Alternative Jobs For a Dental Hygienist

Leaving Dental Hygiene

Are you looking for alternative jobs for a dental hygienist?  

Mind if I share what happened when I was looking for alternative jobs for a dental hygienist?  It might save you a lot of time scratching your head wondering what you’re going to do!

When I had finally drawn the line in the sand, and knew that I wanted to leave dental hygiene, I started researching alternative jobs for a dental hygienist.  


Here’s some of the alternative jobs for a dental hygienist that I found. 

  1. Education
  2. Public health
  3. Alternative clinical settings
  4. Curriculum design
  5. Sales management
  6. Leadership
  7. Technology
  8. Dental influencer
  9. Consultant
  10. Researcher
  11. Dental practice management
  12. Remote insurance verification and claims support
  13. Working for an insurance carrier
  14. OSHA

Yawn!  Yawn Yawn!!  Yawn Yawn Yawn!!!

Wow what a snoozer that was going to be.  So I kept digging.  

Google must’ve gotten tired of me typing in “alternative jobs for a dental hygienist” because at some point it told me about orofacial myofunctional therapy.  I had heard about it at a dental conference very early in my career but I was a new hygienist and I needed a paycheck!  No time for chasing dreams at that time.

But, years later when I was bored, burned out and in search of alternative jobs for a dental hygienist I stumbled back across it at just the right time.  (I call it my “universal woo”.)

I had some money in savings, I was working three, 12-hour days in dental hygiene so I had a little bit of wiggle room to start my business without having to quit my dental hygiene job.  I researched and found a course (be careful on this one, because so many “courses” are popping up these days and many are overwhelmingly under-delivering.)

As I was waiting to start my course I started plotting and planning.  I had my sights set on leaving dental hygiene in 5 years.

Here is actually what happened:

  • 2016:  Researched alternative jobs for a dental hygienist
  • 2017:  Got trained (January – April) and started my business (in May) and earned money right away.  I ended the year earning $25,165 from a handful of clients. 
  • 2018 was a big turning point for me.  By July (just 14 months later) I cut back to part time hygiene.  2018 was also the first year that I hit 6-figure earnings with my business.
  • 2019: I hung up the scrubs (In August, just 11 months after cutting back to part time) and I’ve never looked back.  I’ve consistently enjoyed multi 6-figure earnings from my myofunctional therapy business and teaching.  (Therapy contributes about 60-75% of my revenue.)
  • 2020: I worked 125 days (about 4-6 hours each) and earned $124,636.36.  My friend, that’s $997.09 per day.  Decent, right? 🤔  Just for effect, since I’m a numbers girl…..125 days of 6 hours daily = 750 hours.  A 40 hour a week job = 2080 hours per year.  2080 – 750 = 1330 hours less that I worked, which is essentially 166 days of paid vacation and I made 6 figures. 
  • 2021: Therapy income jumps by over $100,000.
  • 2022:  Record breaking muli-6-figure year!
  • 2023:  I will hit $1,000,000 in revenue soon and I’m pretty dang proud of that.  Again, to reiterate, I don’t share that to brag, I share it for two reasons really…

#1. To show you what’s possible if you believe in yourself.  

#2. To show you that I’ve done what I actually teach you to do!

So, the lesson here is this:  I’m not sure exactly how I stumbled upon orofacial myofunctional therapy as I was searching for alternative jobs for a dental hygienist, but I’m sure glad I did.  Things have worked out seemingly well!  So well in fact that I now teach the Ditch Hygiene Academy to other dental hygienists who are in fact searching for “alternative jobs for dental hygienists” just like I was doing not that many years ago.

If you found yourself shaking your head, perhaps the Ditch Hygiene Academy is your answer for “alternative jobs for a dental hygienist” and maybe you would be well served to join our next enrollment.  Click here to join the waitlist and get first dibs on a spot when the next class opens for enrollment!

Have you joined the Ditch Hygiene Academy Waitlist?

About the Author, Carmen M. Woodland

Carmen is a powerhouse myofunctional educator, whose “secret sauce” is teaching women how to build their own, incredibly satisfying career in myofunctional therapy.  She is obsessed with all things myo, myofunctional therapy business, marketing, social media, content, data, revenue, goals, and helping you navigate the messy and magical journey to becoming an authority in the myofunctional therapy niche.

She teaches you the tried and true secrets to building a career you’re in charge of, and one that’s life-changing for both you and your clients.

Shy away from the hard stuff?  No way, Carmen gets down in the trenches with you, just like your favorite gal-pal there to cheer you on.  Her no-nonsense-tough-love-common-sense-solutions-oriented approach is the real reason that she gives you the kick in the pants you need.  Carmen is your one-stop shop to learn everything you need to know about delivering effective orofacial myofunctional therapy, and building a thriving, profitable myofunctional therapy business.

A dental hygienist who got tired of watching unhealthy people slip through the cracks.  She took her 15 years of dental hygiene experience, completed advanced post-graduate training in orofacial myofunctional therapy, earned a prestigious M.B.A. (Masters in Business Administration), grew a successful orofacial myofunctional therapy business, and now she works from home with clients around the world and runs an extremely popular mentoring and business training program.

If you find your passion intersection at the corner of Myofunctional Therapy Avenue, Dental Hygiene Highway, Female Entrepreneur Boulevard, and Work From Anywhere Way…then get cozy here, because you’ve found your unicorn!  Carmen is here to educate, encourage, and empower you while she teaches you all the things!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What if I've taken another course?

If you've taken another course and don't feel prepared to dip your toes in, then we recommend that you invest in another course.  We've got many students who've taken multiple courses and found that our course and leadership were the bomb-diggidy that finally made things click!

Will this course give me business training too?

The Ditch Hygiene Program was designed to give you the myofunctional therapy foundation as well as learn how to start / run your business.  Throughout the entire course, you learn exactly what Carmen did to build a multi 6-figure business (soon to be 7 figure business).  Plus, you will also have several interviews and business case studies from other therapists about their own business journey.

What sets this program apart from others?

What makes the Ditch Hygiene Academy different?

The leadership of Carmen.  She empowers, educates, and encourages you along the way...while helping you become a myofunctional problem solver.  The Ditch Hygiene Academy doesn't just lure you in and leave you.  Our program leads you.  The testimony speaks volumes.

Carmen never tops mentoring and coaching you.  Your success is her success.  This is a high-touch premium level program.  There is only room for go-getters!  Carmen shows you the path and teaches you to believe in yourself, your process, and the possibilities of what life can bring!!

This program is absolutely the only one of it's kind that offers practical application for both therapy and business.  You work alongside other ambitious women who are exactly where you are...at the beginning!  Carmen is there every step of the way, from mock clients, practice clients to a real life apprenticeship!

How long can I access the material?

Your teaching cohort will be 24 weeks long, and longer if you choose to uplevel for stage 4 or 5 training.  You will have access to all materials for that length+ an additional 30 days to tie up loose ends.  If you enroll as a gold level member, you get access for the lifetime of the course! All information will be located inside your course agreement when you enroll.

Who can take the course?

Dental hygienists. We ask for proof of your credentials before finalizing your enrollment.

Do I have to get "certified"?

While there is an option in some programs to get a "certificate", it is not necessary, nor does the training guarantee your success.  Currently, myofunctional therapy is written (by the ADHA) into the scope of practice.  This means you need to get the myofunctional education, but it doesn't mean you have to pay the high expense of a "certification" program.  If you see the need for this certification, then you should seek out those programs and compare expenses to do so.  Our program has had a successful mix of those who wanted to do both.  Let's face it...you will get your education from many sources...myofunctional therapy education is not a "one and done" type of learning sequence! The Ditch Hygiene Academy is not a "certification" program and does not endorse or recommend any program.

Training does not = competency.  Keep that in mind.  It takes experience to have competency!

How will I reach people?

You learn many different tactics in the program.  There are primarily three different ways that clients were introduced to us.  1) Hygiene patient 2) Found via a search 3 ) Referred to us

You also learn about our story and how we were able to build a team and teach people.  Networking and marketing strategy is part of the step-by-step roadmap provided for you by this program.  

What if I don't like the program?

We are pretty serious about our passion to help only the serious folks.  Since this is a digital course, we do not offer a refund because you get immediate access to the material.  Please make sure you have thought your decision through before registering!  Because once you do...she is yours!!  Want to take a sneek peek?  Here is a peek at lesson 1, 5 and 8.

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