by Carmen M. Ball | Oct 6, 2025 | Business, Motivation
Eight years ago, I started my business with nothing more than my hygiene background, a whole lot of hope, and a long list of mistakes waiting to happen. If I could go back and whisper in my own ear, I would have saved myself time, money, and a lot of unnecessary...
by Carmen M. Ball | Sep 29, 2025 | Business, Getting Started, Leaving Dental Hygiene
I’ll never forget standing in my operatory one day, staring at the clock and thinking, “There is no way I can do this for the next 10, 20, or 30 years.” My back hurt, my hands hurt, and my soul hurt. I loved my patients, but the career I had worked so hard for...
by Carmen M. Ball | Sep 22, 2025 | Business, Getting Started, Leaving Dental Hygiene
If you’ve ever stood in your dental hygiene operatory staring at the clock thinking,.. “There’s no way I can do this for another 10, 20, 30 years…” …then this one’s for you. I get it. I’ve been there. Burned out, unfulfilled, and googling “alternative careers...
by Carmen M. Ball | Sep 15, 2025 | Getting Started, Leaving Dental Hygiene, Motivation
If you’ve ever thought about leaving hygiene but wondered, “Can I really make this work?”—you’re not alone. Most dental hygienists who reach out to me are in that exact spot. They want freedom, flexibility, and fulfillment, but they’re terrified of taking the leap....
by Carmen M. Ball | Sep 8, 2025 | Leaving Dental Hygiene
Have you ever caught yourself staring at the clock in your operatory, wondering, “Is this really it? Am I going to be doing this forever?” If that question has been playing on repeat in your head, then Kelsey’s story is going to hit home. Kelsey spent over 13 years in...
by Carmen M. Ball | Sep 1, 2025 | Leaving Dental Hygiene
There was a time I was commuting three hours a day, working 12-hour shifts, and having literal heart palpitations on my way to work. I was a dental hygienist with a decent paycheck—but zero peace. And while I was surviving, I definitely wasn’t thriving. If you’re in...
by Carmen M. Ball | Aug 25, 2025 | Getting Started, Leaving Dental Hygiene
Let’s be honest. A lot of dental hygienists are out here trying to build their myofunctional therapy practice in between clinical days, school drop-offs, and maybe — maybe — a microwave burrito at lunch. And that’s not the problem. The problem isn’t that you’re...
by Carmen M. Ball | Aug 18, 2025 | Leaving Dental Hygiene
You don’t need another certification.You don’t need more time.You don’t need to wait until the kids are older, the chaos calms down, or your schedule magically opens up. You just need to get honest with yourself about why you’re still stuck. And I’m going to say the...
by Carmen M. Ball | Aug 11, 2025 | Leaving Dental Hygiene
I see it all the time — students get excited about myofunctional therapy, take a course, and then… stall.They wait until they “know enough” or “feel ready” — but here’s the truth: You don’t need to know everything to start. You need to start to know anything. That’s...
by Carmen M. Ball | Aug 4, 2025 | Leaving Dental Hygiene
You know that quiet whisper in the back of your mind? The one that says,This can’t be it…OrI used to love this. What happened? That’s not rebellion.That’s wisdom. And if your body is exhausted, your heart is disconnected, and your brain is fantasizing about literally...