In January of 2018 I started a new series of interviews titled Celebrating New Beginnings. Each week I featured a dentist or hygienist who had an innovative dental career or made a career transition outside of the traditional roles in private practice. It was really fun to highlight how other dental professionals were finding career happiness. Life got in the way, and I had to shift gears for a bit, but now we are back! I often focus on dentist career changes, and today I’m excited to highlight a hygienist’s career change.
Welcome my guest, Amy. Amy grew up in North Carolina, lived in Colorado for 12 years; and while outside the operatory, she practices as a nutritional and fitness coach in Montana. She loves helping people create healthy lives, but she quickly realized that life as a hygienist didn’t quite fit that bill for her.
Amy, how long have you practiced hygiene, and why did you decide to become a hygienist?
I have been practicing clinically since 2013. My first degree was in Horse Training and Management, but I wanted a career with a little more stability. I liked the idea of having a career that would be meaningful and help others, while providing me with flexibility and a pay rate that I could support myself on.
Tell me about your first job out of hygiene school.
My first job out of school was 4 days a week at a 2-doctor family practice. I had pretty good benefits, and was just excited to be out of school… what more could I ask for? But then, the redundancy started to set in. And not just in scaling teeth- I don’t mind that part. The demands of the schedule started to set in. Hygienists really have no flexibility in their schedule. I mean, who works 6 hours straight through without a break? We do.
Ha! Yeah, I think a lot of dental professionals can relate to that. That can be very hard on us. How has your relationship with dentistry been over the years? What was it like?
I’m not sure that I ever really loved working clinically. While I do okay with people, I am naturally an introvert, and working with people all day long is pretty exhausting for me. Having a schedule that is back to back, hour after hour is too much. I envy people that take a cup of coffee to work with them and get to enjoy it. I started in hygiene at 4 days a week and dropped to 3 pretty quick. Life forced me back into 4 days a week… I managed 1 year doing that, and that was a big mistake.
The burnout really set in after that point. I started doing temp work after that, refusing to commit to another clinical hygiene job. I now work 2 days a week while I’m working to grow my real passion– Integrated Foods N Fitness. I am working to find a way to incorporate my dental background into a more holistic approach to overall health and wellness. I’m still working out the details, but I think I’ll being saying that until the day I die!
So true. If we wait until things are perfect to start, we’ll never start! How have things changed for you since your first year out in practice?
Things seem like they have changed so much and then not at all. When I started practicing, I had a huge passion for the mouth/body connection, and I still do; but I had hoped that the dental field would embrace this more. I don’t feel like that has happened though… I’m tired of seeing hygienists do bloody prophy’s and not saying anything to their patients about it. I wish the dental field would better promote being a strong advocate for overall health and wellness. We can be a lot more than just a person’s dentist or hygienist, but we have to make that effort. We are more than teeth and gums, but we have to own it!
What have been your biggest challenges?
My biggest challenge was accepting that clinical hygiene is not what I want to do with my life! We work so hard to get into hygiene school, are pretty much tortured throughout, and then get out to realize it’s not everything we had hoped for. I always thought I had to get a job, work until retirement and just deal with the choices I had made in my 20s, like it or not. It took me a long time– and some great career coaching to realize that it’s okay to carve my own path. It’s okay to be different, and it’s okay to switch careers.
What are you doing now?
I work hygiene 1-2 days a week while I build Integrated Foods N Fitness. My business is framed around nutrition and fitness coaching with some broader undertones. I’ve seen patients for years that are chronically inflamed with numerous preventable conditions/diseases. Cleaning their teeth and sending them on their way just wasn’t enough for me– because it’s not enough for them. Western medicine doesn’t focus on prevention enough, and diet and exercise can prevent so many ailments that such a large percentage of our population face.
Who do you help, and how do you help them?
I work with pretty much anybody who is ready to make some changes and not afraid to put in the work. I coach them into forming habits that promote a healthier lifestyle through a combination of ‘food and fitness’ approaches. Everybody’s journey is so individualized, so there is no “one size fits all” approach. It’s meeting people where they are and finding what works for them.
I love how much passion you express for the work you really love to do. Why did you decide on a career change?
Life is short… why stay in a career that sucks the life out of you when you never know what tomorrow brings? I still have 19 years until I get to my retirement age and the thought of working clinically until then is just debilitating. Working clinically full time is just not a “healthy relationship” for me. I don’t keep toxic relationships in my life, so why would I keep a toxic career?
What were your biggest motivators to change?
I really believe we have the ability to make our lives what we want them to be. I’m not one to sit around and do nothing if I’m not happy. We all have those friends who complain about things that they can change, but I don’t want to be that person. I wanted to take control of my life and that meant making changes.
What were your biggest obstacles to change and how did you overcome them?
$$$ It’s all about the money? But really, unfortunately, hygiene is a good hourly rate. I can do it part-time and support myself, but at what cost to my well-being? In the end, I chose starting my own business, and right now, hygiene is still supplementing that. So really, I’m still working on overcoming that one.
That’s a great way to safely change careers. What is 1 tip you would share with anyone searching for an alternative career?
Go for it- money isn’t everything! You probably have more skills outside of your current career than you realize. Be open minded and be comfortable getting uncomfortable.
What is your favorite movie?
Think what you want, but hands down- the Pitch Perfect movies. I could literally watch them every night!
Yes! The first one is so clever. It’s one of my favorite movies. What is a silly or interesting fact no one knows about you?
I’m freakishly good at playing Super Mario World. Every few years, I pull it out and play it to the end- quarantine was great for that.
Ha! I love that. I was pretty obsessed with the old Super Mario Brothers on Nintendo. I loved knowing I could save the princess. What do you do for fun and/or creativity?
I love to spend time with my “family”- our 2 dogs and my partner, to whom I refer to as my “doggie daddy.” We spend our time camping, mountain biking, rafting, paddle-boarding, skiing, and cooking. I also absolutely love to travel and experience different cultures!
What else would you like people to know about you or your journey?
I’m still in the process and I have no idea where I’ll end up. I just believe that the process will lead me somewhere and open doors. While I have plans and a vision, I’m leaving lots of room for the unknowns and staying open minded about what the future may bring!
I love the idea of embracing the unknown. You have an awesome blog that everyone should follow, and an exciting event coming up! Tell us about that.
I’m hosting a virtual seminar about Eating Through the Holidays! We will discuss tips and tricks for surviving the holiday season PLUS we will make a tasty holiday treat together, and I will be giving away a spot in the New Year Nutrition Challenge! The event is November 20th at 6:30pm, all from the comfort of your own home!
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