Are you a guy curious about what it’s like being a male dental hygienist and if it would be a good fit for you? I am excited to present to you the following article because I interviewed guys that have made dental hygiene their careers.
As a general rule guys can most definitely be dental hygienists. As long as they successfully complete their training and meet the dental board’s requirements they can be assured a licensed status in the state they practice.
The beautiful thing is that we live in an age and in a country that allows for the freedom to choose the work we want to do. If you meet the requirements and show your worth you can succeed in getting dental hygienist status.
Male vs. Female: The Numbers
Historically, females have always outnumbered males in the dental hygiene profession. Even in my own dental hygiene class of 13 only one classmate was male.
As a general rule there are more female dental hygienists than males. According to one career survey the dental hygiene field is comprised of 93% women and 7% men.
But there may be a trend that shows a slight increase of male hygienists in the field. For example, it is becoming rare to have a dental hygiene class comprised ONLY of female students. There seems to be at least one male student in each class.
In addition, a Florida Workforce survey report of dental hygienists reported a 0.9% increase between the years 2009-2018. Does this trend mean the dental hygiene profession will be majority male in some future time? Probably not anytime soon.
But why would it be important for guys to know there are other guys working in the same profession? Is it to not feel left out of the bar talk after work? Or that there is no one to commiserate with about dental topics? Whatever the reason it is important to have support if you so wish.
Consider looking for meetups in your local area and even nationally that can provide abundant opportunities to collaborate with other male hygienists. One such group I recommend is Mr.RDH on facebook.
Being a Guy Dental Hygienist
To be honest, male dental hygienists are hard to come by. That’s why I am very fortunate: my younger brother is a dental hygienist! He was accepted into the dental hygiene program right out of high school.
I also recently met my wonderful instructor Dave when I took my certification class on local anesthesia. As we got to know each other I learned that he had decided to go straight into dental hygiene without having been a dentist or a dental assistant beforehand.
What better way to know what it’s like being a male dental hygienist than to ask one! So, I decided to interview Dave and Tom. Here is what they had to say:
What influenced your decision to become a dental hygienist?
Dave: My hygienist was my biggest influence on me considering becoming a hygienist. She made me realize that dental hygiene was more than just cleaning teeth.
Tom: I first became interested in the dental field when I was in middle school. At first, I was interested in becoming an orthodontist since I had braces as a kid. However, once I realized how much schooling was involved, I decided to look at other options in the dental field and came across dental hygiene. I liked the role description as well as the 2 year programs that were available. The pay for the investment seemed like a great return.
(Side note: I became interested in dental hygiene because of my brother. I have to say thank you Tommy for helping me find this awesome career!)
Did you ever view dental hygiene as a ‘female-dominated’ job?
Dave: Yes! But as a male I had no problems with that.
Tom: Yes, I realized that dental hygiene was a mostly female dominated job, which was reflected in the 4 to 36 male to female classmates I had.
Did you get encouragement or discouragement from others about pursuing this career?
Dave: During my pursuit into the dental field, I had received nothing but encouragement from family, friends, and co-workers.
Tom: I received both encouragement and discouragement from teachers and from family, but I was really interested in the field and wanted to give it a try anyway.
Did you ever feel prejudice at work for being a guy? If so, how did you deal with it?
Dave: I’ve dealt with prejudice on the job, but I’ve let my work do the talking for me.
Tom: At work I would often be mistaken for the doctor just for being a guy. I would just let the patients know that I was their hygienist and learned not to take it personal.
How do you deal with office drama?
Dave: I try to avoid office drama whenever possible.
Tom: Dealing with office drama is something I’ve had to learn over the years, but I find it best to stay out of it as much as possible. In most cases focusing on the solution rather than finding someone to blame works well.
What would you consider is a plus of being a male dental hygienist?
Dave: One major plus is that I’ll never be out on maternity leave.
Tom: I don’t think there’s really a plus to being a male vs female hygienist. I don’t know if equal pay is an issue in the dental hygiene field, but that may be something to consider.
What is the most challenging aspect of dental hygiene as a guy?
Dave: I would say getting someone to take a chance on hiring a male hygienist.
Tom: The most challenging aspect for me has been learning to get patients to accept treatment by not being pushy and just letting them see for themselves. I find that intraoral photos and Itero scans do a great job in giving the patient a visual.
What would you tell a guy that wants to become a successful dental hygienist?
Dave: I would give the same advice that I would give anyone else, and that would be, once you get your foot in the door, to prove what an asset you can be to the practice.
Tom: I would tell other male dental hygienists that confidence in yourself and your skills is important. Just knowing that you’re doing your best and giving it what you’ve got can make a difference in your career. Also, to take their prerequisite classes seriously as they help prepare you for the dental hygiene curriculum.
Where are you now?
Dave: I’m currently a dental educator.
Tom: Right now I am working in Irving, TX at a general practice, helping them grow as we expand into a new space, which is exciting for everyone.
Where do you want to be in 5 years?
Dave: Still teaching!
Tom: In 5 years I hope to still be practicing and making a difference in my patients’ oral health.
If you would like a deeper dive into what dental hygiene entails as a profession please check out my more comprehensive article on dental hygiene here.
“DO THE BEST YOU CAN UNTIL YOU KNOW BETTER-THEN WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER, DO BETTER”
-MAYA ANGELOU (AMERICAN POET)
Understanding the Female World
This subsection is an extra feature I wanted to include in this article especially geared toward guys. Because you are entering a female dominated field I thought having a little cheat sheet from a female will set you up for success in any office you happen to find yourself in, especially if you temp as much as I do.
As a general rule females communicate differently than males and developing good communication skills will be the cornerstone of a successful and pleasant work environment. Here are some tips that will help in your endeavors:
Tip #1 Be actively kind: Women (and most people really) respond very well to kind words and tasteful sincere compliments. You can really win points with your co-workers and patients if you become adept at doing this.
Tip #2 Learn to discern the real meaning behind her words: This is, unfortunately, one of the most difficult aspects of interacting with females. Many times when you ask a question (i.e. “Would you like some help breaking down your op?” “Do you need help with the x-rays?”) a “No, not really” might mean “I’m not sure” or “I don’t know”.
Following up with a question such as, “Are you 100% sure?” may help her realize that she actually does need help.
If you notice she still hesitates when declining your offer then you may want to leave the door open by saying something like, “Alright. If you change your mind I’m just around the corner.”
Tip #3 Be aware of cyclical moodiness: it is true that many women’s moods change in conjunction with their menstrual cycles. Therefore, if you happen to be the recipient of her remarks during that time PLEASE don’t take it personally.
Give her space, be patient and kind.
If you do want to address something that occurred during that time period you must wait until the cycle has passed for best results.
In short, be aware of your timing.
Tip #4 Be a good listener: if you’re in the break-room having lunch together, one of the best ways to build rapport with your female co-workers is to listen and ask questions.
As strange as it may seem, when a problem is being discussed by women, offering a solution without being directly asked for one may not be as appreciated as you may think.
When in doubt as to what to do just listen.
Tip #5 When asking for help, phrase it in a question: to most women “Get me a scaler set, please” is ruder than “Can you please get me scaler set?”. If you want to maintain peace and keep feelings intact try to get into the habit of asking for help in a question format. It takes more time but will keep the women around you happy and comfortable.
Tip #6 Don’t touch or stare, it creeps us out: this last one is a basic of the basics. Women tend to be sensitive creatures and will not appreciate touching from a male co-worker. They may not say anything to stop it but if you want to make sure they feel safe and comfortable around you your default should be to refrain from physical touch or long periods of staring.
As far as touching a female patient, a best practice is to describe in words in advance of you touching them outside of the face and mouth (i.e. extra-oral cancer screening).
I know that for many of the male audience these extra descriptive words may seem a waste of your breath but I assure you that the women you interact with will definitely notice. You will get a lot of professional and respect points this way.
There used to be a time when the profession of nursing was known as a female-only profession. But as time has passed the term ‘male-nurse’ has arisen and now holds a respectable position among society. I can envision a time when the same will be true for male-dental hygienists. Thank you for considering dental hygiene as a career choice. You will be much appreciated on the RDH team!
