08/13/2026
Maybe I’m just not the hygienist for you, and that’s okay. 🤷🏽♀️🦷
I consider myself a very empathetic provider. I understand that finances, life circumstances, anxiety, and a million other factors can affect a patient’s ability to move forward with treatment. When that happens, I will ALWAYS do my best to meet my patients where they are, discuss options, prioritize treatment, and help create a plan that is realistic for them. BUT what I won’t do is allow a patient to dictate what I clinically recommend simply because it’s what they would prefer to have done.
Just like you wouldn’t walk into your physician’s office and tell them what diagnosis or treatment they need to give you, dental care is no different. I am still a licensed healthcare provider. I have the education, training, and clinical experience to assess your periodontal health, co-diagnose alongside the dentist, and provide treatment that falls within my scope of practice and that I believe is clinically appropriate.
You ALWAYS have autonomy over your body and the right to accept or decline treatment. But declining my recommendation does not mean I am obligated to provide treatment that I don’t believe is appropriate.
And if you disagree with my clinical recommendation? I will never be offended if you seek a second opinion. You deserve a provider you trust, and I deserve to practice within my education, ethics, and standard of care. 🤍