I can't decide whether I want to become a dental hygienist or a nurse!?

I like the possibilities of both! Can someone give me some pros and cons of your job? I originally wanted to do nursing, but it seems like a much more difficult career than a dental hygenist and they make about the same amount of money a year! Please help me!!

I can't decide whether I want to become a dental hygienist or a nurse!?
I am a dental hygienist! I LOVE IT! The pay is great, out of school in Boston area is paying around $40 an hour. The reasons why I love my job is because it is flexible (working hourly can help if you choose to have a family), I established many relationships with my patients due to seeing them on a recall system, many patients come 3-4 months to get their teeth cleaned and it is always nice to see how their life is going. It is nice to be a part of that. Most importantly, the decision for me to do hygiene vs. nursing was that I was too sensitive of a person, I didn't think I could deal well with death or not being able to help someone. With hygiene, it is difficult with certain cases, but if you have compliance with your patients then you can really make a difference. More and more research is showing direct systemic links to gum disease (heart disease is related to gum disease etc) so this is a nice part of our job that we still do deal with medical aspects. The door for moving up is also a possible, you can teach, you can work as a consultant, work in marketing, public health, nursing homes, shelters and community clinics are also employment opportunities that can broaden your scope of interests. THis may be a great choice for you where as you have an interest in both medical and dental, you can be a hands on part of treatments.


THe cons I think in both fields is repetive motion injuries, many nurses and hygienist face spine problems and carpel tunnel, so this is something to think about for both.


Hygiene school was difficult and competitive but well worth it. I like that I work Monday thru Friday, 8:30-5:00 I have my own room, my own patients, my boss is great and treats me well, I have free will as to what is best for my patients without having a boss breathing down my neck. I don't have to worry about working holidays or weekends or nights like many nurses do as well as I don't have a problem taking time off, where as many nurses need to get coverage for this to happen. I have much respect for nursing as a profession, but I am listing what made up my mind to choose hygiene over nursing.


Good luck, I hope this helps!
Reply:Nursing degree is alot harder.
Reply:My experience is in Nursing. If you want to go up in rank and become a manager in nursing, it's a lot different than becoming a nurse because you want tohelp people. Today, the nurse has less and less contact with patients and more and more 'paperwork', albiet the computers used. I worked critical care for 10 years, then switched to Mental Health. In both cases, I just wanted to be a NURSE, not a boss and it didn't boad well with superiors. They all think everyone wants to climb to the top. Some of us nurses just want to be there for the patients. And there are a LOT of things you'll have to do as a nurse that may make you squeamish. Why not see if you can spend a day with a working nurse at her job before you decide. It's a BIG decision. Good luck.
Reply:Hi, I recommend being a Nurse because you will have endless options for your career and Happiness. A flexible schedule, different pay scales, different environments to work and so on. I may be a bit partial because I have worked in the Healthcare/ Marketing Business for almost 15 years. I worked mostly with Nurse recruitment and placement. I worked both on site of Facilities and many years at the agency end. I paid LPN's an hourly rate of $32.00 per hr. IN NJ and PA though.


Anyway, I am sick and tired of corporate politics and corruptness, so at the age of 43 I have registered for LPN school. It will only take 11 1/2 mos. to become an LPN, or LVN, I really don't have a desire to become an RN at this point in life. The options are endless though and we need Nurses in this Country. I think it would also be easier to find employment as a Nurse. My Opinion, but based on a career in the Nurse Staffing Business.


Best of luck with your career endeavors!!


Be a Nurse if it is only in your heart, not for the money. There's too many Nurses in the field w/a bad attitude of it just being a job. Being a Nurse can be a very rewarding career personally. It can make you feel like... hey I did something good today. I made someones life better.
Reply:if you have a dentist you should visit the office and ask the nurses questions and maybe they can give you tour. Talk to someone at a local college about the differences.