Dental Hygiene Basics

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:DHBasics@protonmail.com. 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=8529631.46e55dTimestamps: (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 

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: DHBasics@protonmail.com. 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

Some dental hygiene programs require applicants to take a TEAS test, an exam commonly used for nursing school applications. My goal with this episode was to help guide students who aren't sure where to get started when preparing for this exam. There are several tips and resources in this episode so make sure you give it a listen! 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:DHBasics@protonmail.com. Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE. Timestamps:(00:00) TEAS Test Layout(01:30) Preparing for the Exam(02:24) Resources for Studying

My guest speaker on this episode, Daisy, shares her amazing story of becoming a dental hygienist. She practices hygiene in the state of Washington, working part-time so she can focus on her brand and marketing. Daisy and I shared a great conversation about finances and how she covered school costs; spoiler- she was the recipient of 10 scholarships! Her story is especially inspiring as she is a first-generation college student raised in a single-parent household. Future RDH's, you don't want to miss this episode!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: DHBasics@protonmail.com. Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE.Timestamps:(00:00) Daisy’s RDH Origin Story(03:29) Side Hustles through Hygiene School(05:18) Temping as a Hygienist(09:21) Dental Assisting Experience(10:37) Finances through College(20:03) Daisy’s Advice for Financial Aid(23:10) GPA Before Hygiene School(28:40) Struggles in Clinic(38:00) Her Favorite Mems in School

This episode might win for the best RDH Origin Story on the podcast. Amber D'Andrea joined me to talk about how she ended up in dental hygiene despite originally wanting to become an RN- it's a crazy story that I'm excited for you to hear! She also shares the experience she had in the dental hygiene program at the College of DuPage in Illinois, which allowed her to obtain a bachelor's degree by completing one extra year of schooling. She later earned her MBA and now works with the dental networking platform Cloud Dentistry to help students and practicing RDHs. Stay tuned until the end to hear her advice for hygiene students!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:DHBasics@protonmail.com. Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE. Timestamps:(00:00) Amber’s RDH Origin Story(11:08) Choosing Between Programs(14:07) Paying for Dental Hygiene School(17:14) Adjusting to Being in School Full-Time(20:20) Amber’s Best Advice for Students

Jose has recently graduated from dental hygiene school at NYU's associate's program and plans to continue his education by getting a bachelor's in health promotion and education. He talks about how his major in arts helped him appreciate the field of dentistry when he worked as an orthodontics dental assistant. This clinical experience helped him stand out on his application since his GPA wasn't as high as he hoped. Despite not getting accepted into a program on his first try, Jose made the most of his education in dental hygiene school. He was class president and was a member of several associations during his schooling. I found his story really motivating, especially for future hygiene students who are feeling stuck in their journey.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:DHBasics@protonmail.com. Want a question answered on the show? Fill out the DHB Questionnaire HERE. Timestamps:(00:00) Jose’s RDH Origin Story(03:46) Using Sales Experience in Dental Hygiene(13:16) Low GPA on Application(14:13) His Interview for School(18:38) Bachelor in Health Promotion and Education(23:40) Paying for School(31:02) Jose’s Advice for Students