Dental Hygienist to Dentist

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RDHtoDDS

RDHtoDDS

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Just wondering if there are other RDHs besides myself that are trying/applying for dental school.
Members don't see this ad.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Yes, I was before I applied to DS. I also know of many who were as well.
Congrats on climbing the ladder :)
 
I'm a male hygiene student and I'm seriously considering dental school after graduation. My plan is to get some experience as RDH while getting my prereqs, DAT etc..what do you think? how did you guys get in?
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Student Dental Hygienist, Florida class'11
 
I'm a hygienist who is applying this round!!
 
desiby said:
I'm a male hygiene student and I'm seriously considering dental school after graduation. My plan is to get some experience as RDH while getting my prereqs, DAT etc..what do you think? how did you guys get in?
---------
Student Dental Hygienist, Florida class'11
Click to expand...
Lol! I like how you have to specify your gender! It says something about how gender biased this profession is. (and true)

Good luck trying to work while getting your prereqs. It's hard to find classes that don't conflict with your schedule and hard to find a dentist who will let you work half days. I only work during holiday breaks from school and as a temp. Since the economy has slowed down there's more competition for temp jobs and most new grads end up at the bottom of the list. I worked for 2 years before going back to school (which helped a lot with paying for it!).

If you can do one quarter off, one quarter on and find a job that will work with your schedule that would be ideal.
 
SeattleRDH said:
Lol! I like how you have to specify your gender! It says something about how gender biased this profession is. (and true)

Good luck trying to work while getting your prereqs. It's hard to find classes that don't conflict with your schedule and hard to find a dentist who will let you work half days. I only work during holiday breaks from school and as a temp. Since the economy has slowed down there's more competition for temp jobs and most new grads end up at the bottom of the list. I worked for 2 years before going back to school (which helped a lot with paying for it!).

If you can do one quarter off, one quarter on and find a job that will work with your schedule that would be ideal.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input! indeed hygiene is a female dominated profession, but I have no problem with that, in fact I consider myself lucky! lol. Are you current DMD student or a DMD? did the fact that you were RDH help at the interview? I know entrance in dental school is very competitive and I'm trying to weigh in my chances
 
desiby said:
Thanks for the input! indeed hygiene is a female dominated profession, but I have no problem with that, in fact I consider myself lucky! lol. Are you current DMD student or a DMD? did the fact that you were RDH help at the interview? I know entrance in dental school is very competitive and I'm trying to weigh in my chances
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I'm almost done with my prereqs and applying next year so I'll have some time off between school to be with my little one.

I can't say what the interview is like but I know that if I make the first cut I'll be fine because I've worked with a few of the dentists on the admissions committee. From what I've heard being an RDH is only an advantage if your grades and DAT score are competitive. There are no guarantees.
 
SeattleRDH said:
I'm almost done with my prereqs and applying next year so I'll have some time off between school to be with my little one.

I can't say what the interview is like but I know that if I make the first cut I'll be fine because I've worked with a few of the dentists on the admissions committee. From what I've heard being an RDH is only an advantage if your grades and DAT score are competitive. There are no guarantees.
Click to expand...

Wow that's cool! getting connections in the dental field is always a plus. Well I will be following this post closely for some inspirations and I wish you luck! I guess I just need to get done with hygiene school 1st before going for my next goal
good luck!
 
I am a dental hygienist currently doing my pre-reqs. It is nice that there are more of us out there! :)
 
Members don't see this ad :)
i have one more year left in hygiene school. i will graduate with a bachelors. i have about a year left of prereqs and studying for the DAT to do... maybe some part time or temp work.. and then hopefully its off to dental school!!

Where are you all applying to? I think it will only be an advantage that we have experience in the field of dentistry vs some one who has only had bio/chem experience.

Good luck to all!
 
blonderdhmph said:
Hey guys! I'm a dental hygienist too! I have a bachelors in dental hygiene and a masters in public health.

I just finished my masters internship last week at a State Department of Health, Office of Oral Health. I did a dental school feasbility study for the state, oral health surveillance research, process evaluation for a HRSA grant.

Unfortunately, I've accumulated a lot of student loans during my education. Sooo.... my plan is to work as a RDH in a community health center or indian hospital and have my loans repaid off during that time with the National health service corps. While working I'll be taking 1 class a semester for predental classes. Community Health Centers are flexible with hours.

I have an interview in Alaska and Connecticut for RDH jobs.

I have 4-5 classes left to take... organic 1 and 2, physics 1 and 2, (maybe biochem if schools i apply to requires it)

We need to make an RDH to DDS/DMD club.... is there other websites that have these?
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I hear you about student loan payments! I have a bachelor's in music followed by an AAS in dental hygiene. But are you commited to NHSC? Some states have loan repayment programs that are also good. I know we have one here in Washington and it won't take you out to rural areas where there is less access to universities.

The thing about Alaska is that if you are anywhere besides Anchorage, Fairbanks, or Juneau you are going to have a hard time finding classes. Some of the satellite campuses offer upper level science courses but if enrollment is low they will cancel the class. I don't want to talk you out of moving to Alaska (it's my home state and definately needs more RDHs) but it could make applying to dental school more of a challenge. The plus side of being an Alaska resident, though, is that it is a WICHE state which bumps you in front of the out-of-state applicants for UW dental.

If you're determined to pursue dental school and are willing to move I would move to a state that allows restorative for dental hygienists. I believe Alaska recently passed a law to allow restorative hygienists but I'm not sure if anyone is practicing yet. Does Connecticut have restorative hygienists? It seems that the scope of practice for hygiene is smaller in east coast states.

For your second post:

Lake Washington Technical College
Private practice, managed care, temping in a variety of settings
3 years
UW (yeah, I know, only one school)
 
SeattleRDH said:
I hear you about student loan payments! I have a bachelor's in music followed by an AAS in dental hygiene. But are you commited to NHSC? Some states have loan repayment programs that are also good. I know we have one here in Washington and it won't take you out to rural areas where there is less access to universities.

The thing about Alaska is that if you are anywhere besides Anchorage, Fairbanks, or Juneau you are going to have a hard time finding classes. Some of the satellite campuses offer upper level science courses but if enrollment is low they will cancel the class. I don't want to talk you out of moving to Alaska (it's my home state and definately needs more RDHs) but it could make applying to dental school more of a challenge. The plus side of being an Alaska resident, though, is that it is a WICHE state which bumps you in front of the out-of-state applicants for UW dental.

If you're determined to pursue dental school and are willing to move I would move to a state that allows restorative for dental hygienists. I believe Alaska recently passed a law to allow restorative hygienists but I'm not sure if anyone is practicing yet. Does Connecticut have restorative hygienists? It seems that the scope of practice for hygiene is smaller in east coast states.

For your second post:

Lake Washington Technical College
Private practice, managed care, temping in a variety of settings
3 years
UW (yeah, I know, only one school)
Click to expand...

I hadn't ever heard of restorative hygienists and was interested. Came across this which could be helpful.

http://www.adha.org/governmental_affairs/downloads/restorative_chart.pdf
 
alanan84 said:
I hadn't ever heard of restorative hygienists and was interested. Came across this which could be helpful.

http://www.adha.org/governmental_affairs/downloads/restorative_chart.pdf
Click to expand...
I know!!!! I didn't even know that hygienists did restorative in Washington until I was in my first week of DH school and we got our instrument issue. I was unwrapping handpieces, burs, amalgam carriers, etc. and I asked my "big sister" what are these for? She said 'restorative.' Restorative.....? We do FILLINGS!?!?!

Lol! I had no idea what I was getting into.

p.s. great link
 
Is this topic dead? I am a working hygienist for about 6 months now and decided that I would like to further my career. I will be starting school back up this fall to finish up with my prereqs. Any RDHs here got accepted recently? If so, how was the process and does being RDH help with the application?
 
I am a RDH applying this coming cycle. I applied in 2008 but my DAT scores were horrible. So needless to say I got all rejection letters . I'm a non traditional student so time is ticking away. Hope I get in this time.
 
I applied this cycle, interviewed at three schools, waitlisted at three schools:(
 
I'm in a dilemma right now.. I have a AA in DH and was thinking about either finishing up with a BS in DH or BS in Biochem. A completion degree in BS DH will probably take me another 1-1.5 vs 3-? years for Biochem. Will dental schools look at what BS degree you have or do they consider all BS the same and just look at the gpa?
 
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