dental-ish by browngirlrdh
The first black dental podcast mixed with a little something extra. Podcast topics range from family, entrepreneurship, education, to working in the dental industry as black professionals. Brought to you by BrownGirl, RDH.
dental-ish by browngirlrdh
The Dental Hygiene Boss: Navigating Burnout and Self-Empowerment
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Imagine reclaiming control over your career and finding a renewed sense of well-being. Leah Francis, with over 25 years of experience in dental hygiene, narrates her inspiring journey from a full-time practitioner to a self-employed temp. Leah shares candid insights on confronting burnout, achieving mental and emotional balance, and the importance of autonomy in the workplace. Her experiences will not only resonate but also inspire those grappling with similar professional challenges.
We also take a splash into the world of water activities and their therapeutic benefits. Leah's personal anecdotes about overcoming the fear of water and the rejuvenating effects of aquatic exercises add a unique perspective to the conversation. Discover the wonders of Watsu and the physical relief provided by water aerobics. In a fascinating twist, Leah intertwines her story of establishing a successful dental hygiene temp business, shedding light on the intricacies of setting rates and promoting services in a competitive market.
Navigating the ethical labyrinth of dentistry isn't easy, but Leah offers valuable guidance. We discuss setting boundaries in a demanding profession, understanding one's worth, and tackling the moral dilemmas that come with overwhelming workloads. Additionally, we highlight the gender and racial disparities within the dental hygiene field, discussing the lack of independence for hygienists and the variations in compensation across regions. Leah’s experiences underscore the importance of aligning your career with your values, advocating for a shift towards greater recognition and autonomy for dental professionals.
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Finding Zen in Dental Hygiene
Speaker 1lab . Okay , so let me just start off here , all right . Hey everybody , we're back with Dentalish season three , episode two . I'm here with the dental hygiene boss , leah Francis , and we're going to talk about burnout how you find your zen , how do you spiritually and mentally get to where you want to be in this career or outside of this career ? She has a lot to share . She's been a practicing dental hygienist for over 25 years and she's a fellow brown girl , rdh . So welcome , welcome , liana . I wish I had those little clapping things or something yeah , thank you so much for having me .
Speaker 1You're welcome . You're welcome , leah . Tell the people where you're from . How did you find out about Brown Girl RDH and where you are , and what space are you in right now ? As far as the progression of the field getting out of the field , becoming your own dental hygiene boss Whoop , whoop , whoop , whoop whoop .
Speaker 2Yes , well , I was born and raised in Brooklyn , new York , but I came down to Richmond Virginia to go to college . So initially I wanted to be a dentist but after working in an office that had hygienists , it kind of changed my trajectory . So I went into dental hygiene . No regrets there , I love it . I've been practicing 25 years , 25 plus years . Now I have two kids in college . We got to the point where actually both of my kids were leaving for college .
Speaker 2I love the office I was at . However , I wasn't challenged . I wasn't challenged . I was ready for a change . So with my kids going off to college , it kind of inspired me just to get some flexibility . So I started to temp . Then I felt that it was kind of difficult finding like temping offices other than going through agencies . So I've kind of did some research and I found out how to temp for myself legally without going through an agency .
Speaker 2Absolutely love , love , loved it , loved it , and I preach it to every hygienist that I meet that wants to temp for themselves . So I've had hygienists come to me and ask me . So that kind of started my journey to the book . So I've had hygienists come to me and ask me . So that kind of started my journey to the book , but with it I felt it was more than just work .
Speaker 2Once I kind of got my work life aligned , I just amazed at how much it opened me up spiritually , like everything opened up , like my work life was healthy and happy . Emotionally I became happier , I got to focus on myself and wellness and even like my physical wellness and my mental and emotional wellness and I just realized like so many people were going through struggles in the world . It seemed like everybody is struggling with something and I think part of it is because we're in positions where we have no control of how we work . You know , you're in positions where you're not happy , you're not fulfilled , and I think that's kind of driving it . And I'm just like you know , if you get that work piece in alignment , it seems like the other pieces of your life will fall into place . So this is just a small gesture to try to help the world move forward to a place of health and happiness .
Speaker 1But you know another thing that you said that made me to go , like you know , had an aha moment .
Speaker 1It's like patients come to us and they come fighting us and those patients in the chair sometimes are giving us our problems and , depending on who you are , we set up , we set up , and then at the end of the day we're like oh , I just got all of that energy of all these different type of people and now I am just burnt out . And then you're doing that 40 hours a week and then you get home and you're like you just absorb all of that . Energy is real . Energy is real . That's why I don't be liking people to be touching me . But what he said was like you felt like you became in control of your own life , in your own career by temping , and you instantly became happier because you were in , in control of where you were going and what you were doing and what you know . Like somebody is like , okay , do this , do that , do that , see you later . Bye , have a nice day , you know . So , yes , I love that , I love that . And , man , keep going .
Speaker 2I'm sorry well , no , but I just think , unfortunately , with our profession and , like I said , I'm really sad at what's going on in our profession now . Like I said , when I go into these different groups , how many people I hear that were burnt out or looking for something different . And part of it is I go to these wonderful conferences . Like you go to a conference and you're so motivated and you come back and then you go to an office like , no , we're not doing it . No , you know , this is your schedule . You know , like for for 20 plus years , I had a double hygiene schedule . I had a double schedule and , no matter what , I couldn't get out of it .
Speaker 2I love my assistant , we work together well , but I could not sit and talk to my patients about things you know much , as much as I wanted to , and and part of my patients about . It's more than your teeth , it's your health , this is . This affects your heart , your brain . There's so many things and the patients only would say you know , well , is my cleaning covered ? You know , is it going to be covered ? And the office is like well , just do what you can , just do what you can in the time , and it's like we have no control , even how we practice this profession , that we love the supplies that we get . We want more control . We are so educated , we do so much research with specialists in prevention , but , however , we have no control of how we practice , and this has to change . And so this is again . It's just a small step to try to impart some change in our profession , but we need to .
Speaker 1We're going to have a crisis in professional health and in oral health , so if we don't change how we're practicing dental hygiene , yeah , and it's intimidating enough for some of the patients and some of the practices I emphasize , some of the practices that we do work in . Those patients come in , they're already scared and intimidated and don't know what's going on . And now you're , you're , you're empathizing with them because you want to sit there and do patient education and you want to get to know the patient , you want to get to know their home care habits . And then , boom , it's like all right , just do what you can . We got 30 minutes . You need a hygiene column . Like how can you really give you know what you went to school for , like that oath , that that that we took right , yes , um , so tell , let's tell us about how do we get out of that ? How did you become your hygiene boss ? And you know , make your own schedule and work it so that you can tempt yourself out creating your own business . Like how do , how does one go about doing that ?
Speaker 2well , like I said , I um I put all the steps in a book , um , and , honestly , the idea came to me because I was actually helping my husband promote his business um the car mentor plug for him , um , but what is his business ?
Speaker 1I didn't hear it . What was it ? Oh ?
Speaker 2it's called the car mentor . So he started a business helping people find cars . So I was actually like it's almost like a realtor for cars . So I was probing a patient who's in marketing about how to help promote his business . Like I was just kind of happy , just temping for myself . So I was probing a patient who's in marketing their brain of like that you know what's some ideas . And she said , well , if he's an expert in this , why don't he put out an e-book on the steps on ? Like you're looking for a car this and that . So I'm like you know what , why don't I do it ? So I kind of jumped on it and I created an e-book just to step in . All this information is out there to the world and people like , well , you know , well , don't give it away for free . I'm like I can't gatekeep . This is out there for everyone right are just intimidated .
Speaker 2People are just so intimidated and even when I meet hygienists they're like well , taxes , I don't want to deal with taxes , taxes Like . Once you understand how to leverage taxes in your favor , it's amazing Like I went and that's how I met Dr Joy last year and I went . I was so happy to go to the 100th year anniversary of the American Dental Hygiene Association and I met Dr Joy there . But I'm going to these conferences now . I'm flying , I'm staying in night hotels and it's like this can be a tax deduction because it's for work and business . Once you understand all that I put in the book so people can understand the benefits , and at least if you're happy with how you're working , that's fine . Again , that's being in control of yourself situation . If you're working for an office , as an employee , if you like that , fine , that's great . But if you want something different , here's the information get the information and assess for yourself . Is this something you can use in your life ?
Speaker 1and that's the whole thing about it is this so getting information it's important um , we're not giving legal advice here , we're not giving tax advice but it's important to learn . If you want to be your own boss , that means you are creating an LLC , that means you are structuring your schedule , bringing your supplies , and that means you are an entity and you file taxes accordingly , not as an employee , but as an entity and you're creating your temp agency . So , the same way that you go to an outside agency and you temper them , you are creating the entity and you are working at that . Now I don't know all the steps and you get her , but what's the book called ?
Speaker 2It's called the Dental Hygiene Boss , the Guide to Work for Yourself and Take Control of your Life .
Speaker 1Right , you go get her book , her e-book and you go through it , read the steps and if it seems like it's something for you being a boss is not for everybody let me tell you , but if that , seems like it's something for you , then you can definitely go that route . Now you do other things outside of that . You're known as the Afro mermaid .
Speaker 2Well , I'm one of many afro mermaid . Well , I'm one of many . Um , actually , as well , as my working situation got better for me and , like I said , I just realized I came in the next piece I wanted and actually part of it . I was turning 50 , so , um , I just wanted to come black , don't crack .
Speaker 1No , it doesn't I would not have known that I'm over here thinking like , oh , she's probably's probably like 30 , 25 years dental hygiene . So how do I love you ?
Speaker 2I love you . No , I turned 50 this year , so part of it is just the journey of . Just like I said , I want to sustain health mental health , physical health so I got water fitness certified so that was part of it . It's like I do like working out . I know my knees and my joints started hurting , so I got water fitness certified .
Speaker 2So when I attended the class and I think I signed up for the wrong class but it was a lot of instructors that were getting re-certified or but I was a newbie , never taught a class at all , I didn't have any prospects so I just jumped in .
Speaker 2But I was telling the instructor that the classes that I've gone to seem like it was geared to an older demographic or the music was more of like the sweating to the oldies kind of music and I'm like I know a lot of people my age that would love it and as much as I love Zumba and like hip-hop and R&B , I wanted to kind of create a different type of workout . So I told the instructor like my problem was I don't see a lot of diversity . So the instructor there was really good at introducing me to several Black instructors in my local DMV area . So one of the ladies she was really good at letting me come down and watch a class and see how she works and so she's kind of made me part of the Afro mermaids and it's been several other ones that have reached out to me . So it's a growing field of just like people helping people and I think that's what it is , is it's people helping to reach out , to help other people in this journey to health and wellness .
Speaker 1Oh , my goodness , so I cannot swim . I had a traumatic experience when I was younger and let's just say , like I , I so growing up . I grew up in Florida and my mom and my stepdad , they you know the above the ground pools . They dug and we was even in there digging as kids . We all dug a big old hole and they put an above the ground pool below the ground and they had the lining in it and then they had the above part and then we were just getting in there . Back then in the in the 90s , like you , just got in the water . Nobody was honey .
Speaker 1I got in that water and went down one of them slopes , how it was dug , and I could not get up . And I'm jumping up and I'm jumping up and I'm trying to get my breath in One of my sisters , who was two years younger than me . She jumped in and pulled me and saved me . But ever since that experience I had to be 12 , 10 or 12 .
Fear of Water and Dental Hygiene
Speaker 1I never , I don't want to get back in the water . I don't want to do it . I don't want to do it . I just like to this day and it's sad , it's very sad because I have four kids and the three of them that are old enough to get in the water cannot swim . I have a two-year-old he's gonna be two next month and I'm like I gotta get him , I gotta get him in . It gives me anxiety , so but I love , I love , like I . That's on my bucket list . Like Martel , take your swimming lesson , conquer this fear , get in that water . So when I heard that it really like sparked , it was like , oh , you know , and it's not that deep though the water , using it ideally , but ideally it should be at chest level .
Speaker 2That's the ideal length . So I have a lot of people that can't swim , like some of my girlfriends , and they will come Now . I personally didn't learn to swim until I was an adult . Like growing up in New York city there's no pools there and it's just something that we just didn't do . You scared to get your hair messed up , so I didn't learn to swim until I was an adult . And , um , fun fact is , even though I know how to swim , I'm not comfortable if I can't touch the bottom . So , even like at home , I have a swim spa and that's like how I exercise and you can actually swim in place in this thing . I love it . It's amazing , um , but I swim with like a snorkel mask on , so that way I can work on my workout without having to worry about my breathing . So , but it's never too late .
Speaker 1So yeah , so water aerobics I'm thinking about . How can this help us with , you know , neck pain , back pains , joint pain .
Speaker 2Oh , absolutely Stretching , stretching . It's incredible . It's an incredible stretch . I mean , there's so many things . Anything you can do on land , you can pretty much do on water . But that that . And then there's also another part that I eventually want to get certified in . It's called wasu w-a-t-s-u water shusitsu , and I might be saying it incorrectly , but it's like a water massage , relaxation . It's supposed to recreate the feeling of you in your mother's womb um and .
Speaker 2I , I again . I've had some amazing patients that I've picked their ears over the years . But just that again . Sometimes I'll just I put on these floaty things on my arms and my feet and I'll just float in my backyard and it's especially with an open sky and you can just look at the stars and it's like it's just again that whole alignment of your mind , your body and your spirit . It's huge . We have to get in an alignment yeah , yeah , and it's grounding too .
Speaker 1You get energy from the sun . You get energy from absolutely .
Speaker 2Oh my goodness , yes , I love being outside , I love it um .
Speaker 1So when you talk about um , I know you keep talking about your patients and how often are you um temping for yourself and do and can you ? And can you temp out and give a rate ? Because the temp agency you're you're in essentially a temp agency , so they charge a rate . Do you just stick within the the rate or do you add in your your fee as far as the the agency goes ? Because there is a difference and you have offices and you have businesses that are like I'm not gonna pay that just because they're looking at you , but it's like this is still my business . So let's talk about the boss and the dental hygiene boss . Like how does that work Without giving all the details ? Y'all still got to get the book .
Speaker 2Well , in the book I go down the breakdown of how to establish your rate . So first of all , when I started out I was kind of employed with a larger group in my area , so I can always do that , or I had like some other temp apps that I would use to kind of fill my schedule . But eventually I made enough connections and it took a lot . Like I would go around my local community and I kind of handed out business cards and just some information about myself and my business . So some offices were receptive and called me . Others were like I guess , thinking I'm a solicitor . So it was a very icy reception when I got there . But once I got enough and once my name kind of got out there and I give 110% not just to my patient care but in everything I do and how I promote my business , I keep it very professional like an agency . So the customers that I had used , they were very confident in me and they referred me to other other offices . So so now I can tip a hundred percent for myself and I can pick and choose . But it actually led me to , like I said , I know people say , well , the other hygienists that work this way , they really want other hygienists . So that's well . I don't want to digress too much on that one . But so to set up my rates , I kind of took what a normal W-2 employee would make and I took that number and I kind of worked from there .
Speaker 2I realized that the dentists are also kind of struggling right now with staffing and stuff . So I'm really not trying to gouge them . My first year actually , I set my rates very modest and I just went strictly from the formula so I really didn't charge too much of an overage of that . So it is kind of in line to what the temp agencies pay . However , the temp agencies , I believe , get their cut . So I didn't really inflate my charges that much . So I keep it modest .
Speaker 2But ultimately and I've seen so many dentists that I've worked with everyone is struggling . I'm in the Richmond area so there's a lot of there's a huge demand right now . So on my I have a whole website and I'm actually trying to . So I'm in the process of starting like a platform where hygienists that want to work for themselves can link up with dentists that are okay , with hygienists that want to work for themselves , and can kind of meet up and that way they can . You know I don't want to be the gatekeeper , but it's just as a platform where you guys can meet up and you can set your own rates . You can negotiate your own rate . Again , you can be the boss of how you work . If it's an office that you don't really care for , you know what office it is and you can decline it . If it's an office you want to work for , you can do the same . So again , it's just being in control of how you work .
Speaker 1where you work , um , all of your conditions around your working , would you ? Yeah , you did , um , you are so , uh , oh , not , uh , what's the word that I'm um looking for ? You know , I don't know . This is going to be the funniest thing . You're very , you're very . You said you're in DC . You're very like politic-ish , like , oh , I'm not going to divorce too much . I was like , girl , this is how you do this and this is how you do that . And you're like , no , I don't want to give that away . That's so funny . I don't know if recommend this for a new graduate . I know you said you're in the groups and it's sad how you see graduated last year , 2023 , may , and she texted me and she said I am mentally burnt out , I am not doing dental hygiene anymore . She didn't even make it a year and she's been temping and I was like whoa yeah , yeah , it's not for the , it's not for the faint of heart .
Speaker 2Again , being new every single day is hard . Now , when I first I wouldn't have done this before . I said I absolutely love my patients and that's why I stayed at the office 22 years before I left and I knew I was kind of done before I actually designed um , but I love my patients . Like I said , they saw me from before I had my children to my children going off to college . So I love the patients and I love the care and to see how much they've learned and you know they implemented some of the things we talked about and their health got better , their oral health got better . So I miss that piece of it . I did have a couple of coworkers that I really missed , but so that's the hard part .
Speaker 2So , as a new graduate , I wouldn't give that up . I mean , I think everybody needs , and especially you need to . You need follow-up . You need follow-up if you do a perio case to see how they respond and that . So as a temp , without getting that follow-up and feedback , like I'm amazed , like I look at an x-ray and I'm like , oh , my god , there's tart on the distal of number 15 and I look back like , oh my god , I'm . How did I miss that ? So you do need that consistency .
Speaker 2So , as a new graduate , no . But for new graduates , I absolutely would request set this , this tone of like , maybe a three-month period before you permanently accept a job . Because it's almost like dating , like they , the offices , will offer you the world and say , oh , it's this and that and this and that . It's not until you start working and you see for a while , that's when the ugly comes out . You know somebody comes in late or somebody cancels , you know you squeeze somebody on your schedule , this and that . You know you need a new instrument . They'll tell you everything on an interview . The mouse will say anything to get you in the door , but the proof is in . We're working with them .
Speaker 2So for new graduates , I'd recommend maybe doing three months at an office , maybe six weeks at an office , and then request to re-evaluate your work situation . If you're an awesome hygienist , if you know your work , maybe renegotiate that salary at that six-week part . And I'm okay with doing something on a trial basis . And like when you asked about my temping rates , when initially started my first year , I set my rates low because nobody knew me in the area . They didn't know . But I wanted to show you that I'm an amazing . I know my worth . So the first year my rates were lower , but the second year , oh , absolutely , um , they went up and I was kind of . I had some trepidation initially . I'm like , okay , these are my new rates for 2024 , and they were like they didn't blink , they , they didn't blink , um , and now ? But it's not about gouging people , it's just about again making sure I have financial security and it's a mental and emotional and physical wealth and health yeah , that stability and that balance , um .
Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Dentistry
Speaker 1So you know , I have the the brown guard h platform in the group and I see a lot and hear a lot and I know you're not really on social media like that . You know , getting better , getting better , yeah , you're getting better , but , um , some of the things I see is and I question some of the things like if someone is temping and they're they're they're dental hygiene boss and they're temping themselves and they get into practice and the practice is like you got five SRPs today and there's not a lunch break and it's assisted hygiene , double hygiene , and then they walk out and it's a fine line between do I just do it or do I walk out and hurt my reputation . So I think , before you start getting it , it's morally and it's you know business and it's a lot of different factors to consider when you're doing that . Because now that's your reputation . And let me tell you , I've seen it to where someone just put in their um two weeks notice and that the practice went around telling all of the practices not to hire this girl . I've seen things from that and it's just like you know , the hygienists are really , you know , with their back against the wall sometimes , in some instances not all to where they just kind of gotta suck it up . Um , and they might that they won't , wouldn't normally do .
Speaker 1But it's like , where's that ? That line to where you're like , yeah , I'm not doing that , get somebody else to do it . You , yeah , I'm not doing that , get somebody else to do it . You know what I'm saying . Like that's a great point to . If you're doing it for 25 years , you're going to know , honey , no , nobody's doing this , and neither am I . But when you just get out there , those are going to be some decisions that you have to be able to make and you have to be able to be comfortable with . So I just want to stress , like it might not be for everyone , being your own boss , you just might want to go in there . Y'all tell me what exactly here , and I'm here to help , or you know , I'm not going to get burnt out , I'm going to limit my schedule , but I just ask , and I , I just ask , like , feel it out , don't , don't commit just to one office .
Speaker 2You going out never to promise you the world , uh-uh you know well , it's part of it also , like I said , being your own boss and as I set up my agency , like I said , when I first onboard offices , I let them know my stipulations . Now I don't want to come up as a diva or anything like that but , like I said , that's something you can put into your , your onboarding agreement . Um , no more than and I actually I have different rates based on their schedule . Like now , I've done double hygiene for 20 plus years so I can , I can work on my speed . But if the office is an hour versus 45 minutes a double hygiene schedule my pay slides accordingly with the schedule .
Speaker 2If you want SRP , you can put that in your agreement . Like I , will not do more than two SRPs a day If the patient can't stop something , that cannot be a diva . But with any other profession you have some kind of , you have some kind of control on how we work . You know the quality . If you know that you're a slower hygienist , it's not fair to put you in a situation where you're not , you're not going to give your best , so it's not fair to charge .
Speaker 1And it's not fair to charge because everybody's like well , this is the going rate . Well , that might be the going rate , but not for you . You know that's not the first second class . Yes , we're on the same plane , but you're paying for first class versus yeah , and they say you get what you pay for .
Speaker 2Also , you get what you pay for . But , um , yeah , but again , it's definitely not for everyone . It's not like I said . So it took me 20 plus years to get to the point where my voice and I can speak up , um and and honestly , something comes with 50 , it's like it's just , I'm not . I'm not here for any , you know . I just I realized that half my life is gone , you know I need to make it . I need to make it um you know , it matters to me .
Speaker 1Yes , live your life on your own terms , I love it .
Speaker 2It's too short , life is too short . But also I just feel unfortunately I hate to even say this again you said I'm political
Women in Dentistry
Speaker 2. Um , I feel like if we were a male dominated profession , we would not be treated this way . I think , because we're a female dominated profession , dominated by men , and even though the dentists are half and half . But I think if we were men most of us we would not be treated , we would have more control and , like I said , I'm so disappointed . I thought Virginia was going to adopt the dental therapist and I was so excited and I'm like , if I have to go back and get my master's for that , I'll do it . I wanted to do the dental therapist , um , and it's still kind of out , I don't know . So , until we get some control and that's this whole thing , I think we just all want something different . But if we can control our profession , um , I think it would change the whole trajectory of all of this yeah , yeah , yeah I , I agree , I never thought about it .
Speaker 1If it was the male-dominated profession , if things would be a little bit different , if we'll have more independence as far as dental hygiene license portability , like , I never really thought about that . So that's a good , that's a good point . On there , I thought Virginia um , for some reason I thought to Virginia hygienists can work independently .
Speaker 2No , they don't have general well .
Speaker 2I mean you have general supervision , but it's oh god , that's a whole other can of worms there . I mean it initially was adapted so that to help areas where there's a shortage of dentists . I'm trying to be nice about it . Yeah , we don't have . I'm just gonna say we don't have it , we don't have it , not like that . There are some remote areas where they'll use it , and I actually proposed to an office to let me work . And this was after I saw Alicia's thing on the dental van and I was like well , could I be the do mobile dental ? You know , can I work independently and do mobile dental ? It's not very . It's not in Virginia yet . It's not in Virginia yet . So again , it's control it's . They're very hesitant to give up control of us at this point and so we have to do something again to kind of move the meter . But no , the rates .
Speaker 1I went to dental hygiene . I graduated dental hygiene school in 2012 and I remember virginia being back then one of the higher paying . It was maine , it was virginia and I think it was some other place and it was like , oh , those are the places you want to go . You don't want to go down south . Down south wasn't playing and I'm paying um hygienists . And when I moved down south um in 2014 , graduated in 2012 , moved down south from upstate new york , I went to school in new york , um , when I moved down south , I was getting paid 28 an hour as a hygienist and I worked there for seven years up until COVID . I worked there from 2014 all the way to 2020 at 28 hours an hour and yes , and now it's mind-boggling to me that dental assistants are getting that right now .
Speaker 2Well , see again you , just you tapping all my buttons . Okay , so my very first office that I worked at was an amazing office , but it was two other Black hygienists which again is unheard of , and so it was a great experience for me being a new graduate . It was a really modern office , very advanced , but it was a sisterhood Like up to this day I still am really good , close friends with the other hygienists . So it was . I didn't feel any competition , you know , it was like they were my mentors , historically , were black but we were underpaid . We were underpaid and I remember after they left , a white hygienist came on and I don't like to play the race card , but she said , I'm going to ask for such and such . I said , oh , you'll never get that . She got it , she got it . And I just feel like sometimes we don't know our own worth and that really bothers me . And then , like I said , we , we , we settled for it .
Speaker 2But yeah , virginia is , and I didn't really realize it until I , like , right now I'm currently in Houston for my niece's wedding . So I said , well , while I'm here , I'm going to see if I can talk to other offices here and see if they're looking for a hygienist and you know kind of get them on board with working with me , to kind of you know my whole platform . And I looked at the rate . I'm like , ooh , I didn't realize Houston was . I think they're at like 30 . I still have some listening for 38 or 40 something . It was low , it was low . So in Virginia we're like in we're over 50 , 50 to 60 .
Speaker 2So I didn't realize how fortunate and also my kids were in North Carolina . So I do temp in North Carolina and I'm just like , oh , this is the best you can do North Carolina . But I do respect the fact that offices can only pay with what is compensated for pro fees and the insurance is still dictating what the cost is . So I mean you only get reimbursed a certain amount for a pro fee so that a lot of these offices cannot pay certain fees because it's not going to be profitable for them it's the demographics and people just say , oh , the average .
Speaker 1You know , you got to look at that US average , this is the average . But for not going to be profitable , for them it's the demographics . And and people just say , oh , the average , you know , you got to look at that us average , this is the average . But for this area , if you're in um , you know rural north carolina is no way you're going to be getting in the 20s and the assistants are going to be getting 10 to 12 . So you just got to know your demographics . But also , if you want to live in , you know , virginia , you're going to pay virginia prices because our our 2024 leadership conference and I think I told you about it and you probably you know about actually , I saw it's on my calendar it's on my calendar october 4th through the 6th yes , that that conference is in virginia .
Speaker 1It's in virginia and it's DC . And when I tell you that's one of the most expensive conferences that we have done , the hotel is pretty much like a five-star hotel . It's just like oh yeah , DC is expensive . I can see why they get paid for it , because it's just the area that you're in .
Speaker 2But that's northern Virginia , that's northern Virginia . So that's like further down in Richmond it's different . So I do know some hygienists that do commute up there and pick up temp shifts up there , because it is considerably more in northern Virginia . And if you deal with the craziness , the traffic , the beltway , oh my god , richmond not so crazy . I love Richmond . I will never say bad word about Richmond . Um , it's , it's nicer . The housing costs , traffic , cost of living is a lot nicer in Richmond . So yes , as you go , but once you get past the Northern Virginia area it's not as inflated but DC kind of drives the prices up .
Speaker 1OK , ok , because I was like , oh , I would never . I mean , this is , trust me , I fell in love with that hotel . We're going to be there . They were like , are you sure ? I'm like yep , I said when I first saw myself . I was like that's going to be the hotel we're going to be in , because I'm like we all have to be in our , you know , soft girl era .
Speaker 1Actually , our conference is really focusing on mental health , empowering the individual . We're giving Essence Festival vibes . This conference it's not going to be so much . We have on Friday we have the local anesthetic lab refresher course that we have Dr Miles teaching it and she's a black dentist and she's going to be teaching that course for us in Chantilly , virginia , and that is going to be at YM Dental Lab . So we partnered with them to use their facility . But our actual conference is soft girls flowers , hydrangeas , you know , speak panels . Our panelists are brown girls and guys that are going to be there in this conference . It's going to be just something different , because usually we do education , lecture , lecture , lecture , heavy on the CE . Now it's like what about you ? You know , what about us ? So that last conference I was was like it was too much and it was too much ce . We had 16 ce . I'm like , okay , a little bit less on the ce , a little bit more on the . What about you ? What do you ?
Speaker 2yes , you know yeah , and I love that . I love that because we need that . Like I said , as much as I was excited to go to the conference last year , um , and it was just , you know , like a no disrespect , but it was a lot of like building the practice and corporate stuff , and but what about us ? And sometimes I feel like we're used and abused and then discarded when we no longer serve the purpose and like what about us ? And that's where my , my loyalty and my , you know , I lied to like hygienists , like how do we get a voice ? How do we advocate for ourselves ? Yes , we're making money for the practice , but with all these advancements , why are we not advancing and growing as quickly as other people and I said people making money off of us , it's like ? But we need to be taken care of not just financially but our whole self yeah , if you take care of , if you take care of yourself , life gets easier yes , yes , and that's , and that's my whole thing .
Speaker 2That's my whole thing is is like I said if you want to temper , great if you . If you're fine working , you're w2 , but that's fine also . But as long as you are choosing how you are working , you're choosing the situation that's best for you . You have choice , and that's just with most things in life . If you have choice , you have control . You will feel empowered in your everyday life .
Speaker 1So , yeah , yes , yes , yes , yes , yes . Well , leah , this was like a overwhelmingly great experience . Like it's good to hear from other people outside of the organization the faces that I don't see and to grow from them and to get value . Like you've provided a lot of valuable information here and I'm so excited that we were able to connect and get on this podcast . Is there anything that you would like to share ? Lastly , where can they find you Social media websites ? Anything that you would like to add for the audience here ?
Speaker 2Well , I launched my website April 1st . I'm still kind of new . This is all kind of built and grown from this kind of teaching hygienists how to temper themselves to doctors asking well , where can I find more of that to this whole thing of making a whole platform of linking people . So it's skhygieneconsultingcom is my website and social media . I'm working on that , my social media presence . But I'm the dental hygiene boss on Instagram , facebook , tiktok which I don't know how long TikTok is going to be around , but TikTok as well . But , like I said , I'm just a person that has kind of had a journey and I've seen how blessed I am and how wonderful it's been for me . So if there's somebody out there that feels like they want to change and they just want to talk , you just want to get some information and see if I can help you some guidance , I'm open . I'm open to it , but I just hate to see my fellow sisters and brothers in this profession struggling when there's alternatives , there's options .
Speaker 1I agree , I agree . Well , thank you so much , you guys . Thanks for tuning in . Podcast dentalist season three . This is episode two with Leah Francis , the dental hygiene boss . See you guys later . Bye , thank you , bye . Okay , we stopped .
