Dental Hygiene Basics

Becoming a registered dental hygienist can feel like one big leap, but the journey is actually made up of many small steps. In this episode of the Dental Hygiene Basics Podcast, Dana reflects on her experience facing a fear that had held her back and connects it to the realities of dental hygiene school. From applying to a program and getting accepted to learning clinical skills, building confidence, and eventually entering practice, each step prepares you for the next. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, behind, or unsure of what to do next in dental hygiene school, start by identifying what’s holding you back and asking, “What is my next step?” You don’t have to be ready for the highest hurdle yet—you just need to keep moving toward becoming the dental hygienist you want to be, one step at a time. Are you currently facing a dental hygiene hurdle? Here's a free guide for you: https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/opt-in🟠Start here: Get dental hygiene school tips, free resources, and access to upcoming student events → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletter🟠 When you're ready for boards: Become a StudentRDH VIP member → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3🟠Want extra support + events? Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

Guest host Michael Suruy with @dhy_boys is back this week with Ursula Jaimes, RDH, @latinahygienist to highlight her journey to becoming a dental hygienist, taking advantage of a local program that covered her tuition costs completely! Ursula also talks about how she navigated the intensity of dental hygiene school while raising her daughter. Her experience is a reminder that feeling uncertain during school or early in your career does not mean you are on the wrong path. Sometimes you need time, experience, and community to figure out what fits.🟠Start here: Get dental hygiene school tips, free resources, and access to upcoming student events → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletter🟠 When you're ready for boards: Become a StudentRDH VIP member → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3🟠Want extra support + events? Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

Jozel Campbell @jozel.hygienist has been practicing as a dental hygienist for a year now and shares her journey- from immigrating to the US and navigating dental hygiene prerequisites to overcoming a waitlist, financial challenges, and a high-stakes clinical competency that nearly changed the course of her career. Jozel also talks about how her passion for community service led her to create a nonprofit focused on delivering oral health care and education to underserved populations. Jozel's story is a reminder that your career path does not have to be linear. Keep building your skills, stay connected to your fundamentals, and pay attention to the areas of dental hygiene that continue to interest you—they may point toward your next opportunity.🟠Start here: Get dental hygiene school tips, free resources, and access to upcoming student events → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletter🟠 When you're ready for boards: Become a StudentRDH VIP member → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3🟠Want extra support + events? Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

Being able to accept constructive criticism is part of becoming a competent dental hygienist—but it doesn’t mean you have to feel hurt in the process. In this episode, Dana talks about how dental hygiene students can learn to build thick skin and take criticism in a way that will boost their growth. She explains how to recognize the emotions and negative thought patterns that feedback can trigger, and separate the correction of your clinical skills from your worth as a person. The goal isn’t to stop caring about feedback; it’s to learn how to use it to strengthen your clinical skills, build competence through repetition, and develop confidence over time.🟠Start here: Get dental hygiene school tips, free resources, and access to upcoming student events → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletter🟠 When you're ready for boards: Become a StudentRDH VIP member → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3🟠Want extra support + events? Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

Mahdi Mohseni is a current dental hygiene student whose journey to dental hygiene school included an unexpected academic setback. He shares how he faced a particularly difficult semester during his prerequisites due to personal circumstances, but managed to turn things around and earned straight A's in the following two semesters and successfully got into dental hygiene school! In this episode, Mahdi shares his experience of getting into a dental hygiene program without prior dental experience, the importance of preparation and developing strong study habits, and why taking the first semester seriously can make a difference in clinical success. His story is a reminder that one difficult semester does not have to define your future, and that setbacks do not have to determine where you end up.🟠Start here: Get dental hygiene school tips, free resources, and access to upcoming student events → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletter🟠 When you're ready for boards: Become a StudentRDH VIP member → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3🟠Want extra support + events? Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

Your prerequisite courses do more than help you qualify for dental hygiene school—they build the foundation you'll rely on throughout your education and clinical career. There's a common narrative being shared that anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology, communication, and even math are "just boxes to check," but this is far from the truth. Challenge yourself to see how these subjects connect directly to patient care, critical thinking, pharmacology, periodontal disease, instrumentation, and clinical decision-making. This episode offers a practical perspective on why prerequisites matter for the future RDH and how strengthening your study skills early can make dental hygiene school more manageable.🟠Start here: Get dental hygiene school tips, free resources, and access to upcoming student events → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletter🟠 When you're ready for boards: Become a StudentRDH VIP member → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3🟠Want extra support + events? Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

Whitney DiFoggio joins Dana to share her RDH origin story, how she got into content creation in 2015, and now working on her doctorate in health science! Whitney hosts a yearly Dental Hygiene Month Party, a free virtual event celebrating the dental hygiene community through connection, games, giveaways, and the inaugural Future Hygienist Award. Her story highlights how a dental hygiene career can grow in unexpected directions while creating opportunities to educate, connect, and support the next generation of hygienists.🟠Start here: Get dental hygiene school tips, free resources, and access to upcoming student events → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletter🟠 When you're ready for boards: Become a StudentRDH VIP member → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3🟠Want extra support + events? Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

Dannia's @danniardh episode was so good, we had to share it again for those who missed this amazing conversation! She talked about her inspiring journey getting into dental hygiene school at the age of 19 as a first-gen college student. Dannia's story is one you don't want to miss! We discussed networking, the costs of hygiene school, and the continuous improvements you can make to be successful in school. Dannia's personal adversities and her determination to secure shadowing opportunities showcase her resilience. She also shares her passion for art and how she used that to make her a better applicant. Even after dental hygiene school, she is active in the profession through her work in her local dental hygiene association and giving the best DH advice on her socials!🟠Start here: Get dental hygiene school tips, free resources, and access to upcoming student events → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletter🟠 When you're ready for boards: Become a StudentRDH VIP member → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3🟠Want extra support + events? Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1