What is so disturbingly wrong with a person that they would become a Dental Hygenist

[LynneSin]

YUCK!!

I wouldn't want to play around with people's mouths day in and day out!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. Better that than a proctologist. nt

[LynneSin]

3. Ok you topped me.

Do you think there are kids out there that tell their friends and parents "When I grow up I want to be a doctor of the poopshoot"

[Schema Thing]

14. heh, you said "you topped me"

[av8rdave]

7. Proctologist probably isn't a bad job for a Doctor

I'll bet they don't get a lot of 3 am emergency room calls for hemorrhoids. And if the Doc has any republicans for patients, then he's never working with anything he's not used to already.

[charlie and algernon]

2. not to mention how small the margain for error is

I'd be deathly afraid that I'd sneeze, hiccup, cough, etc.

[kiva]

4. Just told a friend the other day that I've met dentists I've liked,

but never, ever, a dental hygienist. They always seems so anal, not to mention most seem to have a streak of sadism - that said, I'm sure I just offended someone on DU who is a hygienist, or whose SO/child/parent/best friend is one...sorry.

[av8rdave]

6. Actually, my hygienist is great

Very personable, very knowledgeable. Of course, I always tell her that there is a sizable bonus in it for her if I fall asleep while she works.

[kiva]

10. Does it work?

I'd gladly pay extra not to have mine shooting full strength at my gums while she mutters about people who don't floss often enough - which, by her standards, seems to be four or five times a day. OK, a slight exaggeration, she doesn't really mutter, she speaks aloud.

[av8rdave]

12. I have dozed off before

She is really good.

[ipfilter]

16. I get the flossing lecture every time I get my teeth cleaned.

Next time I'm going to tell her if everyone flossed she would be out of a job.

[driver8]

25. Ha Ha -- I get the lecture, too!

I'm going to use your response...

[Arugula Latte]

5. I know!!! EWWW!!!

Thinking about flossing other peoples' teeth just turns my stomach! x( It's gross enough to floss my own!

[nolabear]

8. That's funny, I just had dental surgery the other day

at the dentist I've had for more than twenty years. I've moved since we started using him and I actually make the drive because they're all so warm and friendly, not to mention they work hard to keep me on the straight and narrow.

They seem interested in things, have quiet conversations with me and tease me and one another. I have to admit that my dentist is very conservative and loves to get all the furniture in my mouth and tease me about my left wing inclinations. But it's very respectful.

Why would one want to do it? Well, it's secure, the pay's pretty good and if you're with a good team you can get a lot of satisfaction out of it.

[Deep13]

9. bad teeth?

:shrug:

[LynneSin]

13. Great teeth, perfectly straight, all there and flossed nicely

just a gross job - I know not everyone has a nice mouth like mine.

[sarge43]

11. I guess I'm the exception

The dentist I go to is a kind, gentle man who goes out of his way to make his work as painless and stress free as possible.

His hygienists are equally competent.

I used to be terrified of going for dental work. Thanks to them I still may not look forward, but I don't sweat it.

I'm glad good people like them are in the profession and, btw, I owe them the teeth I have left.

Thank you, Dr Bob, Anne and Kelly.

[hunter]

15. I have a tremendous amount of respect for health care providers of all sorts.

The vast majority of them do these really yucky things because they want to help people.

This desire to help people is sometimes so strong it depresses wages in certain fields -- altruistic people will accept lower wages for a yucky job helping people than they would for a much less yucky job requiring a similar skill set and educational background.

I'm very grateful that there are people who want to help others take care of their teeth.

But, no thanks, it's not a job that I would want to do. I've got one mouth to take care of, my own, and that's plenty.

[Captain Hilts]

17. Fair salary for lower middle income women. nt

[LynneSin]

18. my last hygienist was a man

:grr:

[Captain Hilts]

19. The VAST majority are women. Dentistry skews more female every year. nt

[LynneSin]

20. Point is it's sexist to think it's only for women

:D

[Captain Hilts]

21. Never said that. Men often take different routes to get into nursing, etc. i.e. through

the military.

But women comprise a huge majority of dental hygienists - I can't spell it. And a larger percentage of dentists every year.

Military hospitals are the only ones where there is no nursing shortage.

[cwydro]

22. Yeah, for women of a certain class

it's either that or hair stylist.

(sarcasm)

[Captain Hilts]

23. It is a class issue. nt

[La Lioness Priyanka]

24. they want a middle class lifestyle?

[driver8]

26. My dental hygienist rocks!

She is a sweetheart and does a great job!

I actually think I have developed a crush on her...