DENTAL HYGIENIST

Dental hygienist Darla Thompson works on a patient in Dr. James McMahan's office. She graduated from Portland Community College's dental hygienist program in 1979. (The Observer/PHIL BULLOCK).

Stories by

Bill Rautenstrauch

Staff writer

Those thinking of applying to the ODS School of Dental Hygiene, soon to open in La Grande, should take heed.

Getting to be a dental hygienist isn't easy.

Before you even get started, you'll have to become a fountain of knowledge in anatomy and physiology, nutrition, pharmacology and a host of other health-related topics.

Once you're accepted into school — and that's not a given, because competition for seats in all the dental hygiene schools in Oregon is stiff — studies will consume your life.

And when you're finally finished and embarking on your career, you'll marvel at how physically difficult the job is. You'll discover aches and pains in places you didn't even know you had.

But don't let any of that dissuade you.

Local hygienists who have been through it all say it's a career worth following.

Three who were interviewed for this story agreed there are handsome rewards, both in terms of money and job satisfaction.

Mardel Wolfe, 58, said dental hygiene seemed a more attractive career choice than others that were available to women in the early-to-mid 1970s.

"I knew my options were nursing or teaching and I didn't want to do either one," she said.

She knew that hygienists made good money, that they worked "daylight hours," and that they had a choice between working full or part time.

Plus, she figured the career would be a rewarding one in terms of helping people maintain good health.

During her freshman year at Willamette University, she applied to the University of Oregon dental hygienist schoo l– then the only school of its kind in Oregon.

She was accepted, but later decided to get another year of liberal arts studies under her belt.

"They had 320 applicants for 31 slots, and I turned them down. What was I thinking?" she said.

The next year she re-applied. Luckily for her, school administration decided to overlook the fact that she didn't take the opportunity offered her the year before.

She recalled that the program demanded her complete attention. Except during the summer, students weren't even allowed to have jobs after school.

"You went to school eight to five, then had four or five hours of homework. Three years of college chemistry was condensed into one year," she said.

After completing her two-year associates degree, she embarked on a 38-year career that included a stint as an instructor at the U of O.

Since she was the first dental hygienist to work in La Grande, she thinks of herself as a local pioneer.

"In those days, patients from out of the area were surprised I was the only hygienist here, and the ones from here didn't have a clue (about hygienists and what they did)," she said.

See HYGIENISTS, 2B

Like many hygienists, Wolfe worked for several different dentists at once, rotating from office to office.

In all her career, there was never a shortage of work, she said.

"I could have worked eleven days a week if I'd wanted to," she said.

The job was rewarding but physically demanding, Wolfe said. It took a toll.

That was the reason she decided to retire last year.

Her license has since lapsed, and she isn't considering going through the steps to get it back.

At the same time, she has no regrets about her career.

"I couldn't think of anything I'd rather have done," she said.

Looking back, she sees a certain irony in her career choice.

"I said that nursing and teaching were the options open to women back then, and that I didn't want to do them. The irony is, dental hygiene is a compilation of the two."

Having graduated from Portland Community College's dental hygienist program in 1979, Darla Thompson is also a veteran of the trade.

Like many hygienists, Thompson started out as a dental assistant. Enrolling in the school was an upward career move for her.

There was much competition for a classroom seat, she recalled.

"For 24 spots, there were probably close to 200 qualified applicants. It was just luck of the draw that I got in," she said.

Like Wolfe, Thompson remembers that school wasn't easy.

First, there were the many pre-requisites to complete, including a full year with a science major. Then came the rigorous practical work that led to her associates degree.

"It was very demanding. It wasn't a case where you could go to school and work at an outside job, too. You couldn't do both," she said.

She added, "There wasn't a lot of free time."

After college, Thompson picked up much valuable experience working both for general practitioners and specialists in the Corvallis area.

Thirteen years ago, she went to work for Dr. James McMahan in La Grande. She is one of three hygienists on his staff today.

Thompson said she enjoys her work and the money it brings — an experienced dental hygienist makes between $25-$30 an hour.

If there's a drawback, it's the sheer physicality of the work. Many hygienists develop shoulder, arm and wrist problems, Thompson said.

"That's a major concern. It is hard on the body, just because of the way you're sitting and working around the chair," she said.

Shandy Schroeder, a 25-year-old Union native, works with Thompson at the McMahan clinic.

Schroeder, who credits Wolfe with guiding her toward her career, is one of a new breed of hygienists carrying a four year degree.

After graduation from Union High School in 1997, she did two years of pre-requisite work at Eastern Oregon University.

She then transferred to the Oregon Health Sciences University dental hygienist school.

"It was pretty competitive," Schroeder said of the OHSU program, which has since been eliminated because of budget cuts. "There were about 300 applicants for a class of 30."

It didn't hurt that at Eastern Schroeder carried a 3.8 overall grade point average and 4.0 in the sciences.

Course work was highly demanding, Schroeder recalled, and left no room for outside activities.

"It was like a full time job, with homework. You worked eight to five, then went home to study," she said.

After graduation, Schroeder worked three years in the Seattle area. She then returned to Union County to take a position at the McMahan clinic.

She knows all too well about the physical strain, having had a shoulder surgery.

She is quick to point out, though, that her injury wasn't entirely because of the job.

"It was from the job, but not preventable," she said. "A lot of it had to do with the way I am built."

Like Wolfe and Thompson, Schroeder said she enjoys the work and has no regrets about choosing it.

"What I like most is the interaction with people. I get to work with a different person every hour," she said.

Like many hygienists, Wolfe worked for several dentists at once, rotating from office to office.

In all her career, there was never a shortage of work, she said.

"I could have worked 11 days a week if I'd wanted to," she said.

The job was rewarding but physically demanding, Wolfe said. It took a toll.

That was the reason she decided to retire last year.

Her license has since lapsed, and she isn't considering going through the steps to get it back.

At the same time, she has no regrets about her career.

"I couldn't think of anything I'd rather have done," she said.

Looking back, she sees a certain irony in her career choice.

"I said that nursing and teaching were the options open to women back then, and that I didn't want to do them. The irony is, dental hygiene is a compilation of the two."

Having graduated from Portland Community College's dental hygienist program in 1979, Darla Thompson is also a veteran of the trade.

Like many hygienists, Thompson started out as a dental assistant. Enrolling in the school was an upward career move for her.

There was much competition for a classroom seat, she recalled.

"For 24 spots, there were probably close to 200 qualified applicants. It was just luck of the draw that I got in," she said.

Like Wolfe, Thompson remembers that school wasn't easy.

First, there were the many prerequisites to complete, including a full year with a science major. Then came the rigorous practical work that led to her associates degree.

"It was very demanding. It wasn't a case where you could go to school and work at an outside job, too. You couldn't do both," she said.

She added, "There wasn't a lot of free time."

After college, Thompson picked up much valuable experience working both for general practitioners and specialists in the Corvallis area.

Thirteen years ago, she went to work for Dr. James McMahan in La Grande. She is one of three hygienists on his staff today.

Thompson said she enjoys her work and the money it brings — an experienced dental hygienist makes between $25-30 an hour.

If there's a drawback, it's the sheer physicality of the work. Many hygienists develop shoulder, arm and wrist problems, Thompson said.

"That's a major concern. It is hard on the body, just because of the way you're sitting and working around the chair," she said.

Shandy Schroeder, a 25-year-old Union native, works with Thompson at the McMahan clinic.

Schroeder, who credits Wolfe with guiding her toward her career, is one of a new breed of hygienists carrying a four-year degree.

After graduation from Union High School in 1997, she did two years of prerequisite work at Eastern Oregon University.

She then transferred to the Oregon Health Sciences University dental hygienist school.

"It was pretty competitive," Schroeder said of the OHSU program, which has since been eliminated because of budget cuts. "There were about 300 applicants for a class of 30."

It didn't hurt that at Eastern Schroeder carried a 3.8 overall grade point average and 4.0 in the sciences.

Course work was highly demanding, Schroeder recalled, and left no room for outside activities.

"It was like a full-time job, with homework. You worked eight to five, then went home to study," she said.

After graduation, Schroeder worked three years in the Seattle area. She then returned to Union County to take a position at the McMahan clinic.

She knows all too well about the physical strain, having had a shoulder surgery.

She is quick to point out, though, that her injury wasn't entirely because of the job.

"It was from the job, but not preventable," she said. "A lot of it had to do with the way I am built."

Like Wolfe and Thompson, Schroeder said she enjoys the work and has no regrets about choosing it.

"What I like most is the interaction with people. I get to work with a different person every hour," she said.