Dental Hygiene

well done! thats a great start ... i know people who applied multiple years in a row and didnt even get an interview, so well done!

ah well, these things - so i have been told repeatedly - make us stronger.. i will end up there, is all about the journey right?!

Good luck! just be logical about what anyone would ask at any interview, not just hygiene, pretend you were them, and think about what they may want to know about you that would help them in deciding if they want to spend there efforts training you in perticular over someone else. There is no point in trying to cram your head with al sorts of fancy stuff, because your most likely to be really nervous on the day and bearly rememebr your name, so you dont need the stress of trying to rememeber loads of stuff. ask yourself why you want to do it, what your interested in, what are you worried about .... and talk to qualified Hyg's .. and let the interviewers know you did!

wish you all the best with it!!

Hey thanks! I'm so sorry you didn't get to complete it. Yeah I have an interview but not gonna get my hopes up too much, it's for hyg diploma

hi again... i went in the south ... its such a small community i think thats about as specific as ill get!

I had Nursing quals and A levels, i think the nursing was of most use, then biology Alevel. saying that, the group of us had really diverse backgrounds ... but only 3 i think had not done Nursing.

Interview, smart and simple. use same rules as DN bascially. Nothing crazy... its not a fashion show... its about showing your a professional, and focussed. we did see some candidates who came for interview the next year.... some, no word of a lie, failed interview before they walked into the interview. Be on time, and if your going to be late, let them know and be honest why. dont dress like your going to the gym or out clubbing... just a hint!

Do you have an interview? Diploma or Degree course?

Thankyou so much for all of your advice and help. Out of pure interest, which Uni did you go to? Also, which requirements/qualifications did you have when you were accepted? what did you wear to the interview???

Hi both of you!

Mainly its not the questions, its what they think of you to be honest. Genuine Interest, Enthusiasm, Willingness to study on your own, evidence of time management/working well with members of the public - children and adults, um, oh yeah, and an idea of what your letting yourself into!

Ive interviewed at 2 places, both completely different in how they did it but essentially after the same thing. Both we had to do a written test, on based on 'information' we had been sent in the post, the other, basically digging about to see how much you knew .. not like bacteria species and in depth anatomy, but things like patient management, role within the dental team, possible career pathways post qualification (private, hospital, community, teaching etc) GDC guidelines(scope of practice), post qualification requirements ie CPD and how much/how often... um, flicking through levinsons is a good idea, and NHS careers outlining the role of the CAREER...oh yes, DO NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT SALARY!!!!!!!! omg, just dont. i overheard an interviewer completely slating someone who had mentioned money..just dont!!! aknowledge its 'the next step in your career ( NOT JOB)', but focuss on interest in learning new stuff, where you aim to be in 5years, bits of their course you are looking forward to (subtle way of showing you have read and researched) and ASK THEM QUESTIONS even if its only one.. again it shows you are interested and thinking about it.... a hot topic is obviously direct access for HgTHerapy, but dont give them any reason to be concerned like 'how much extra study do i need to do?' .... basically give the impression you are willing to hand over youre life to them for the entire course, 24/7. you have hobbies(that show manual dexterity, learning new skills etc) and they are all out of the window while your focus your life/soul on study.... sounds harsh now i read tha back, but its real! , oh, and be clear you are willing to learn, and know you have a LOT to learn. Dont be cocky.

right ...children.... if you have support, like, realiable support then ok. i am talking from experience so i think i can say this quite openly. Its a nightmare. once you start having patients getting in early to get notes etc is not so much the issue...its having a functioning brain if the previous evening/morning at home came under the influence of typical child originated catastrophy .. like illness, tempers, emergency laundry or better yet lost school shoe in the morning...spilling something unidentifyable and vile on your freshly ironed tunic. if you have physical support thats great, but you need mental support too, oh and telepathic semi fairy godmother type support does also help. staying late due to treatment going differently to planned is regular. as are exams and course work, and presentations, and clinical partners not doing there bit and not really understanding the whole added stresses you had to get there on time/get the work done as promised/ etc etc Supportive staff are a godsend, but far and few between. Saying that i know a few (2) people how have done it with small people... they had about 4 people as support thought, and even then, a mid day phone call from school to say 'your child had just vomitted, you need to come and get them now' when all the support are otherwise engaged/unreachable, still happened ... ok if you have lectures, not so great when you have just set up and have 3 patients to see, one in the waiting room already......

Personally, after about 4 big 'changes is personal circumstances' i had to drop out, and i still cant think about it without welling up a bit.... with less than 6months to go it is painfull. But it had to be done and at the bottom line, im a (newly single) mother first. But i will be reapplying.... one day. You have to go into it with your eyes wide open, like so your eyballs are nearly dry kind of wide open. Longterm relationships end, people die, people get really ill, people ley you down, accidents happen, houses flood, children suddenly start behaving oddly/more difficultly, family/friends cause unnecessery stress, you feel like you have 5 roles all of which need you 110%, and ive seen people with no children, no demanding partners, no money worries, no long commutes..... not manage. But then ive seen a couple, with all of that succeed, but you HAVE TO HAVE HELP, and sometimes, chose to be really really selfish, and know you are not doing the best job at being a wife, mother, friend etc AND BE OK WITH IT. ... so if the time is not quite right, do some of the other courses as a way to show genuine interest, to boost your CV if nothing else, but mainly as a test for you, and your family, to see where the cracks may be, and the impact it will have at home.

I hope this has not come across as really negative, i loved so much of the course, and like i said, its on the to do list in marker pen, not pencil, but having lived the experience, i think if i can spare anyone else the heart breaking decision i had to make, its better out there!

oh, start a savings account for text books etc ... or get some IOU's from father christmas for text books when you need them ... librarys are great, but come essay/exam time you will find people will willing pay a fine to keep hold of a decent book even when the library has a requested it back!

Anyhoo... on a happier note, studying while you have children is sometimes a wonderfull way to learn how to pick your battles with them, you will have a far more pressing essay/presentation/completely foreign concept to master, suddenly drawing on each others faces in sharpie marker does not raise the blood pressure as high as it used to, and its also a wonderful example to them .... my little one 'cant decide what i want to do at university..a vet, a chef, a lorry driver, an artist...' i have to bite my lip to stop myself informing him, if mummy doesnt go first, i wont be able to afford to send him, but hey, as far as he is concerned he is going and his only problem is what to choose to do..and i didnt have to push.... didnt even bring the topic up.. he did... alas he has fallen inlove with (my)post it note reminders/bookmarks (the brain can only hold so much), and regularly has commented in public, quite loudly, along the lines of how 'that man's/lady's/ teeth are nearly like those ones in your university book, is that because they dont brush and have nasty bugs in their mouth?' .... and he has ruthlessly slated a child(and their parents) in his class who has a filling - to me, but goodness knows what he said at school at the time he spotted it, i shudder thinking about it .... talking on the phone to people about your opinions of the horrors you have seen in the paeds clinics probably needs to be done out of earshot of small people....

If i have scared you im sorry, but there is not point in saying 'yay do it its great' when it at times quite 'challenging'. if i can help any more, either of you, then i will, no problem, just ask away!

Hello

I am also thinking thinking of studying the hygiene diploma but i am being held back because of my kids...they both need to be dropped off and picked up from 3 different schools so it will be difficult for me to study 5 days a week and come home fpr about 6.30pm!! im am so confused ..any advice from anyone doing this course with other commitments?

Thank you

Hi All,

Has anybody here applied to train as a Dental Hygienist? If so, any ideas about the kind of questions they ask?

Thanks,

Katy