It started with a quiet question in the back of my mind: Is there something more I could do with this? Not instead of hygiene, not as a total pivot, but alongside it.
I still loved seeing patients. I loved the connections, the stories, the tiny wins that made a big difference in people’s lives. But I also couldn’t ignore the pull I felt toward something else … something I couldn’t quite name yet.
What I didn’t know then but have learned through years of experience, education, and conversations with hundreds of hygienists is that many of us feel this same pull. Not away from the operatory, but beyond it. Not in abandoning our roots, but in expanding what’s possible.
Where your curiosity points you
For me, curiosity opened the door. I’d always enjoyed teaching -- my little brother was my first student in our backyard treehouse. That joy of explaining, encouraging, and seeing the light bulb go on followed me into my operatory.
Eventually, it nudged me into education, first as an adjunct, then as a program director. But I didn’t leave clinical practice, I added to it.
Teaching made me a better clinician. Clinical care gave me stories that made me a better educator. And somewhere along the way, I realized this: Our careers don’t have to be linear. They can be layered.
Skills you didn’t know you had
Hygienists are uniquely equipped for this kind of layered career. We are expert communicators, emotionally intelligent, strategic, and adaptable. We educate, advocate, and translate complex science into patient language, and we do it all without skipping a beat.
These aren’t “soft skills.” They are transferable skills, and they’re in demand everywhere, from product development to speaker platforms, from community outreach to corporate consulting.
So when a hygienist tells me they’re feeling restless, burned out, or just ready for something new, I ask them: What part of hygiene lights you up the most? Is it the education piece? The technical precision? The behavioral coaching? The healing process? That question almost always reveals a spark.
What if there is more?
What if that spark is meant to lead you to something more?
For some, it looks like writing a blog or creating a continuing education course. For others, it’s getting involved in school outreach, leading wellness initiatives, or learning to integrate myofunctional therapy or nutritional coaching into practice.
For a few, it’s founding companies, building apps, or contributing to research. And for many, it’s simply adjusting the balance -- working three days chairside and two days in another role that feeds a different part of their purpose. You don’t have to leave the operatory to grow. You can explore. You can test. You can play.
Start with one step
The magic doesn’t happen all at once. It begins with one step -- one conversation, one course, one moment of saying “What if?” For me, some of the most meaningful shifts in my career happened not because I had it all figured out but because I followed a question. I followed what felt like a purpose.
And when I did that, the fog started to clear. So maybe your next step is taking a public speaking class. Or finally submitting that article idea. Or shadowing someone whose work inspires you. Maybe it’s just writing your dream job description and seeing where it takes you.
Whatever it is -- big or small -- it matters. Because when you take that first step, you remind yourself that you're capable of more.
You’re not behind
Let me leave you with this: You are not behind. You are not late. You are exactly where you need to be to take your next step. And your career, like you, will evolve as you grow.
Whether you stay chairside forever, expand into new roles, or forge a completely unexpected path, your contribution matters. You’re building something. Maybe quietly. Maybe slowly. But it’s yours.
And I’m here to tell you: It’s allowed to be beautiful, messy, and nonlinear. Because your career doesn’t have to fit in a box. It just has to fit you.
Kelly Tanner, PhD, RDH, is a contributing author to DrBicuspid, where she shares insights and strategies to empower dental hygienists in their careers. As a leader in clinical training, professional development, and team dynamics, Tanner provides resources to help hygienists elevate their practice and personal growth. For further support, join her free Facebook group, Next Level Dental Hygiene Career and Personal Development, and explore group training and on-demand courses at www.nextleveldentalhygiene.com.
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.
