Why Every Dental Hygiene Student Needs a Mentor

Dimensions’ Brand Ambassador Susan Buchenberger, RDH, BSDH, MEd, an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Comprehensive Oral Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry, discusses the importance of mentors and why you should take the time to find one.

You are a recent graduate. You have passed all the board exams and have earned the title of RDH behind your name. Congratulations! You have worked hard. Be proud of your accomplishments. You are about to enter the workforce. You know you are qualified, but you have questions about pay, health benefits, scheduling, time allowances per patient, scaling and root planing protocols, paid time off, holiday pay, 401K, and more. All of these questions pop into your head as you begin the interview process. You are confused. You just need some advice from someone who has been through it. Someone with experience. Someone who can help you make the right decisions. You need a mentor.

The reason I speak so confidently about the benefits of a mentor is because I am one! I have practiced hygiene for 33 years while remaining active in my local American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) component and study clubs. My knowledge of the dental field in my area is vast and I am fortunate to have been able to help so many young hygienists get a job. I reached out to several of my former students at the University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill to understand how I helped them in their careers.

WHAT EXACTLY CAN A MENTOR DO FOR YOU?

1. Help you find your first job. Five former students remembered when I helped them get their very first job. I knew of job openings so I set them up with an interview and wrote recommendation letters. A mentor can help you find a job and get you hired.

2. Support you in negotiating a starting salary or raise. I helped eight former students negotiate a raise. Knowing the average salaries in my area, I knew they were underpaid. I gave them the courage to ask for a raise and it worked!

3. Provide feedback on office policies/ethics. Unfortunately, not every office will have policies that are ethical or align with your morals. As a new grad, navigating how or when to approach your manager with concerns can be confusing. This is where a mentor can offer support. For example, when a former student told me she was being asked to work extra hours at the office without pay, I directed her to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).¹ I knew her employer was violating the law. Another hygienist was being asked to clock out and sit in her car every time a patient canceled. They only wanted to pay her when she was producing. Again, I knew this was wrong, but she did not. It was her very first job.

When offices were reopening after COVID-19 shutdowns, a few of my former students were being asked to work without proper personal protective equipment (PPE) or to use the ultrasonic without high-evacuation suction. They told me they did not feel safe working and did not know what to do. I sent them the American Dental Hygienists’ Association(ADHA) Interim Guidance on Returning to Work, which supports refusal to work unless the proper equipment and PPE are provided. My experience helped them make proper decisions.

4. Increase career longevity. By identifying a toxic office environment, a mentor may help you practice longer. Countless times, people have reached out to me discussing their office environment stating that they just want to quit. After listening to them, I was able to help them see it was the office they disliked, not the profession. There is “office drama” almost everywhere. Having someone to talk to outside your practice who understands office dynamics can be beneficial. Sometimes it is helpful just knowing you are not alone. When someone else has experienced similar situations, they can advise you how to proceed.

5. Call you up to a higher level professionally. Former students have said I continually encourage them to attend more continuing education (CE) courses and get involved in ADHA. Sometimes we all need a little push to enroll in more courses or network with like-minded people.

6. Gain confidence. Having a relationship with a mentor helps you gain confidence. A mentor will see your gifts, encourage you, give you the confidence to advocate for your safety and happiness in the workplace. Oftentimes, we are our own worst critics. A mentor can be the one to lift you up. I build up my former students by pointing out their positive traits.

Several hygienists shared that having me as their “cheerleader” was helpful. You should consider finding a “cheerleader” of your own! It could make all the difference.

Read Susan’s next installment on mentorship, where she will explain How to Find a Mentor