Winfrey!1
Some studies have shown that lefties might have advantages in the realm of creativity and problem-solving due to greater control of both brain hemispheres. This suggests that left-handed individuals process and interpret information in a potentially different way than right-handed people, allowing for unique perspectives and innovations.2
Next time you notice a left-handed individual, take a moment to consider the challenges they might face in our right-handed world. Give the lefties in your life a big hug next time you see them – they bring us so much creativity and special insight, and they deserve to be celebrated!
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References
- 10 Famous Left-Handers and Their Contributions. (2024, August 13). English Path. https://www.englishpath.com/blog/10-famous-left-handers-and-their-contributions/
- Llaurens, V., Raymond, M., Faurie, C. Why Are Some People Left-Handed? An Evolutionary Perspective. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2009; 364(1519): 881-894. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2666081/
