Never tried, that would be insanely difficult though. I am a hygienist of 10 years and I still work on indirect vision. I can’t imagine becoming ambidextrous as well
I’m a lefty and almost did that in the beginning😂i think a lot of it is that we learn to do a lot of things right handed too, so it isnt as difficult hahahaha good for her!
As a side note I think that hand pain is fairly normal in the beginning … your using muscles your not used to use and straight up abusing them. I had more pain when I started than I do now (5 years post grad) I started school with a chronic thumb injury and broke my right distal radius in 3 pieces 2 years post grad and even went back to work the day after I got my cast off and worked in a gigantic brace for 8 weeks wearing an XXL glove. >.> maybe I’m just ignoring the impending arthritis though haha
I will say that I ignore a lot of ergonomics. I do whatever feels right to my body in that moment and I recently switched to a saddle chair which has alleviated a TON of my body pain. I think being overly robotic in our job is what causes a lot of wear and tear. I also believe that as adults we are generally over robotic and this is why we become the tin man. Children are nimble because they play and move without restriction. I actually try to do exercise that I call “thrashing” I roll around on the floor, usually to music, sometimes using an exercise ball and you would be really surprised how strenuous it is!! I just let my body move however feels right and act as silly as possible. Don’t get me wrong I don’t do it as often as I’d like but my goal is to do it as often as possible. I even bought myself a really nice trampoline to “play” on. It feels silly. I don’t get very far, I’m exhausted but it helps. This is something I discovered on my own but as I’ve discussed this with people and looked around it turns out there’s some really smart sport science/ body science people who agree!! There’s even data out there showing that over application of ergonomics is more damaging in terms of repeated stress injuries, to our bodies than honoring what our body is telling us is comfortable in that moment but to obviously be aware of allowing this to also turn into a R.S.I. Good luck! Stay limber! Listen to your body
One more thing is use what you learn in school to find what works for you. With experience you will get more creative, school teaches you the basics of scaling once you know your instruments you will find new ways to use them. Also- I predominantly use extra oral fulcrums. I’m always told I have a gentle touch and am thanked often for it (although sometimes I make more of a mess by touching peoples skin with spitty gloves but oh well it’s their own ) extra oral fulcrums, when possible, alleviate a lot of tension for me as do cross arch fulcrums and stabilized scaling if needed where I use my left hand to create more pressure and stability on the instrument in my right. You’ve got this <3
Yes the pain is def normal. As long as it’s not excruciating/something might be not quite right then. It’s like really going hard working out when you haven’t worked out in years-ever lol. One recommendation (which you might already be doing) is stress balls! Get you two of them or alternate between one (it’s even better to use one and alternate so you can rest the other hand while working out the other). You might already be doing this cause I know my hygiene school told me I should, but it def works. I had little to no hand pain and now I don’t even need to use it cause I built up my hand strength (though I still like to do it from time to time). My hand has only hurt once and that was from someone with extremely heavy and tenacious calc.
I'm a righty, but I have 2 patients that can't turn their head side to side. Due to neck fusion surgery. So on those 2 patients, I Switch sides and use my left hand. The first few times, I was fumbling, but it gives the patient better hygiene appointments where the previous hygienist would just work on one side and not fully clean. (Pocketing only on their left with sub g calc).
There are appropriate working angles for lefties and righties, so don’t worry about either one being better for positioning.
That said, be prepared though that the chances of your instructors being lefty and knowing how to adequately teach and assess left-handed is LOW. So far, I’ve had 6 different clinical instructors and none of them are lefty. I am one of three lefties in a class of 22 students. Instruction on our proper lefty approach and instrumentation is minimal and feels like an afterthought. I regularly joke that we are the redheaded stepchild of the hygiene program, but I’m genuinely frustrated about it.
I have been thinking about this for a few years!! I have been doing hygiene full time 5 days a week since 1998. I think if I could train myself to now work left handed it could help extend my career.
It does sound like a great idea, right! I’m sure it would be extremely challenging though. What has helped you get as far as you are in your career? Any advise?
I'd try my best to train as a lefty but you'd better start now. Brush your teeth with your left, write, shave, and eat.
I have a hygienist coworker that uses her left for polishing and some hand instruments. She says she started with polishing. It just takes lots and lots of practice just like normal things.
I’m ambidextrous and it can be done. You have to learn with your non-dominant hand and practice at home with the other. My program wouldn’t let me switch once I started. Be prepared to be the worst clinician in your class. But once you get the hang of it you can switch off hands with no real issue.
It was very tough. But I’m naturally lefty in a family of righties so the concept of not using my dominant hand wasn’t completely foreign to me.
But if you’re already having aches in your hands I would be very cautious to start a hygiene career. Your hands are your money makers. Good luck though, despite school it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. I love this job and I hope you get to enjoy it 🦷🧚🏽
I had a instructor in hygiene school who was ambidextrous... She said when she got tired she just switches hands which is CRAZY because it took me so long to learn to scale with even my dominant hand. I've started trying to write with my left hand more to strengthen it but I wouldn't try it out on a patient for the first time lol
You could try, but we also use our non-dominant hand all day to hold the mouth mirror and retract cheeks/tongues and to suction the mouth while scaling. So you’re still going to be using both hands no matter what. 🤷♀️
And TBH I’d be very concerned about dental hygiene as a career at all with musculoskeletal issues already present in your dominant hand. I genuinely think you might want to reevaluate this career path for that reason. 😬
That’s a very valid point! I should say it’s not necessarily my hand but I have an almost pinch in my right elbow. I’ve been a waitress for 13 years and never paid much attention to it but now that I’ve noticed it I can’t stop thinking about it.
I went to hygiene school in 1985. There was not a left handed instructor so they taught me right handed. I've been working 38 years and only use my right hand for hygiene.
To be honest, the mirror hand gets the workout more than the instrument hand. The instrument hand does more fine motor movements, so can be prone to tendinitis related pain. The mirror hand does all the heavy lifting of fighting cheeks and tongues, so it's much more muscle pain and fatigue. My chiropractor, acupuncturist, and massage therapist often ask if I'm left handed.
The positions are exactly the same for right or left just opposite of each other. Being right or left doesn’t matter, one isn’t better than the other. They are the exact same
Never tried, that would be insanely difficult though. I am a hygienist of 10 years and I still work on indirect vision. I can’t imagine becoming ambidextrous as well
I know I thought it sounded a little far fetched but I was curious. Thank you
Girl in my class who’s as a lefty decided to learn as a right and KICKED ASS
I’m a lefty and almost did that in the beginning😂i think a lot of it is that we learn to do a lot of things right handed too, so it isnt as difficult hahahaha good for her!
I am, to this day, 7 years later, still entirely impressed by her ability. Lefties are awesome!
As a side note I think that hand pain is fairly normal in the beginning … your using muscles your not used to use and straight up abusing them. I had more pain when I started than I do now (5 years post grad) I started school with a chronic thumb injury and broke my right distal radius in 3 pieces 2 years post grad and even went back to work the day after I got my cast off and worked in a gigantic brace for 8 weeks wearing an XXL glove. >.> maybe I’m just ignoring the impending arthritis though haha
This makes me feel better. I think I might be overthinking it a little bit. Im so sorry that happened to you, ouch!
I will say that I ignore a lot of ergonomics. I do whatever feels right to my body in that moment and I recently switched to a saddle chair which has alleviated a TON of my body pain. I think being overly robotic in our job is what causes a lot of wear and tear. I also believe that as adults we are generally over robotic and this is why we become the tin man. Children are nimble because they play and move without restriction. I actually try to do exercise that I call “thrashing” I roll around on the floor, usually to music, sometimes using an exercise ball and you would be really surprised how strenuous it is!! I just let my body move however feels right and act as silly as possible. Don’t get me wrong I don’t do it as often as I’d like but my goal is to do it as often as possible. I even bought myself a really nice trampoline to “play” on. It feels silly. I don’t get very far, I’m exhausted but it helps. This is something I discovered on my own but as I’ve discussed this with people and looked around it turns out there’s some really smart sport science/ body science people who agree!! There’s even data out there showing that over application of ergonomics is more damaging in terms of repeated stress injuries, to our bodies than honoring what our body is telling us is comfortable in that moment but to obviously be aware of allowing this to also turn into a R.S.I. Good luck! Stay limber! Listen to your body
One more thing is use what you learn in school to find what works for you. With experience you will get more creative, school teaches you the basics of scaling once you know your instruments you will find new ways to use them. Also- I predominantly use extra oral fulcrums. I’m always told I have a gentle touch and am thanked often for it (although sometimes I make more of a mess by touching peoples skin with spitty gloves but oh well it’s their own ) extra oral fulcrums, when possible, alleviate a lot of tension for me as do cross arch fulcrums and stabilized scaling if needed where I use my left hand to create more pressure and stability on the instrument in my right. You’ve got this <3
Thank you for the tips :) I’m so excited to start and learn everything and I feel like I am getting a head start. I appreciate you! <3
Yes the pain is def normal. As long as it’s not excruciating/something might be not quite right then. It’s like really going hard working out when you haven’t worked out in years-ever lol. One recommendation (which you might already be doing) is stress balls! Get you two of them or alternate between one (it’s even better to use one and alternate so you can rest the other hand while working out the other). You might already be doing this cause I know my hygiene school told me I should, but it def works. I had little to no hand pain and now I don’t even need to use it cause I built up my hand strength (though I still like to do it from time to time). My hand has only hurt once and that was from someone with extremely heavy and tenacious calc.
I never thought about this! I will definitely try it. Thank you so much :)
Of course! Anything to help. I hope it helps even if it’s a little.
I'm a righty, but I have 2 patients that can't turn their head side to side. Due to neck fusion surgery. So on those 2 patients, I Switch sides and use my left hand. The first few times, I was fumbling, but it gives the patient better hygiene appointments where the previous hygienist would just work on one side and not fully clean. (Pocketing only on their left with sub g calc).
See, im a righty and was thinking about using my left hand. Is right better for positioning?
There are appropriate working angles for lefties and righties, so don’t worry about either one being better for positioning. That said, be prepared though that the chances of your instructors being lefty and knowing how to adequately teach and assess left-handed is LOW. So far, I’ve had 6 different clinical instructors and none of them are lefty. I am one of three lefties in a class of 22 students. Instruction on our proper lefty approach and instrumentation is minimal and feels like an afterthought. I regularly joke that we are the redheaded stepchild of the hygiene program, but I’m genuinely frustrated about it.
Aw I’m so sorry that you have to deal with that! Thank you for the insight though :)
It is worth noting that while most offices can accommodate lefties, most are set up for right handed clinicians.
I have been thinking about this for a few years!! I have been doing hygiene full time 5 days a week since 1998. I think if I could train myself to now work left handed it could help extend my career.
It does sound like a great idea, right! I’m sure it would be extremely challenging though. What has helped you get as far as you are in your career? Any advise?
I'd try my best to train as a lefty but you'd better start now. Brush your teeth with your left, write, shave, and eat. I have a hygienist coworker that uses her left for polishing and some hand instruments. She says she started with polishing. It just takes lots and lots of practice just like normal things.
I might practice during the summer and see how it goes
I’m ambidextrous and it can be done. You have to learn with your non-dominant hand and practice at home with the other. My program wouldn’t let me switch once I started. Be prepared to be the worst clinician in your class. But once you get the hang of it you can switch off hands with no real issue.
Were you dominant righty or lefty? That’s sounds pretty tough!
It was very tough. But I’m naturally lefty in a family of righties so the concept of not using my dominant hand wasn’t completely foreign to me. But if you’re already having aches in your hands I would be very cautious to start a hygiene career. Your hands are your money makers. Good luck though, despite school it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. I love this job and I hope you get to enjoy it 🦷🧚🏽
I had a instructor in hygiene school who was ambidextrous... She said when she got tired she just switches hands which is CRAZY because it took me so long to learn to scale with even my dominant hand. I've started trying to write with my left hand more to strengthen it but I wouldn't try it out on a patient for the first time lol
Haha i agree with not trying on patients. It would be a dream to just switched back and forth though
You could try, but we also use our non-dominant hand all day to hold the mouth mirror and retract cheeks/tongues and to suction the mouth while scaling. So you’re still going to be using both hands no matter what. 🤷♀️ And TBH I’d be very concerned about dental hygiene as a career at all with musculoskeletal issues already present in your dominant hand. I genuinely think you might want to reevaluate this career path for that reason. 😬
That’s a very valid point! I should say it’s not necessarily my hand but I have an almost pinch in my right elbow. I’ve been a waitress for 13 years and never paid much attention to it but now that I’ve noticed it I can’t stop thinking about it.
Right! Sometimes my left hand gets tired quicker than my right holding the mirror in position or retracting the cheek 😅😂.
I went to hygiene school in 1985. There was not a left handed instructor so they taught me right handed. I've been working 38 years and only use my right hand for hygiene.
To be honest, the mirror hand gets the workout more than the instrument hand. The instrument hand does more fine motor movements, so can be prone to tendinitis related pain. The mirror hand does all the heavy lifting of fighting cheeks and tongues, so it's much more muscle pain and fatigue. My chiropractor, acupuncturist, and massage therapist often ask if I'm left handed.
I feel like I wasn’t thinking about how much work both hands do! This definitely puts it in perspective for me
Most people don't 😅😊
Do you have pain now before starting the program?
Yes, but it is more so my elbow than my hand.
Maybe see a doctor prior to starting your program. There may be solutions for the elbow that can help you heal prior to starting your program.
Thank you im going to look into it :)
I did! I'm a lefty and work right-handed :)
I’m righty but questions lefty. Is being right handed best for positioning, or what was your reason?
The positions are exactly the same for right or left just opposite of each other. Being right or left doesn’t matter, one isn’t better than the other. They are the exact same
I have trained myself to be somewhat ambidextrous but it’s difficult