 Hello everybody. Andrea here with dental L. Let's talk about a dental hygienist starting their own practice and if they truly make more than working in a dental office. This is the most common question that I get. In fact, when I tell people that maybe I haven't spoken to in a couple years, I tell them that I left the dental office and started my own practice. The same response is usually, oh, really? Are you doing okay? And I'm thinking, what? What do you mean am I doing okay? That's usually what people say. So they assume I'm poor. They assume I'm desperate. They assume I'm going to go back to the dental office because I'm making no money. It's true. Sorry. It's so true. Okay. Yes, I'm doing fine. I'm making more money than I would have in a dental office. I am working less. I'm happier. I have a much more flexible schedule. If I decide to wake up tomorrow and not work because I'm just not feeling it or whatever, I can reschedule my patient and I don't feel bad about it. I would never do that because that's not the type of person I am, but if that ever happened before, if I worked at a dental office and I woke up sick, I would feel so guilty calling in saying I'm sick. I can't come in. They would try to talk me out of it for two minutes. It was just ridiculous. Yeah. So the fact that I have my own business, you guys, is amazing. And I really try to inspire dental hygienists who want to have their own business, who really have that entrepreneurial spirit. You should start your own business. If money is worrying you, if you're thinking, oh, I don't want to leave the dental office. I don't know if I can make enough money. Let me tell you, you can. You just have to get started. If you don't get started, you'll never know. And then you'll be thinking forever. I wish I had tried. I wish I did it. I am here to support you. I left the dental office. When I first started my dental hygiene business, I was maybe seeing one patient a week if I was lucky. I was not enough to make a full-time income. So, yes, of course, I was kind of worried about it, wasn't sure. But it was really because I was teaching and tutoring and doing business coaching at the same time. So I wasn't really devoting myself to getting clients. Once I started doing that, I had moved to a new city, new house, all of that. I didn't know anybody. I said, okay, this is it. I'm going to open up my, well, I did, but I did already. But I'm going to really start advertising my mobile dental hygiene business. I now am able to have a room in my own home to see clients as well who don't necessarily want to be seen in their home. I had the idea of seeing a dental hygienist for their teeth cleaning, not having to go to the dental office. It's the pandemic. People do prefer to see less people. So there wasn't a choice. I just simply advertised, marketed, and I was able to get clients fast. I am so booked up. I'm booking clients typically two to three months in advance. I do because I don't work full-time, you guys. I typically work 10 till two. I take two days off every week, sometimes more. Sometimes I don't take days off if I just have so many patients that need to be seen. Their insurance is running out. Who knows? But that's typically my day. I remember working in a dental office before, working nine to six, barely getting a lunch, getting no thank you for not taking a lunch, or working past my lunch because my patients were late, I was behind, whatever, feeling underappreciated, just working really hard, basically making what was I making, $30 per hour, which is great. There's nothing wrong with that. But I certainly make more in my own business. I'm not overworking myself. I can pick and choose my own schedule. I'm home by two o'clock every day, so that does include travel time. I'm home by two o'clock. I feel great. I'm not a zombie coming home. And it's just a great feeling to know. These are my patients. I can say what I want to say to them. I don't have to sell dental products to them. It's just me. It's just them. It's amazing. Yes, you can make great money working for yourself. There are expenses involved, of course. I did take a $30,000 business loan out when I first got started to get the sterilizer compressor, everything. I do explain all of that inside my mobile RDH Academy course if you are a dental hygienist and want to start your own business, you're thinking about it. Just make sure that you can start your own business where you live. Every state is different, so please check that with your dental hygiene college. And then if you can and you want to do it, either a mobile business in your own home or a storefront, I am here to support you. So please let me know if any questions you can do this. You can make the money. You don't have to be exhausted and tired by the end of the day. You can have your own schedule. Thank you guys for listening. Please click like on the video. If you haven't yet, make sure to click subscribe. If you do like listening to me, I would really appreciate it. That does help me so much. And I'll see you guys in the next video. Comment below if you have any questions. If you need to reach me sooner, you can go to my website dentalel.podia.com. You can click the chat feature on the bottom of the website and reach me almost right away. If I don't get back to you, it's because I'm out seeing patients or doing videos such as this one, but I will get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you guys. Have a great evening.