I practiced dental hygiene in NC for only 2 years and currently moved to a different state ( Memphis, TN) where I have to apply for licensure by examination. Considering I do not have direct access to a “pool of patients” per se, where can I find a patient and still be able to take x-rays etc. ? I would appreciate any ideas/tips/brainstorming. Thank you.
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In the town I go to school there are many military wives who are in the same situation as you. Some have posted ads on Craig’s List and offered some type of reward. There are also local groups on Facebook for everything. There have even been some who have paid for their patient to travel to other places where they need to be licensed (they knew someone in the state they resided, then had them go to the new state). Most have found that if rewards are offered people will volunteer.
One last option, if you find a dental office that is nice enough you could go in there and see if they have for sure class III patients that would be willing to go.
Hope this helps, good luck!!
You could just try to find a dental office that might be able to help you! Or maybe even see if there is a dental or dental hygiene school. If there is they would be more than happy to help.
After moving across country and dealing with a similar situation, the best thing I have found is contact local dental hygiene schools. I used them for support and help with patients. They also allow you to use the facility for xrays and checking patients:) We are a community!
Thank you everyone. All answers really helped. Let the “patient hunting” begin! 😉
I posted adds on Craigslist and then screened them at my hygiene school. I paid a lot of money and had a very difficult time finding patients who met the criteria for CA state Board of 2010-2011. Best luck to everyone working towards the boards.
I was in the same situation when my family & I relocated almost 800miles to a new State. I contacted the local hygiene schools for help, I mean after all that’s the business they are in right. However, they were not able to help me, they couldn’t allow me to bring a patient into their clinic for treatment of any kind as I was not a registered student of the school in their hygiene program. (liability reasons
When I was in school we posted fliers EVERYWHERE, including places like Goodwill or the Salvation Army, housing authority offices, local markets, community centers, health clinics, etc. I don’t know anyone who didn’t pay their patient, so I would plan on that. I paid mine $100.00 and gave him a bunch of free toothpaste 🙂
We posted flyers everywhere and set up a email they could contact us by. They would then get sent a questionnaire and if they answered yes to most of the questions we would set them up for a quick screening to see if they qualified.
I took my clinicals in Gainesville, Florida 5 years ago (currently live in nj, plan on moving to fl soon). I put ads on craigslist and screened them in my hotel room with disposable instruments. I got a surprising amount of interested folks. Teamed up with another hygienist that was there for clinicals too and we had a very busy two days screening people.
I ended up with 4 candidates that showed up for the exam. They all knew that they they were backups and might not get their teeth cleaned, but showed up nevertheless. Huge success and never spent a dime paying candidates.
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