June 10, 2024 • 35 mins
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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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
lab.
Okay, so let me just start offhere, all right.
Hey everybody, we're back withDentalish season three, episode
two.
I'm here with the dentalhygiene boss, leah Francis, and
we're going to talk aboutburnout how you find your zen,
how do you spiritually andmentally get to where you want
(00:22):
to be in this career or outsideof this career?
She has a lot to share.
She's been a practicing dentalhygienist for over 25 years and
she's a fellow brown girl, rdh.
So welcome, welcome, liana.
I wish I had those littleclapping things or something
yeah, thank you so much forhaving me.
You're welcome.
You're welcome, leah.
(00:43):
Tell the people where you'refrom.
How did you find out aboutBrown Girl RDH and where you are
, and what space are you inright now?
As far as the progression ofthe field getting out of the
field, becoming your own dentalhygiene boss Whoop, whoop, whoop
, whoop whoop.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Yes, well, I was born and raised in Brooklyn, new
York, but I came down toRichmond Virginia to go to
college.
So initially I wanted to be adentist but after working in an
office that had hygienists, itkind 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.
(01:21):
Now I have two kids in college.
We got to the point whereactually both of my kids were
leaving for college.
I 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 tocollege, it kind of inspired me
just to get some flexibility.
So I started to temp.
Then I felt that it was kind ofdifficult finding like temping
(01:44):
offices other than going throughagencies.
So I've kind of did someresearch and I found out how to
temp for myself legally withoutgoing through an agency.
Absolutely love, love, loved it,loved it, and I preach it to
every hygienist that I meet thatwants to temp for themselves.
So I've had hygienists come tome and ask me.
So that kind of started myjourney to the book.
So I've had hygienists come tome and ask me.
(02:04):
So that kind of started myjourney to the book, but with it
I felt it was more than justwork.
Once I kind of got my work lifealigned, I just amazed at how
much it opened me up spiritually, like everything opened up,
like my work life was healthyand happy.
Emotionally I became happier, Igot to focus on myself and
(02:26):
wellness and even like myphysical wellness and my mental
and emotional wellness and Ijust realized like so many
people were going throughstruggles in the world.
It seemed like everybody isstruggling with something and I
think part of it is becausewe're in positions where we have
no control of how we work.
You know, you're in positionswhere you're not happy, you're
not fulfilled, and I thinkthat's kind of driving it.
And I'm just like you know, ifyou get that work piece in
alignment, it seems like theother pieces of your life will
(02:47):
fall into place.
So this is just a small gestureto try to help the world move
forward to a place of health andhappiness.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
But you know another thing that you said that made me
to go, like you know, had anaha moment.
It's like patients come to usand they come fighting us and
those patients in the chairsometimes are giving us our
problems and, depending on whoyou are, we set up, we set up,
and then at the end of the daywe're like oh, I just got all of
that energy of all thesedifferent type of people and now
(03:17):
I am just burnt out.
And then you're doing that 40hours a week and then you get
home and you're like you justabsorb all of that.
Energy is real.
Energy is real.
That's why I don't be likingpeople to be touching me.
But what he said was like youfelt like you became in control
of your own life, in your owncareer by temping, and you
(03:41):
instantly became happier becauseyou were in, in control of
where you were going and whatyou were doing and what you know
.
Like somebody is like, okay, dothis, do that, do that, see you
later.
Bye, have a nice day, you know.
So, yes, I love that, I lovethat.
And, man, keep going.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
I'm sorry well, no, but I just think, unfortunately,
with our profession and, like Isaid, I'm really sad at what's
going on in our profession now.
Like I said, when I go intothese different groups, how many
people I hear that were burntout or looking for something
different.
And part of it is I go to thesewonderful conferences.
Like you go to a conference andyou're so motivated and you
(04:19):
come back and then you go to anoffice like, no, we're not doing
it.
No, you know, this is yourschedule.
You know, like for for 20 plusyears, I had a double hygiene
schedule.
I had a double schedule and, nomatter what, I couldn't get out
of it.
I love my assistant, we worktogether well, but I could not
sit and talk to my patientsabout things you know much, as
much as I wanted to, and andpart of my patients about.
(04:39):
It's more than your teeth, it'syour health, this is.
This affects your heart, yourbrain.
There's so many things and thepatients only would say you know
, well, is my cleaning covered?
You know, is it going to becovered?
And the office is like well,just do what you can, just do
what you can in the time, andit's like we have no control,
even how we practice thisprofession, that we love the
(05:00):
supplies that we get.
We want more control.
We are so educated, we do somuch research with specialists
in prevention, but, however, wehave no control of how we
practice, and this has to change.
And so this is again.
It's just a small step to tryto impart some change in our
profession, but we need to.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
We're going to have a crisis in professional health
and in oral health, so if wedon't change how we're
practicing dental hygiene, yeah,and it's intimidating enough
for some of the patients andsome of the practices I
emphasize, some of the practicesthat we do work in.
Those patients come in, they'realready scared and intimidated
and don't know what's going on.
And now you're, you're, you'reempathizing with them because
(05:38):
you want to sit there and dopatient education and you want
to get to know the patient, youwant to get to know their home
care habits.
And then, boom, it's like allright, just do what you can.
We got 30 minutes.
You need a hygiene column.
Like how can you really giveyou know what you went to school
for, like that oath, that thatthat we took right, yes, um, so
tell, let's tell us about how dowe get out of that?
How did you become your hygieneboss?
(06:00):
And you know, make your ownschedule and work it so that you
can tempt yourself out creatingyour own business.
Like how do, how does one goabout doing that?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
well, like I said, I um I put all the steps in a book
, um, and, honestly, the ideacame to me because I was
actually helping my husbandpromote his business um the car
mentor plug for him, um, butwhat is his business?
Speaker 1 (06:19):
I didn't hear it.
What was it?
Oh?
Speaker 2 (06:21):
it's called the car mentor.
So he started a businesshelping people find cars.
So I was actually like it'salmost like a realtor for cars.
So I was probing a patientwho'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 patientwho's in marketing their brain
of like that you know what'ssome ideas.
(06:42):
And she said, well, if he's anexpert in this, why don't he put
out an e-book on the steps on?
Like you're looking for a carthis and that.
So I'm like you know what, whydon't I do it?
So I kind of jumped on it and Icreated an e-book just to step
in.
All this information is outthere 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 everyoneright are just intimidated.
(07:02):
People are just so intimidatedand even when I meet hygienists
they're like well, taxes, Idon't want to deal with taxes,
taxes Like.
Once you understand how toleverage taxes in your favor,
it's amazing Like I went andthat's how I met Dr Joy last
year and I went.
I was so happy to go to the100th year anniversary of the
American Dental HygieneAssociation and I met Dr Joy
(07:23):
there.
But I'm going to theseconferences now.
I'm flying, I'm staying innight hotels and it's like this
can be a tax deduction becauseit's for work and business.
Once you understand all that Iput in the book so people can
understand the benefits, and atleast if you're happy with how
you're working, that's fine.
Again, that's being in controlof yourself situation.
If you're working for an office, as an employee, if you like
(07:44):
that, fine, that's great.
But if you want somethingdifferent, here's the
information get the informationand assess for yourself.
Is this something you can usein your life?
Speaker 1 (07:53):
and that's the whole thing about it is this so
getting information it'simportant um, we're not giving
legal advice here, we're notgiving 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 arestructuring your schedule,
bringing your supplies, and thatmeans you are an entity and you
file taxes accordingly, not asan employee, but as an entity
(08:18):
and you're creating your tempagency.
So, the same way that you go toan outside agency and you
temper them, you are creatingthe entity and you are working
at that.
Now I don't know all the stepsand you get her, but what's the
book called?
Speaker 2 (08:36):
It's called the Dental Hygiene Boss, the Guide
to Work for Yourself and TakeControl of your Life.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Right, you go get her book, her e-book and you go
through it, read the steps andif it seems like it's something
for you being a boss is not foreverybody let me tell you, but
if that, seems like it'ssomething for you, then you can
definitely go that route.
Now you do other things outsideof that.
You're known as the Afromermaid.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Well, I'm one of many afro mermaid.
Well, I'm one of many.
Um, actually, as well, as myworking situation got better for
me and, like I said, I justrealized I came in the next
piece I wanted and actually partof it.
I was turning 50, so, um, Ijust wanted to come black, don't
crack.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
No, 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 2 (09:27):
I love you.
No, I turned 50 this year, sopart of it is just the journey
of.
Just like I said, I want tosustain health mental health,
physical health so I got waterfitness certified so that was
part of it.
It's like I do like working out.
I know my knees and my jointsstarted hurting, so I got water
fitness certified.
(09:47):
So when I attended the class andI think I signed up for the
wrong class but it was a lot ofinstructors that were getting
re-certified or but I was anewbie, never taught a class at
all, I didn't have any prospectsso I just jumped in.
But I was telling the instructorthat the classes that I've gone
to seem like it was geared toan older demographic or the
(10:07):
music was more of like thesweating to the oldies kind of
music and I'm like I know a lotof people my age that would love
it and as much as I love Zumbaand like hip-hop and R&B, I
wanted to kind of create adifferent type of workout.
So I told the instructor likemy problem was I don't see a lot
of diversity.
So the instructor there wasreally good at introducing me to
several Black instructors in mylocal DMV area.
(10:32):
So one of the ladies she wasreally good at letting me come
down and watch a class and seehow she works and so she's kind
of made me part of the Afromermaids and it's been several
other ones that have reached outto me.
So it's a growing field of justlike people helping people and
(10:54):
I think that's what it is, isit's people helping to reach out
, to help other people in thisjourney to health and wellness.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Oh, my goodness, so I cannot swim.
I had a traumatic experiencewhen I was younger and let's
just say, like I, I so growingup.
I grew up in Florida and my momand my stepdad, they you know
the above the ground pools.
They dug and we was even inthere digging as kids.
(11:23):
We all dug a big old hole andthey put an above the ground
pool below the ground and theyhad the lining in it and then
they had the above part and thenwe were just getting in there.
Back then in the in the 90s,like you, just got in the water.
Nobody was honey.
I got in that water and wentdown one of them slopes, how it
was dug, and I could not get up.
(11:43):
And I'm jumping up and I'mjumping 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 andsaved me.
But ever since that experienceI had to be 12, 10 or 12.
I never, I don't want to getback in the water.
I don't want to do it.
I don't want to do it.
I just like to this day andit's sad, it's very sad because
(12:10):
I have four kids and the threeof them that are old enough to
get in the water cannot swim.
I have a two-year-old he'sgonna be two next month and I'm
like I gotta get him, I gottaget him in.
It gives me anxiety, so but Ilove, I love, like I.
That's on my bucket list.
Like Martel, take your swimminglesson, conquer this fear, get
in that water.
So when I heard that it reallylike sparked, it was like, oh,
you know, and it's not that deepthough the water, using it
ideally, but ideally it shouldbe at chest level.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
That's the ideal length.
So I have a lot of people thatcan't swim, like some of my
girlfriends, and they will comeNow.
I personally didn't learn toswim until I was an adult.
Like growing up in New Yorkcity there's no pools there and
it's just something that we justdidn't do.
You scared to get your hairmessed up, so I didn't learn to
(12:52):
swim until I was an adult.
And, um, fun fact is, eventhough I know how to swim, I'm
not comfortable if I can't touchthe bottom.
So, even like at home, I have aswim spa and that's like how I
exercise and you can actuallyswim in place in this thing.
I love it.
It's amazing, um, but I swimwith like a snorkel mask on, so
that way I can work on myworkout without having to worry
about my breathing.
So, but it's never too late.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
So yeah, so water aerobics I'm thinking about.
How can this help us with, youknow, neck pain, back pains,
joint pain.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Oh, 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 anotherpart that I eventually want to
get certified in.
It's called wasu w-a-t-s-uwater shusitsu, and I might be
saying it incorrectly, but it'slike a water massage, relaxation
(13:39):
.
It's supposed to recreate thefeeling of you in your mother's
womb um and.
I, I again.
I've had some amazing patientsthat I've picked their ears over
the years.
But just that again.
Sometimes I'll just I put onthese floaty things on my arms
and my feet and I'll just floatin my backyard and it's
especially with an open sky andyou can just look at the stars
and it's like it's just againthat whole alignment of your
(13:59):
mind, your body and your spirit.
It's huge.
We have to get in an alignmentyeah, yeah, and it's grounding
too.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
You get energy from the sun.
You get energy from absolutely.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Oh my goodness, yes, I love being outside, I love it
um.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
So when you talk about um, I know you keep
talking about your patients andhow often are you um temping for
yourself and do and can you?
And can you temp out and give arate?
Because the temp agency you'reyou're in essentially a temp
agency, so they charge a rate.
(14:34):
Do you just stick within thethe rate or do you add in your
your fee as far as the theagency goes?
Because there is a differenceand you have offices and you
have businesses that are likeI'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 bossand the dental hygiene boss.
Like how does that work Withoutgiving all the details?
(14:55):
Y'all still got to get the book.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Well, in the book I go down the breakdown of how to
establish your rate.
So first of all, when I startedout I was kind of employed with
a larger group in my area, so Ican always do that, or I had
like some other temp apps that Iwould use to kind of fill my
schedule.
But eventually I made enoughconnections and it took a lot.
Like I would go around my localcommunity and I kind of handed
(15:20):
out business cards and just someinformation about myself and my
business.
So some offices were receptiveand called me.
Others were like I guess,thinking I'm a solicitor.
So it was a very icy receptionwhen I got there.
But once I got enough and oncemy name kind of got out there
and I give 110% not just to mypatient care but in everything I
do and how I promote mybusiness, I keep it very
(15:41):
professional like an agency.
So the customers that I hadused, they were very confident
in me and they referred me toother other offices.
So so now I can tip a hundredpercent for myself and I can
pick and choose.
But it actually led me to, likeI said, I know people say, well
, the other hygienists that workthis way, they really want
other hygienists.
(16:01):
So that's well.
I don't want to digress toomuch on that one.
But so to set up my rates, Ikind of took what a normal W-2
employee would make and I tookthat number and I kind of worked
from there.
I realized that the dentists arealso kind of struggling right
now with staffing and stuff.
So I'm really not trying togouge them.
My first year actually, I setmy rates very modest and I just
(16:23):
went strictly from the formulaso I really didn't charge too
much of an overage of that.
So it is kind of in line towhat the temp agencies pay.
However, the temp agencies, Ibelieve, get their cut.
So I didn't really inflate mycharges that much.
So I keep it modest.
But ultimately and I've seen somany dentists that I've worked
(16:44):
with everyone is struggling.
I'm in the Richmond area sothere's a lot of there's a huge
demand right now.
So on my I have a whole websiteand I'm actually trying to.
So I'm in the process ofstarting like a platform where
hygienists that want to work forthemselves can link up with
dentists that are okay, withhygienists that want to work for
themselves, and can kind ofmeet up and that way they can.
(17:06):
You know I don't want to be thegatekeeper, but it's just as a
platform where you guys can meetup and you can set your own
rates.
You can negotiate your own rate.
Again, you can be the boss ofhow you work.
If it's an office that youdon't really care for, you know
what office it is and you candecline it.
If it's an office you want towork for, you can do the same.
(17:29):
So again, it's just being incontrol of how you work.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
where 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 thefunniest 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
(17:54):
divorce too much.
I was like, girl, this is howyou do this and this is how you
do that.
And you're like, no, I don'twant to give that away.
(18:28):
That's so funny.
I don't know if recommend thisfor a new graduate.
I know you said you're in thegroups 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 notdoing dental hygiene anymore.
She didn't even make it a yearand she's been temping and I was
like whoa yeah, yeah, it's notfor the, it's not for the faint
(18:52):
of heart.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Again, being new every single day is hard.
Now, when I first I wouldn'thave done this before.
I said I absolutely love mypatients and that's why I stayed
at the office 22 years before Ileft and I knew I was kind of
done before I actually designedum, but I love my patients.
Like I said, they saw me frombefore I had my children to my
(19:13):
children going off to college.
So I love the patients and Ilove the care and to see how
much they've learned and youknow they implemented some of
the things we talked about andtheir health got better, their
oral health got better.
So I miss that piece of it.
I did have a couple ofcoworkers that I really missed,
but so that's the hard part.
(19:33):
So, as a new graduate, Iwouldn'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 aperio case to see how they
respond and that.
So as a temp, without gettingthat follow-up and feedback,
like I'm amazed, like I look atan x-ray and I'm like, oh, my
god, there's tart on the distalof number 15 and I look back
like, oh my god, I'm.
How did I miss that?
So you do need that consistency.
(19:55):
So, as a new graduate, no.
But for new graduates, Iabsolutely would request set
this, this tone of like, maybe athree-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 startworking and you see for a while,
that's when the ugly comes out.
(20:16):
You know somebody comes in lateor somebody cancels, you know
you squeeze somebody on yourschedule, this and that.
You know you need a newinstrument.
They'll tell you everything onan interview.
The mouse will say anything toget you in the door, but the
proof is in.
We're working with them.
So for new graduates, I'drecommend maybe doing three
months at an office, maybe sixweeks at an office, and then
request to re-evaluate your worksituation.
(20:36):
If you're an awesome hygienist,if you know your work, maybe
renegotiate that salary at thatsix-week part.
And I'm okay with doingsomething on a trial basis.
And like when you asked aboutmy temping rates, when initially
started my first year, I set myrates low because nobody knew
me in the area.
They didn't know.
But I wanted to show you thatI'm an amazing.
I know my worth.
So the first year my rates werelower, but the second year, oh,
(20:58):
absolutely, um, they went upand I was kind of.
I had some trepidationinitially.
I'm like, okay, these are mynew rates for 2024, and they
were like they didn't blink,they, they didn't blink, um, and
now?
But it's not about gougingpeople, it's just about again
making sure I have financialsecurity and it's a mental and
emotional and physical wealthand health yeah, that stability
(21:21):
and that balance, um.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
So you know, I have the the brown guard h platform
in the group and I see a lot andhear a lot and I know you're
not really on social media likethat.
You know, getting better,getting better, yeah, you're
getting better, but, um, some ofthe things I see is and I
question some of the things likeif someone is temping and
(21:46):
they're they're they're dentalhygiene boss and they're temping
themselves and they get intopractice and the practice is
like you got five SRPs today andthere's not a lunch break and
it's assisted hygiene, doublehygiene, and then they walk out
and it's a fine line between doI just do it or do I walk out
and hurt my reputation.
(22:06):
So I think, before you startgetting it, it's morally and
it's you know business and it'sa lot of different factors to
consider when you're doing that.
Because now that's yourreputation.
And let me tell you, I've seenit to where someone just put in
their um two weeks notice andthat the practice went around
telling all of the practices notto hire this girl.
(22:28):
I've seen things from that andit's just like you know, the
hygienists are really, you know,with their back against the
wall sometimes, in someinstances not all to where they
just kind of gotta suck it up.
Um, and they might that theywon't, wouldn't normally do.
But 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.
(22:49):
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, andneither am I.
But when you just get out there, those are going to be some
decisions that you have to beable to make and you have to be
able to be comfortable with.
So I just want to stress, likeit might not be for everyone,
(23:12):
being your own boss, you justmight 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 burntout, 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 oneoffice.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
You going out never to promise you the world, uh-uh
you know well, it's part of italso, like I said, being your
own boss and as I set up myagency, like I said, when I
first onboard offices, I letthem know my stipulations.
Now I don't want to come up asa diva or anything like that but
, like I said, that's somethingyou can put into your, your
onboarding agreement.
Um, no more than and I actuallyI have different rates based on
(23:49):
their schedule.
Like now, I've done doublehygiene for 20 plus years so I
can, I can work on my speed.
But if the office is an hourversus 45 minutes a double
hygiene schedule my pay slidesaccordingly with the schedule.
If you want SRP, you can putthat in your agreement.
Like I, will not do more thantwo SRPs a day If the patient
(24:10):
can't stop something, thatcannot be a diva.
But with any other professionyou have some kind of, you have
some kind of control on how wework.
You know the quality.
If you know that you're aslower hygienist, it's not fair
to put you in a situation whereyou're not, you're not going to
give your best, so it's not fairto charge.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
And it's not fair to charge because everybody's like
well, this is the going rate.
Well, that might be the goingrate, but not for you.
You know that's not the firstsecond class.
Yes, we're on the same plane,but you're paying for first
class versus yeah, and they sayyou get what you pay for.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Also, you get what you pay for.
But, um, yeah, but again, it'sdefinitely not for everyone.
It's not like I said.
So it took me 20 plus years toget to the point where my voice
and I can speak up, um and andhonestly, 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 mylife is gone, you know I need to
(25:06):
make it.
I need to make it um you know,it matters to me.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
Yes, live your life on your own terms, I love it.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
It's too short, life is too short.
But also I just feelunfortunately I hate to even say
this again you said I'mpolitical.
Um, I feel like if we were amale dominated profession, we
would not be treated this way.
I think, because we're a femaledominated profession, dominated
by men, and even though thedentists are half and half.
(25:35):
But I think if we were men mostof us we would not be treated,
we would have more control and,like I said, I'm so disappointed
.
I thought Virginia was going toadopt 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 dentaltherapist, um, and it's still
kind of out, I don't know.
(25:56):
So, until we get some controland that's this whole thing, I
think we just all want somethingdifferent.
But if we can control ourprofession, um, I think it would
change the whole trajectory ofall of this yeah, yeah, yeah I,
I agree, I never thought aboutit.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
If it was the male-dominated profession, if
things would be a little bitdifferent, if we'll have more
independence as far as dentalhygiene license portability,
like, I never really thoughtabout that.
So that's a good, that's a goodpoint.
On there, I thought Virginia um, for some reason I thought to
Virginia hygienists can workindependently.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
No, they don't have general well.
I mean you have generalsupervision, but it's oh god,
that's a whole other can ofworms there.
I mean it initially was adaptedso that to help areas where
there's a shortage of dentists.
I'm trying to be nice about it.
(26:53):
Yeah, we don't have.
I'm just gonna say we don'thave it, we don't have it, not
like that.
There are some remote areaswhere they'll use it, and I
actually proposed to an officeto let me work.
And this was after I sawAlicia's thing on the dental van
and I was like well, could I bethe do mobile dental?
You know, can I workindependently and do mobile
dental?
It's not very.
(27:13):
It's not in Virginia yet.
It's not in Virginia yet.
So again, it's control it's.
They're very hesitant to giveup control of us at this point
and so we have to do somethingagain to kind of move the meter.
But no, the rates.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
I went to dental hygiene.
I graduated dental hygieneschool in 2012 and I remember
virginia being back then one ofthe higher paying.
It was maine, it was virginiaand I think it was some other
place and it was like, oh, thoseare the places you want to go.
You don't want to go down south.
Down south wasn't playing andI'm paying um hygienists.
(27:51):
And when I moved down south umin 2014, graduated in 2012,
moved down south from upstatenew york, I went to school in
new york, um, when I moved downsouth, I was getting paid 28 an
hour as a hygienist and I workedthere for seven years up until
COVID.
I worked there from 2014 allthe way to 2020 at 28 hours an
(28:13):
hour and yes, and now it'smind-boggling to me that dental
assistants are getting thatright now.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Well, see again you, just you tapping all my buttons.
Okay, so my very first officethat I worked at was an amazing
office, but it was two otherBlack hygienists which again is
unheard of, and so it was agreat 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 Istill am really good, close
(28:42):
friends with the otherhygienists.
So it was.
I didn't feel any competition,you know, it was like they were
my mentors, historically, wereblack but we were underpaid.
We were underpaid and Iremember after they left, a
(29:02):
white hygienist came on and Idon't like to play the race card
, but she said, I'm going to askfor such and such.
I said, oh, you'll never getthat.
She got it, she got it.
And I just feel like sometimeswe don't know our own worth and
that really bothers me.
And then, like I said, we, we,we settled for it.
But yeah, virginia is, and Ididn't really realize it until I
, like, right now I'm currentlyin Houston for my niece's
wedding.
So I said, well, while I'm here, I'm going to see if I can talk
(29:23):
to other offices here and seeif they're looking for a
hygienist and you know kind ofget them on board with working
with me, to kind of you know mywhole platform.
And I looked at the rate.
I'm like, ooh, I didn't realizeHouston was.
I think they're at like 30.
I still have some listening for38 or 40 something.
It was low, it was low.
So in Virginia we're like inwe're over 50, 50 to 60.
(29:45):
So I didn't realize howfortunate and also my kids were
in North Carolina.
So I do temp in North Carolinaand I'm just like, oh, this is
the best you can do NorthCarolina.
But I do respect the fact thatoffices can only pay with what
is compensated for pro fees andthe insurance is still dictating
what the cost is.
So I mean you only getreimbursed a certain amount for
(30:07):
a pro fee so that a lot of theseoffices cannot pay certain fees
because it's not going to beprofitable for them it's the
demographics and people just say, oh, the average.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
You know, you got to look at that US average, this is
the average.
But for not going to beprofitable, for them it's the
demographics.
And and people just say, oh,the average, you know, you got
to look at that us average, thisis the average.
But for this area, if you're inum, you know rural north
carolina is no way you're goingto be getting in the 20s and the
assistants are going to begetting 10 to 12.
So you just got to know yourdemographics.
But also, if you want to livein, you know, virginia, you're
(30:36):
going to pay virginia pricesbecause our our 2024 leadership
conference and I think I toldyou about it and you probably
you know about actually, I sawit's on my calendar it's on my
calendar october 4th through the6th yes, that that conference
is in virginia.
It's in virginia and it's DC.
And when I tell you that's oneof the most expensive
(30:59):
conferences that we have done,the hotel is pretty much like a
five-star hotel.
It's just like oh yeah, DC isexpensive.
I can see why they get paid forit, because it's just the area
that you're in.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
But that's northern Virginia, that's northern
Virginia.
So that's like further down inRichmond it's different.
So I do know some hygieniststhat do commute up there and
pick up temp shifts up there,because it is considerably more
in northern Virginia.
And if you deal with thecraziness, the traffic, the
beltway, oh my god, richmond notso crazy.
I love Richmond.
I will never say bad word aboutRichmond.
(31:35):
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 youget past the Northern Virginia
area it's not as inflated but DCkind of drives the prices up.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
OK, ok, because I was like, oh, I would never.
I mean, this is, trust me, Ifell in love with that hotel.
We're going to be there.
They were like, are you sure?
I'm like yep, I said when Ifirst saw myself.
I was like that's going to bethe hotel we're going to be in,
because I'm like we all have tobe in our, you know, soft girl
era.
Actually, our conference isreally focusing on mental health
, empowering the individual.
(32:10):
We're giving Essence Festivalvibes.
This conference it's not goingto be so much.
We have on Friday we have thelocal anesthetic lab refresher
course that we have Dr Milesteaching it and she's a black
dentist and she's going to beteaching that course for us in
Chantilly, virginia, and that isgoing to be at YM Dental Lab.
(32:30):
So we partnered with them touse their facility.
But our actual conference issoft girls flowers, hydrangeas,
you know, speak panels.
Our panelists are brown girlsand guys that are going to be
there in this conference.
It's going to be just somethingdifferent, because usually we
do education, lecture, lecture,lecture, heavy on the CE.
(32:51):
Now it's like what about you?
You know, what about us?
So that last conference I waswas like it was too much and it
was too much ce.
We had 16 ce.
I'm like, okay, a little bitless on the ce, a little bit
more on the.
What about you?
What do you?
Speaker 2 (33:05):
yes, you know yeah, and I love that.
I love that because we needthat.
Like I said, as much as I wasexcited to go to the conference
last year, um, and it was just,you know, like a no disrespect,
but it was a lot of likebuilding the practice and
corporate stuff, and but whatabout us?
And sometimes I feel like we'reused and abused and then
discarded when we no longerserve the purpose and like what
(33:27):
about us?
And that's where my, my loyaltyand my, you know, I lied to
like hygienists, like how do weget a voice?
How do we advocate forourselves?
Yes, we're making money for thepractice, but with all these
advancements, why are we notadvancing and growing as quickly
as other people and I saidpeople making money off of us,
it's like?
But we need to be taken care ofnot just financially but our
(33:49):
whole self yeah, if you takecare of, if you take care of
yourself, life gets easier yes,yes, and that's, and that's my
whole thing.
That's my whole thing is is likeI said if you want to temper,
great if you.
If you're fine working, you'rew2, but that's fine also.
(34:09):
But as long as you are choosinghow you are working, you're
choosing the situation that'sbest for you.
You have choice, and that'sjust with most things in life.
If you have choice, you havecontrol.
You will feel empowered in youreveryday life.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
So, yeah, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Well, leah, this was like aoverwhelmingly great experience.
Like it's good to hear fromother people outside of the
organization the faces that Idon't see and to grow from them
and to get value.
Like you've provided a lot ofvaluable information here and
I'm so excited that we were ableto connect and get on this
(34:46):
podcast.
Is there anything that youwould like to share?
Lastly, where can they find youSocial media websites?
Anything that you would like toadd for the audience here?
Speaker 2 (34:58):
Well, I launched my website April 1st.
I'm still kind of new.
This is all kind of built andgrown from this kind of teaching
hygienists how to temperthemselves to doctors asking
well, where can I find more ofthat to this whole thing of
making a whole platform oflinking people.
So it's skhygieneconsultingcomis my website and social media.
(35:21):
I'm working on that, my socialmedia presence.
But I'm the dental hygiene bosson Instagram, facebook, tiktok
which I don't know how longTikTok is going to be around,
but TikTok as well.
But, like I said, I'm just aperson that has kind of had a
journey and I've seen howblessed I am and how wonderful
(35:42):
it's been for me.
So if there's somebody outthere that feels like they want
to change and they just want totalk, you just want to get some
information and see if I canhelp you some guidance, I'm open
.
I'm open to it, but I just hateto see my fellow sisters and
brothers in this professionstruggling when there's
alternatives, there's options.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
I agree, I agree.
Well, thank you so much, youguys.
Thanks for tuning in.
Podcast dentalist season three.
This is episode two with LeahFrancis, the dental hygiene boss
.
See you guys later.
Bye, thank you, bye.
Okay, we stopped.
lab.
Okay, so let me just start offhere, all right.
Hey everybody, we're back withDentalish season three, episode
two.
I'm here with the dentalhygiene boss, leah Francis, and
we're going to talk aboutburnout how you find your zen,
how do you spiritually andmentally get to where you want
(00:22):
to be in this career or outsideof this career?
She has a lot to share.
She's been a practicing dentalhygienist for over 25 years and
she's a fellow brown girl, rdh.
So welcome, welcome, liana.
I wish I had those littleclapping things or something
yeah, thank you so much forhaving me.
You're welcome.
You're welcome, leah.
(00:43):
Tell the people where you'refrom.
How did you find out aboutBrown Girl RDH and where you are
, and what space are you inright now?
As far as the progression ofthe field getting out of the
field, becoming your own dentalhygiene boss Whoop, whoop, whoop
, whoop whoop.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Yes, well, I was born and raised in Brooklyn, new
York, but I came down toRichmond Virginia to go to
college.
So initially I wanted to be adentist but after working in an
office that had hygienists, itkind 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.
(01:21):
Now I have two kids in college.
We got to the point whereactually both of my kids were
leaving for college.
I 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 tocollege, it kind of inspired me
just to get some flexibility.
So I started to temp.
Then I felt that it was kind ofdifficult finding like temping
(01:44):
offices other than going throughagencies.
So I've kind of did someresearch and I found out how to
temp for myself legally withoutgoing through an agency.
Absolutely love, love, loved it,loved it, and I preach it to
every hygienist that I meet thatwants to temp for themselves.
So I've had hygienists come tome and ask me.
So that kind of started myjourney to the book.
So I've had hygienists come tome and ask me.
(02:04):
So that kind of started myjourney to the book, but with it
I felt it was more than justwork.
Once I kind of got my work lifealigned, I just amazed at how
much it opened me up spiritually, like everything opened up,
like my work life was healthyand happy.
Emotionally I became happier, Igot to focus on myself and
(02:26):
wellness and even like myphysical wellness and my mental
and emotional wellness and Ijust realized like so many
people were going throughstruggles in the world.
It seemed like everybody isstruggling with something and I
think part of it is becausewe're in positions where we have
no control of how we work.
You know, you're in positionswhere you're not happy, you're
not fulfilled, and I thinkthat's kind of driving it.
And I'm just like you know, ifyou get that work piece in
alignment, it seems like theother pieces of your life will
(02:47):
fall into place.
So this is just a small gestureto try to help the world move
forward to a place of health andhappiness.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
But you know another thing that you said that made me
to go, like you know, had anaha moment.
It's like patients come to usand they come fighting us and
those patients in the chairsometimes are giving us our
problems and, depending on whoyou are, we set up, we set up,
and then at the end of the daywe're like oh, I just got all of
that energy of all thesedifferent type of people and now
(03:17):
I am just burnt out.
And then you're doing that 40hours a week and then you get
home and you're like you justabsorb all of that.
Energy is real.
Energy is real.
That's why I don't be likingpeople to be touching me.
But what he said was like youfelt like you became in control
of your own life, in your owncareer by temping, and you
(03:41):
instantly became happier becauseyou were in, in control of
where you were going and whatyou were doing and what you know
.
Like somebody is like, okay, dothis, do that, do that, see you
later.
Bye, have a nice day, you know.
So, yes, I love that, I lovethat.
And, man, keep going.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
I'm sorry well, no, but I just think, unfortunately,
with our profession and, like Isaid, I'm really sad at what's
going on in our profession now.
Like I said, when I go intothese different groups, how many
people I hear that were burntout or looking for something
different.
And part of it is I go to thesewonderful conferences.
Like you go to a conference andyou're so motivated and you
(04:19):
come back and then you go to anoffice like, no, we're not doing
it.
No, you know, this is yourschedule.
You know, like for for 20 plusyears, I had a double hygiene
schedule.
I had a double schedule and, nomatter what, I couldn't get out
of it.
I love my assistant, we worktogether well, but I could not
sit and talk to my patientsabout things you know much, as
much as I wanted to, and andpart of my patients about.
(04:39):
It's more than your teeth, it'syour health, this is.
This affects your heart, yourbrain.
There's so many things and thepatients only would say you know
, well, is my cleaning covered?
You know, is it going to becovered?
And the office is like well,just do what you can, just do
what you can in the time, andit's like we have no control,
even how we practice thisprofession, that we love the
(05:00):
supplies that we get.
We want more control.
We are so educated, we do somuch research with specialists
in prevention, but, however, wehave no control of how we
practice, and this has to change.
And so this is again.
It's just a small step to tryto impart some change in our
profession, but we need to.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
We're going to have a crisis in professional health
and in oral health, so if wedon't change how we're
practicing dental hygiene, yeah,and it's intimidating enough
for some of the patients andsome of the practices I
emphasize, some of the practicesthat we do work in.
Those patients come in, they'realready scared and intimidated
and don't know what's going on.
And now you're, you're, you'reempathizing with them because
(05:38):
you want to sit there and dopatient education and you want
to get to know the patient, youwant to get to know their home
care habits.
And then, boom, it's like allright, just do what you can.
We got 30 minutes.
You need a hygiene column.
Like how can you really giveyou know what you went to school
for, like that oath, that thatthat we took right, yes, um, so
tell, let's tell us about how dowe get out of that?
How did you become your hygieneboss?
(06:00):
And you know, make your ownschedule and work it so that you
can tempt yourself out creatingyour own business.
Like how do, how does one goabout doing that?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
well, like I said, I um I put all the steps in a book
, um, and, honestly, the ideacame to me because I was
actually helping my husbandpromote his business um the car
mentor plug for him, um, butwhat is his business?
Speaker 1 (06:19):
I didn't hear it.
What was it?
Oh?
Speaker 2 (06:21):
it's called the car mentor.
So he started a businesshelping people find cars.
So I was actually like it'salmost like a realtor for cars.
So I was probing a patientwho'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 patientwho's in marketing their brain
of like that you know what'ssome ideas.
(06:42):
And she said, well, if he's anexpert in this, why don't he put
out an e-book on the steps on?
Like you're looking for a carthis and that.
So I'm like you know what, whydon't I do it?
So I kind of jumped on it and Icreated an e-book just to step
in.
All this information is outthere 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 everyoneright are just intimidated.
(07:02):
People are just so intimidatedand even when I meet hygienists
they're like well, taxes, Idon't want to deal with taxes,
taxes Like.
Once you understand how toleverage taxes in your favor,
it's amazing Like I went andthat's how I met Dr Joy last
year and I went.
I was so happy to go to the100th year anniversary of the
American Dental HygieneAssociation and I met Dr Joy
(07:23):
there.
But I'm going to theseconferences now.
I'm flying, I'm staying innight hotels and it's like this
can be a tax deduction becauseit's for work and business.
Once you understand all that Iput in the book so people can
understand the benefits, and atleast if you're happy with how
you're working, that's fine.
Again, that's being in controlof yourself situation.
If you're working for an office, as an employee, if you like
(07:44):
that, fine, that's great.
But if you want somethingdifferent, here's the
information get the informationand assess for yourself.
Is this something you can usein your life?
Speaker 1 (07:53):
and that's the whole thing about it is this so
getting information it'simportant um, we're not giving
legal advice here, we're notgiving 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 arestructuring your schedule,
bringing your supplies, and thatmeans you are an entity and you
file taxes accordingly, not asan employee, but as an entity
(08:18):
and you're creating your tempagency.
So, the same way that you go toan outside agency and you
temper them, you are creatingthe entity and you are working
at that.
Now I don't know all the stepsand you get her, but what's the
book called?
Speaker 2 (08:36):
It's called the Dental Hygiene Boss, the Guide
to Work for Yourself and TakeControl of your Life.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Right, you go get her book, her e-book and you go
through it, read the steps andif it seems like it's something
for you being a boss is not foreverybody let me tell you, but
if that, seems like it'ssomething for you, then you can
definitely go that route.
Now you do other things outsideof that.
You're known as the Afromermaid.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Well, I'm one of many afro mermaid.
Well, I'm one of many.
Um, actually, as well, as myworking situation got better for
me and, like I said, I justrealized I came in the next
piece I wanted and actually partof it.
I was turning 50, so, um, Ijust wanted to come black, don't
crack.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
No, 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 2 (09:27):
I love you.
No, I turned 50 this year, sopart of it is just the journey
of.
Just like I said, I want tosustain health mental health,
physical health so I got waterfitness certified so that was
part of it.
It's like I do like working out.
I know my knees and my jointsstarted hurting, so I got water
fitness certified.
(09:47):
So when I attended the class andI think I signed up for the
wrong class but it was a lot ofinstructors that were getting
re-certified or but I was anewbie, never taught a class at
all, I didn't have any prospectsso I just jumped in.
But I was telling the instructorthat the classes that I've gone
to seem like it was geared toan older demographic or the
(10:07):
music was more of like thesweating to the oldies kind of
music and I'm like I know a lotof people my age that would love
it and as much as I love Zumbaand like hip-hop and R&B, I
wanted to kind of create adifferent type of workout.
So I told the instructor likemy problem was I don't see a lot
of diversity.
So the instructor there wasreally good at introducing me to
several Black instructors in mylocal DMV area.
(10:32):
So one of the ladies she wasreally good at letting me come
down and watch a class and seehow she works and so she's kind
of made me part of the Afromermaids and it's been several
other ones that have reached outto me.
So it's a growing field of justlike people helping people and
(10:54):
I think that's what it is, isit's people helping to reach out
, to help other people in thisjourney to health and wellness.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Oh, my goodness, so I cannot swim.
I had a traumatic experiencewhen I was younger and let's
just say, like I, I so growingup.
I grew up in Florida and my momand my stepdad, they you know
the above the ground pools.
They dug and we was even inthere digging as kids.
(11:23):
We all dug a big old hole andthey put an above the ground
pool below the ground and theyhad the lining in it and then
they had the above part and thenwe were just getting in there.
Back then in the in the 90s,like you, just got in the water.
Nobody was honey.
I got in that water and wentdown one of them slopes, how it
was dug, and I could not get up.
(11:43):
And I'm jumping up and I'mjumping 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 andsaved me.
But ever since that experienceI had to be 12, 10 or 12.
I never, I don't want to getback in the water.
I don't want to do it.
I don't want to do it.
I just like to this day andit's sad, it's very sad because
(12:10):
I have four kids and the threeof them that are old enough to
get in the water cannot swim.
I have a two-year-old he'sgonna be two next month and I'm
like I gotta get him, I gottaget him in.
It gives me anxiety, so but Ilove, I love, like I.
That's on my bucket list.
Like Martel, take your swimminglesson, conquer this fear, get
in that water.
So when I heard that it reallylike sparked, it was like, oh,
you know, and it's not that deepthough the water, using it
ideally, but ideally it shouldbe at chest level.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
That's the ideal length.
So I have a lot of people thatcan't swim, like some of my
girlfriends, and they will comeNow.
I personally didn't learn toswim until I was an adult.
Like growing up in New Yorkcity there's no pools there and
it's just something that we justdidn't do.
You scared to get your hairmessed up, so I didn't learn to
(12:52):
swim until I was an adult.
And, um, fun fact is, eventhough I know how to swim, I'm
not comfortable if I can't touchthe bottom.
So, even like at home, I have aswim spa and that's like how I
exercise and you can actuallyswim in place in this thing.
I love it.
It's amazing, um, but I swimwith like a snorkel mask on, so
that way I can work on myworkout without having to worry
about my breathing.
So, but it's never too late.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
So yeah, so water aerobics I'm thinking about.
How can this help us with, youknow, neck pain, back pains,
joint pain.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Oh, 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 anotherpart that I eventually want to
get certified in.
It's called wasu w-a-t-s-uwater shusitsu, and I might be
saying it incorrectly, but it'slike a water massage, relaxation
(13:39):
.
It's supposed to recreate thefeeling of you in your mother's
womb um and.
I, I again.
I've had some amazing patientsthat I've picked their ears over
the years.
But just that again.
Sometimes I'll just I put onthese floaty things on my arms
and my feet and I'll just floatin my backyard and it's
especially with an open sky andyou can just look at the stars
and it's like it's just againthat whole alignment of your
(13:59):
mind, your body and your spirit.
It's huge.
We have to get in an alignmentyeah, yeah, and it's grounding
too.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
You get energy from the sun.
You get energy from absolutely.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Oh my goodness, yes, I love being outside, I love it
um.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
So when you talk about um, I know you keep
talking about your patients andhow often are you um temping for
yourself and do and can you?
And can you temp out and give arate?
Because the temp agency you'reyou're in essentially a temp
agency, so they charge a rate.
(14:34):
Do you just stick within thethe rate or do you add in your
your fee as far as the theagency goes?
Because there is a differenceand you have offices and you
have businesses that are likeI'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 bossand the dental hygiene boss.
Like how does that work Withoutgiving all the details?
(14:55):
Y'all still got to get the book.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Well, in the book I go down the breakdown of how to
establish your rate.
So first of all, when I startedout I was kind of employed with
a larger group in my area, so Ican always do that, or I had
like some other temp apps that Iwould use to kind of fill my
schedule.
But eventually I made enoughconnections and it took a lot.
Like I would go around my localcommunity and I kind of handed
(15:20):
out business cards and just someinformation about myself and my
business.
So some offices were receptiveand called me.
Others were like I guess,thinking I'm a solicitor.
So it was a very icy receptionwhen I got there.
But once I got enough and oncemy name kind of got out there
and I give 110% not just to mypatient care but in everything I
do and how I promote mybusiness, I keep it very
(15:41):
professional like an agency.
So the customers that I hadused, they were very confident
in me and they referred me toother other offices.
So so now I can tip a hundredpercent for myself and I can
pick and choose.
But it actually led me to, likeI said, I know people say, well
, the other hygienists that workthis way, they really want
other hygienists.
(16:01):
So that's well.
I don't want to digress toomuch on that one.
But so to set up my rates, Ikind of took what a normal W-2
employee would make and I tookthat number and I kind of worked
from there.
I realized that the dentists arealso kind of struggling right
now with staffing and stuff.
So I'm really not trying togouge them.
My first year actually, I setmy rates very modest and I just
(16:23):
went strictly from the formulaso I really didn't charge too
much of an overage of that.
So it is kind of in line towhat the temp agencies pay.
However, the temp agencies, Ibelieve, get their cut.
So I didn't really inflate mycharges that much.
So I keep it modest.
But ultimately and I've seen somany dentists that I've worked
(16:44):
with everyone is struggling.
I'm in the Richmond area sothere's a lot of there's a huge
demand right now.
So on my I have a whole websiteand I'm actually trying to.
So I'm in the process ofstarting like a platform where
hygienists that want to work forthemselves can link up with
dentists that are okay, withhygienists that want to work for
themselves, and can kind ofmeet up and that way they can.
(17:06):
You know I don't want to be thegatekeeper, but it's just as a
platform where you guys can meetup and you can set your own
rates.
You can negotiate your own rate.
Again, you can be the boss ofhow you work.
If it's an office that youdon't really care for, you know
what office it is and you candecline it.
If it's an office you want towork for, you can do the same.
(17:29):
So again, it's just being incontrol of how you work.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
where 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 thefunniest 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
(17:54):
divorce too much.
I was like, girl, this is howyou do this and this is how you
do that.
And you're like, no, I don'twant to give that away.
(18:28):
That's so funny.
I don't know if recommend thisfor a new graduate.
I know you said you're in thegroups 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 notdoing dental hygiene anymore.
She didn't even make it a yearand she's been temping and I was
like whoa yeah, yeah, it's notfor the, it's not for the faint
(18:52):
of heart.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Again, being new every single day is hard.
Now, when I first I wouldn'thave done this before.
I said I absolutely love mypatients and that's why I stayed
at the office 22 years before Ileft and I knew I was kind of
done before I actually designedum, but I love my patients.
Like I said, they saw me frombefore I had my children to my
(19:13):
children going off to college.
So I love the patients and Ilove the care and to see how
much they've learned and youknow they implemented some of
the things we talked about andtheir health got better, their
oral health got better.
So I miss that piece of it.
I did have a couple ofcoworkers that I really missed,
but so that's the hard part.
(19:33):
So, as a new graduate, Iwouldn'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 aperio case to see how they
respond and that.
So as a temp, without gettingthat follow-up and feedback,
like I'm amazed, like I look atan x-ray and I'm like, oh, my
god, there's tart on the distalof number 15 and I look back
like, oh my god, I'm.
How did I miss that?
So you do need that consistency.
(19:55):
So, as a new graduate, no.
But for new graduates, Iabsolutely would request set
this, this tone of like, maybe athree-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 startworking and you see for a while,
that's when the ugly comes out.
(20:16):
You know somebody comes in lateor somebody cancels, you know
you squeeze somebody on yourschedule, this and that.
You know you need a newinstrument.
They'll tell you everything onan interview.
The mouse will say anything toget you in the door, but the
proof is in.
We're working with them.
So for new graduates, I'drecommend maybe doing three
months at an office, maybe sixweeks at an office, and then
request to re-evaluate your worksituation.
(20:36):
If you're an awesome hygienist,if you know your work, maybe
renegotiate that salary at thatsix-week part.
And I'm okay with doingsomething on a trial basis.
And like when you asked aboutmy temping rates, when initially
started my first year, I set myrates low because nobody knew
me in the area.
They didn't know.
But I wanted to show you thatI'm an amazing.
I know my worth.
So the first year my rates werelower, but the second year, oh,
(20:58):
absolutely, um, they went upand I was kind of.
I had some trepidationinitially.
I'm like, okay, these are mynew rates for 2024, and they
were like they didn't blink,they, they didn't blink, um, and
now?
But it's not about gougingpeople, it's just about again
making sure I have financialsecurity and it's a mental and
emotional and physical wealthand health yeah, that stability
(21:21):
and that balance, um.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
So you know, I have the the brown guard h platform
in the group and I see a lot andhear a lot and I know you're
not really on social media likethat.
You know, getting better,getting better, yeah, you're
getting better, but, um, some ofthe things I see is and I
question some of the things likeif someone is temping and
(21:46):
they're they're they're dentalhygiene boss and they're temping
themselves and they get intopractice and the practice is
like you got five SRPs today andthere's not a lunch break and
it's assisted hygiene, doublehygiene, and then they walk out
and it's a fine line between doI just do it or do I walk out
and hurt my reputation.
(22:06):
So I think, before you startgetting it, it's morally and
it's you know business and it'sa lot of different factors to
consider when you're doing that.
Because now that's yourreputation.
And let me tell you, I've seenit to where someone just put in
their um two weeks notice andthat the practice went around
telling all of the practices notto hire this girl.
(22:28):
I've seen things from that andit's just like you know, the
hygienists are really, you know,with their back against the
wall sometimes, in someinstances not all to where they
just kind of gotta suck it up.
Um, and they might that theywon't, wouldn't normally do.
But 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.
(22:49):
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, andneither am I.
But when you just get out there, those are going to be some
decisions that you have to beable to make and you have to be
able to be comfortable with.
So I just want to stress, likeit might not be for everyone,
(23:12):
being your own boss, you justmight 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 burntout, 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 oneoffice.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
You going out never to promise you the world, uh-uh
you know well, it's part of italso, like I said, being your
own boss and as I set up myagency, like I said, when I
first onboard offices, I letthem know my stipulations.
Now I don't want to come up asa diva or anything like that but
, like I said, that's somethingyou can put into your, your
onboarding agreement.
Um, no more than and I actuallyI have different rates based on
(23:49):
their schedule.
Like now, I've done doublehygiene for 20 plus years so I
can, I can work on my speed.
But if the office is an hourversus 45 minutes a double
hygiene schedule my pay slidesaccordingly with the schedule.
If you want SRP, you can putthat in your agreement.
Like I, will not do more thantwo SRPs a day If the patient
(24:10):
can't stop something, thatcannot be a diva.
But with any other professionyou have some kind of, you have
some kind of control on how wework.
You know the quality.
If you know that you're aslower hygienist, it's not fair
to put you in a situation whereyou're not, you're not going to
give your best, so it's not fairto charge.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
And it's not fair to charge because everybody's like
well, this is the going rate.
Well, that might be the goingrate, but not for you.
You know that's not the firstsecond class.
Yes, we're on the same plane,but you're paying for first
class versus yeah, and they sayyou get what you pay for.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Also, you get what you pay for.
But, um, yeah, but again, it'sdefinitely not for everyone.
It's not like I said.
So it took me 20 plus years toget to the point where my voice
and I can speak up, um and andhonestly, 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 mylife is gone, you know I need to
(25:06):
make it.
I need to make it um you know,it matters to me.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
Yes, live your life on your own terms, I love it.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
It's too short, life is too short.
But also I just feelunfortunately I hate to even say
this again you said I'mpolitical.
Um, I feel like if we were amale dominated profession, we
would not be treated this way.
I think, because we're a femaledominated profession, dominated
by men, and even though thedentists are half and half.
(25:35):
But I think if we were men mostof us we would not be treated,
we would have more control and,like I said, I'm so disappointed
.
I thought Virginia was going toadopt 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 dentaltherapist, um, and it's still
kind of out, I don't know.
(25:56):
So, until we get some controland that's this whole thing, I
think we just all want somethingdifferent.
But if we can control ourprofession, um, I think it would
change the whole trajectory ofall of this yeah, yeah, yeah I,
I agree, I never thought aboutit.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
If it was the male-dominated profession, if
things would be a little bitdifferent, if we'll have more
independence as far as dentalhygiene license portability,
like, I never really thoughtabout that.
So that's a good, that's a goodpoint.
On there, I thought Virginia um, for some reason I thought to
Virginia hygienists can workindependently.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
No, they don't have general well.
I mean you have generalsupervision, but it's oh god,
that's a whole other can ofworms there.
I mean it initially was adaptedso that to help areas where
there's a shortage of dentists.
I'm trying to be nice about it.
(26:53):
Yeah, we don't have.
I'm just gonna say we don'thave it, we don't have it, not
like that.
There are some remote areaswhere they'll use it, and I
actually proposed to an officeto let me work.
And this was after I sawAlicia's thing on the dental van
and I was like well, could I bethe do mobile dental?
You know, can I workindependently and do mobile
dental?
It's not very.
(27:13):
It's not in Virginia yet.
It's not in Virginia yet.
So again, it's control it's.
They're very hesitant to giveup control of us at this point
and so we have to do somethingagain to kind of move the meter.
But no, the rates.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
I went to dental hygiene.
I graduated dental hygieneschool in 2012 and I remember
virginia being back then one ofthe higher paying.
It was maine, it was virginiaand I think it was some other
place and it was like, oh, thoseare the places you want to go.
You don't want to go down south.
Down south wasn't playing andI'm paying um hygienists.
(27:51):
And when I moved down south umin 2014, graduated in 2012,
moved down south from upstatenew york, I went to school in
new york, um, when I moved downsouth, I was getting paid 28 an
hour as a hygienist and I workedthere for seven years up until
COVID.
I worked there from 2014 allthe way to 2020 at 28 hours an
(28:13):
hour and yes, and now it'smind-boggling to me that dental
assistants are getting thatright now.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Well, see again you, just you tapping all my buttons.
Okay, so my very first officethat I worked at was an amazing
office, but it was two otherBlack hygienists which again is
unheard of, and so it was agreat 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 Istill am really good, close
(28:42):
friends with the otherhygienists.
So it was.
I didn't feel any competition,you know, it was like they were
my mentors, historically, wereblack but we were underpaid.
We were underpaid and Iremember after they left, a
(29:02):
white hygienist came on and Idon't like to play the race card
, but she said, I'm going to askfor such and such.
I said, oh, you'll never getthat.
She got it, she got it.
And I just feel like sometimeswe don't know our own worth and
that really bothers me.
And then, like I said, we, we,we settled for it.
But yeah, virginia is, and Ididn't really realize it until I
, like, right now I'm currentlyin Houston for my niece's
wedding.
So I said, well, while I'm here, I'm going to see if I can talk
(29:23):
to other offices here and seeif they're looking for a
hygienist and you know kind ofget them on board with working
with me, to kind of you know mywhole platform.
And I looked at the rate.
I'm like, ooh, I didn't realizeHouston was.
I think they're at like 30.
I still have some listening for38 or 40 something.
It was low, it was low.
So in Virginia we're like inwe're over 50, 50 to 60.
(29:45):
So I didn't realize howfortunate and also my kids were
in North Carolina.
So I do temp in North Carolinaand I'm just like, oh, this is
the best you can do NorthCarolina.
But I do respect the fact thatoffices can only pay with what
is compensated for pro fees andthe insurance is still dictating
what the cost is.
So I mean you only getreimbursed a certain amount for
(30:07):
a pro fee so that a lot of theseoffices cannot pay certain fees
because it's not going to beprofitable for them it's the
demographics and people just say, oh, the average.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
You know, you got to look at that US average, this is
the average.
But for not going to beprofitable, for them it's the
demographics.
And and people just say, oh,the average, you know, you got
to look at that us average, thisis the average.
But for this area, if you're inum, you know rural north
carolina is no way you're goingto be getting in the 20s and the
assistants are going to begetting 10 to 12.
So you just got to know yourdemographics.
But also, if you want to livein, you know, virginia, you're
(30:36):
going to pay virginia pricesbecause our our 2024 leadership
conference and I think I toldyou about it and you probably
you know about actually, I sawit's on my calendar it's on my
calendar october 4th through the6th yes, that that conference
is in virginia.
It's in virginia and it's DC.
And when I tell you that's oneof the most expensive
(30:59):
conferences that we have done,the hotel is pretty much like a
five-star hotel.
It's just like oh yeah, DC isexpensive.
I can see why they get paid forit, because it's just the area
that you're in.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
But that's northern Virginia, that's northern
Virginia.
So that's like further down inRichmond it's different.
So I do know some hygieniststhat do commute up there and
pick up temp shifts up there,because it is considerably more
in northern Virginia.
And if you deal with thecraziness, the traffic, the
beltway, oh my god, richmond notso crazy.
I love Richmond.
I will never say bad word aboutRichmond.
(31:35):
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 youget past the Northern Virginia
area it's not as inflated but DCkind of drives the prices up.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
OK, ok, because I was like, oh, I would never.
I mean, this is, trust me, Ifell in love with that hotel.
We're going to be there.
They were like, are you sure?
I'm like yep, I said when Ifirst saw myself.
I was like that's going to bethe hotel we're going to be in,
because I'm like we all have tobe in our, you know, soft girl
era.
Actually, our conference isreally focusing on mental health
, empowering the individual.
(32:10):
We're giving Essence Festivalvibes.
This conference it's not goingto be so much.
We have on Friday we have thelocal anesthetic lab refresher
course that we have Dr Milesteaching it and she's a black
dentist and she's going to beteaching that course for us in
Chantilly, virginia, and that isgoing to be at YM Dental Lab.
(32:30):
So we partnered with them touse their facility.
But our actual conference issoft girls flowers, hydrangeas,
you know, speak panels.
Our panelists are brown girlsand guys that are going to be
there in this conference.
It's going to be just somethingdifferent, because usually we
do education, lecture, lecture,lecture, heavy on the CE.
(32:51):
Now it's like what about you?
You know, what about us?
So that last conference I waswas like it was too much and it
was too much ce.
We had 16 ce.
I'm like, okay, a little bitless on the ce, a little bit
more on the.
What about you?
What do you?
Speaker 2 (33:05):
yes, you know yeah, and I love that.
I love that because we needthat.
Like I said, as much as I wasexcited to go to the conference
last year, um, and it was just,you know, like a no disrespect,
but it was a lot of likebuilding the practice and
corporate stuff, and but whatabout us?
And sometimes I feel like we'reused and abused and then
discarded when we no longerserve the purpose and like what
(33:27):
about us?
And that's where my, my loyaltyand my, you know, I lied to
like hygienists, like how do weget a voice?
How do we advocate forourselves?
Yes, we're making money for thepractice, but with all these
advancements, why are we notadvancing and growing as quickly
as other people and I saidpeople making money off of us,
it's like?
But we need to be taken care ofnot just financially but our
(33:49):
whole self yeah, if you takecare of, if you take care of
yourself, life gets easier yes,yes, and that's, and that's my
whole thing.
That's my whole thing is is likeI said if you want to temper,
great if you.
If you're fine working, you'rew2, but that's fine also.
(34:09):
But as long as you are choosinghow you are working, you're
choosing the situation that'sbest for you.
You have choice, and that'sjust with most things in life.
If you have choice, you havecontrol.
You will feel empowered in youreveryday life.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
So, yeah, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Well, leah, this was like aoverwhelmingly great experience.
Like it's good to hear fromother people outside of the
organization the faces that Idon't see and to grow from them
and to get value.
Like you've provided a lot ofvaluable information here and
I'm so excited that we were ableto connect and get on this
(34:46):
podcast.
Is there anything that youwould like to share?
Lastly, where can they find youSocial media websites?
Anything that you would like toadd for the audience here?
Speaker 2 (34:58):
Well, I launched my website April 1st.
I'm still kind of new.
This is all kind of built andgrown from this kind of teaching
hygienists how to temperthemselves to doctors asking
well, where can I find more ofthat to this whole thing of
making a whole platform oflinking people.
So it's skhygieneconsultingcomis my website and social media.
(35:21):
I'm working on that, my socialmedia presence.
But I'm the dental hygiene bosson Instagram, facebook, tiktok
which I don't know how longTikTok is going to be around,
but TikTok as well.
But, like I said, I'm just aperson that has kind of had a
journey and I've seen howblessed I am and how wonderful
(35:42):
it's been for me.
So if there's somebody outthere that feels like they want
to change and they just want totalk, you just want to get some
information and see if I canhelp you some guidance, I'm open
.
I'm open to it, but I just hateto see my fellow sisters and
brothers in this professionstruggling when there's
alternatives, there's options.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
I agree, I agree.
Well, thank you so much, youguys.
Thanks for tuning in.
Podcast dentalist season three.
This is episode two with LeahFrancis, the dental hygiene boss
.
See you guys later.
Bye, thank you, bye.
Okay, we stopped.
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