Pursuing your MOMgienist Passion with Balance

I have been on a journey lately to really find out how I fit into the realm of the Dental Hygiene world. While I really have enjoyed the patient care that I have been able to provide for the past 6 years. I am really finding that I am loving seeking out other opportunities as well.

To catch you up quickly, I am part of a collaborative agreement in the state of South Dakota that will allow me to treat patients in a nursing facility, I am also writing a reoccurring article for DentistryIQ about that process. I am writing posts here for MOMgienists, starting a study club in my local community for dental hygienists, volunteering for educational sessions for the schools in my community, as well as other time consuming endeavors related to dental hygiene.

I was so frustrated by my work situation that when I transitioned to part time at another clinic, I felt like I really needed to search and seek out as many opportunities that were outside of clinical practice as I could! Slowly those opportunities are catching up to me and I am having to prioritize those that really speak to me, and weed out those that just were something different.

While they all have peaked my curiosity, I can’t commit to them all. I sometimes forget that I have to make time for my family and my private life as well, otherwise this will likely be a short lived journey. This same issue often arises out of my family life as well, in this area too, I have to prioritize and determine where I can commit my time and energy. Here’s to saying “No, but thank you” as a MOMgienist.

About the Author: 

Amy Ericks, RDH, BSDH

Hello, Amy here, fellow mom and hygienist. I have an amazing family that supports me in all my adventures. I’m a wife of 13 years, a mom of 10 years plus 4 years (because let’s face it, each child is different and my parenting for the first doesn’t work for the second, so I add them together for collective parenting experience!), hygienist for 6, dental field for 11. We make our home in South Dakota where we enjoy camping, hunting, 4-wheeling, going to the park, walking the dogs,

soaking up the sun. The rest of the year I grudgingly wear layers to shovel the driveway and stare out the window dreaming of summer! I currently practice clinically part time, am starting a preventive dental hygiene care service in a local long term care facility (read about my adventures here at DentistryIQ), and parent the rest of the time. I hope to inspire, encourage, entertain, and help grow people through any of my insights. I look forward to letting you peek inside my days. Reach me at [email protected]