Lead Dental Hygienist

You're still cleaning teeth, but now you're also training new hygienists, coordinating clinical schedules, and serving as the go-between for the dentists and the front desk. It's dental hygiene plus middle management, which means twice the responsibility for a modest pay bump and the privilege of being blamed from both directions.

What you'll actually do

• 01Clean teeth all day AND manage the clinical schedule — because one job wasn't enough
• 02Train new hygienists on office protocols while maintaining your own patient load
• 03Coordinate with the dentist on treatment plans for complex periodontal cases
• 04Calibrate and troubleshoot dental equipment when it decides to stop working mid-patient
• 05Handle patient complaints about wait times, billing, or the taste of fluoride
• 06Review and update infection control procedures (the paperwork nobody wants to do)
• 07Attend staff meetings where you advocate for things that won't get approved

Career Path

Where this role sits in the bigger picture — and where it can take you.