I honestly never watch The View. Why? I work and am gone during the day when it is on TV. Simple enough. But. There was something on The View which is all the talk amongst my friends and colleges. This is something I really want to share. Please educate yourself.
I always thought - incorrectly it seems - everyone knew what a dental hygienist was. I find myself frequently having to clarify to patients, friends, and other random people the difference between myself and an assistant. The biggest difference? Two completely different jobs. A hygienist is the person who "cleans" your teeth. They've had at least two years of college training resulting in a degree and a license. An assistant is the person who assists the dentist when you are having a filling/crown/root canal. They actually do WAY more than this, and I hate just summing up their job this way (just as I hate saying I "clean" teeth), but I have neither the space nor time to go off on this tangent. Assistants can attend school and can receive a degree or certificate, and yes they can be legally certified, but they don't have to be (depends on the school or the state). Some assistants receive on-the-job training. It all just depends on the person and the situation. BUT, that aside, what you really should know is it is two different professions.The View apparently needs to learn this as well.
Recently on The View there was a segment where they discussed the job market. They were talking about jobs which are not hiring, but also about fields which are growing and have "hot jobs." In this segment they talked about jobs which are in demand, pay well, and do no require a degree. Included in this list of professions was dental hygiene. Regina Lewis, the guest financial expert, explained dental hygienists do not need a degree because (and I quote), "I only care if you use this tool on that tooth. Right? Otherwise it doesn't matter what degree you have." She also goes on to quote an "average" salary which is far off the mark. Clearly absolutely no research was done into this topic. The American Dental Hygienists' Association (of which I am a proud member) released a statement pointing out all the problems with Regina Lewis's research. That is to say... there are over 334 dental hygiene schools in the nation, 290 offer associates degrees, 53 offer bachelors, while an additional 20 schools offer a master's program. Regina Lewis stated dental hygienists make around $45,000 a year when in 2010 the average salary for a dental hygienist was $68,250. Just a bit off.
If you want to watch this clip you can do so here. The part which I am talking about is about half-way through (about 3 minutes in) and honestly it is just a fleeting little 20 second comment. I almost (almost, but not quite) feel sorry for Regina Lewis for the shit storm that is raining down on her from her 20 seconds of talking... but you should have known your facts before you spoke.
Any one of my family members or friends can attest to the brain power, will power, time, energy, effort, money, blood, sweat, and tears (emphasis on tears) I put into my education. It was a long time (5 years!), I earned a bachelors degree, and I had to take a lot of exams to earn a license - a license which holds me legally responsible for my actions. I am required by LAW to not know how to "clean teeth" but I also need to understand the medications you take and what health issues you have as a patient. This means I had to learn and study a LOT of extra information most people don't realize I have a background in. Not only that, but I am trained to be a restorative hygienist. I know the proper ways to place, shape, carve, and polish fillings. So yes... no degree required. Monkeys could do my job.
My ranting aside... I believe my dear friend said it best. She wrote a letter to Regina Lewis and emailed it to her via her website. I think this simply sums it all up:
"Regina Lewis,
I am a registered dental hygienist and I love my job. I graduated with a 5 year bachelor degree and took 6 different board exams in order to get my license. I was trained in the proper, safe techniques of local anesthetic, nitrous oxide, placement of fillings, laser treatments, and hygiene therapy (AKA cleanings). I recently watched an episode of The View where in a matter of seconds you completely misrepresented and degraded my profession. If you did your own research on what jobs don't need a degree, then I would suggest brushing up on proper research protocol before you "educate" the general public. If someone else did your research for you, I would fire them. I will assume you are an educated woman and therefore I hope you would understand how insulting it would be if someone else in a matter of seconds stripped you of your hard work and accomplishments. The next time you go in for a dental "cleaning" by all means request a hygienist without an education and I wish you luck with your experience.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Young, RDH"
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