The Complete Beginner's Guide to Temp Dental Hygiene Work

Temping as a dental hygienist is a great fit for more people than you might expect. You don't have to be looking for a full career change to benefit from it. Temp work tends to be a great match if you see yourself in any of these:

• You want to pick up extra shifts for extra income when your primary office is closed, without a permanent commitment.
• You're a parent with limited or unpredictable availability and need to work around your family.
• You own or run a practice but would like to keep your clinical skills sharp by working PRN as a hygienist.
• You're an extrovert who loves meeting new teams and patients, and enjoys the variety instead of the same daily grind.
• You're in an area only temporarily and want flexible work while you're there.

If any of those sound like you, you're in the right place. This guide walks you through the whole picture: why hygienists make the switch, the mindset that makes temping work, what to look for in your first few shifts, how to stay organized, and how the tax side actually works.

Why Hygienists Love Temping

You set the terms on pay. Temp shifts often pay a higher hourly rate than the same permanent position. That makes sense: as a temp you typically aren't receiving benefits, and you're coming in to help as needed rather than as a part-time or full-time employee. On our app, you set your own rate rather than having one handed to you.

You control your own schedule. This is the part most hygienists fall in love with. You choose which days you work, which you keep open, and which offices you go back to. Want every Friday off? Keep it open. Want to work hard one week and take the next lighter? You can. You are never asking a manager for time off, because your availability is simply yours to set.

Variety keeps the work fresh. Many hygienists feel like the weeks drag working at one office five days a week. Temping breaks that pattern. New teams, new patients, and new parts of town keep the day interesting, and many hygienists find that the variety alone rekindles how much they enjoy the work. It's almost like having multiple dental families to visit.

You can try offices with no commitment. You get a real feel for a practice's culture, pace, and team without signing on for anything beyond that day. If an office is a great fit, you can return as often as you like and build a roster of favorites. If it is not your speed, you simply do not book another shift there. No awkward exit, no notice period, no burned bridges. That said, professionalism means honoring the shifts you commit to, as long as the situation is ethical and nothing puts you at risk.

The Right Mindset Going In

Over my years of staffing, and in life, I've learned you can take two people and put them in the exact same office, on the exact same day, and one will report best day ever while the other says the opposite. A lot of that comes down to mindset. If you go in thinking you're going to have a bad day, chances are, you will have a bad day.

When I'm temping, I always go into offices and shifts with the mindset that I am a guest in their house and I want to be invited back. You'll also notice each office does things slightly differently, and each one thinks their way is the best way. As long as it's ethical, I go with it. I'm there to help them, to meet new people, and to stay open to learning new things.

I also anticipate that things can always go not as planned, stuff the office can't control. Patients cancel. Something breaks. Carrying yourself with emotional intelligence and grace when you handle those problems makes the day better for the practice and for YOU. Life is all about how you view things and your mindset.

Scout the Room Before Your First Patient

Your first few times temping, you'll find it's the smallest, simplest things that are the hardest. You'll sit your patient down and then be staring at them eye-to-eye trying to figure out where the button is to lay the chair back. Or you'll place an XCP in their mouth for their bitewings, step into the hall, and realize you have no idea where the exposure button is. I learned to look for those small things before I bring my patient back. I also check the drawers ahead of time, because heaven forbid I drop my suction on the first patient and then I'm opening every drawer in the room trying to find another suction while they wait.

And if you run into trouble, it is completely okay to ask for help. Offices want your help, and a good one won't (or shouldn't) drop you in a room and leave you to sink or swim.

Staying Organized as a Temp

When you're temping across different offices, a little organization saves you a lot of headaches. On our app, you can see all your confirmed shifts in one place, and you can add them straight to your Google Calendar with the built-in integration. I live by my Google Calendar, so that piece helps me tremendously. It's also smart to keep track of every office you've worked during the year, since you'll be expecting tax forms from them at year end. Our app keeps this visible for you, but if you're temping on your own, create a simple Drive folder to track it. The same goes for confirmations: when you book through Oasis, the office already has the schedule and agreed fees in place, so there's nothing to chase down. But if you're temping independently, reach out to each office a few days to a week before your shift with a quick reminder or confirmation. It heads off any miscommunication before it happens.

Understanding the Tax Side

Taxes are the part that scares new temps the most, and they really don't have to once you understand the basics. CPAs give mixed answers on the best way to handle temp pay, and personally I don't lean one way or the other. I tell each office to pay by the method their CPA recommends, and I plan accordingly.

When I temp as a 1099 contractor, I'm usually paid at the end of the day, I use my EIN (which is free to obtain from the IRS if you want one), and I ask for a few dollars more per hour to account for the difference. I also set aside money for taxes as soon as I'm paid, and I track my deductions, like mileage, along the way. Whatever you choose, the important thing is to understand what you're agreeing to and to plan for it.

I want to be clear that I'm not an accountant, so if you have questions about your own situation, please talk to one.

If you want to go deeper on the tax side, I wrote an ebook, reviewed and written with a CPA, that breaks down the different forms, paying in, rate matching, and deductions. It's tailored toward dental temping, but the fundamentals carry over to any 1099 or business income down the road. You can find the full tax guide here.

Ready to Give Temping a Try?

If you're thinking about it but not sure, you can opt to book an onboarding call on our app and I'm happy to talk with you. I remember not expecting to temp more than two weeks when I moved states. I fell in love with it and found I have always been happiest working hygiene when temping. However, it's not for everyone. Book a call with me, we'll talk it through. If you're ready to get started, skip the call, create your profile, and start picking up shifts.