The area of Dental Hygiene is fairly new to Jamaica. Though Jamaica has been training Dental Hygienists for many years at what was once Dental Auxillary School (now Utech), not many people are aware of who a dental hygienist is or what he/she does. Currently, there are two schools in Jamaica that offer the Dental Hygiene Program; Northern Caribbean University ( Diploma in DH) and University of Technology (Bachelor of Science in DH). The profession is regulated by the Dental Council of Jamaica and graduates receive their license upon complete of their studies.
Where to find the RDH
Dental Hygienists in Jamaica once registered are free to accept job offers. These limited offers only come from private dental offices. In the past two years the government rolled out a plan to start employing Hygienists but no more than ten have been employed by the government of Jamaica thus far. A large number of the dental offices in Jamaica are owned and operated by dentists from countries outside of Jamaica.
Duties and Salary of the RDH
The RDH in Jamaica has a wide range of duties. In most offices that may include assisting, marketing and promotion and reception duties. The regular duties will of course include: Prophylaxis/root planing and scaling, topical application of sealants and fluoride, providing Oral Health Education (OHE), creating treatment plans, following up on recalls, taking and developing x-rays (the old-fashioned way if the office has not yet upgraded its system) and taking impressions.
You can expect to receive a percentage for every patient that you see on a daily basis, which usually ranges from 30-35% and no more. There is usually no base pay and you do not always get the benefit of health insurance. That said, you can easily calculate your salary which is often paid to you bi-weekly or once per month. On average a prophylaxis will cost a patient around $50 in Jamaica.
For the government employed DH, the salary is set at around $700 per month including benefits like health insurance, travel allowance, uniform etc. You of course have to meet your quota which is set at 50 patients per month.
The Truth of the Matter
Sadly, the role of a dental hygienist is not seen as a necessity for dental health care in Jamaica. Some employers believe that by employing a DH, it will decrease their personal income. It is safe to say that, Dental Hygienists are very much underutilized in Jamaica. The profession is not glamorized. The treatment can actually be quite the opposite. While you will find some employers that are ethical and care about employee satisfaction, that might not be a very common phenomenon.
It is quite difficult to find a RDH position that pays well enough or employers that are fair. With the above mentioned salary it can be quite back-breaking to take home a decent amount of money each month when working in private offices. There might be days when you literally make $0 and then days when you earn $200 after your employer receives their 70-65% cut.
Another issue facing DH's is that the Jamaican people do not know who they are. They are often viewed by patients as the Dentist, an Assistant or a Nurse. Another issue is that there are a few patients who will tell you outright that they want to be seen only by the Dentist. While everyone has their own preference, Dental Hygienists are invaluable members of the dental team. They focus on preventative dental health care and as well all know, prevention is better than cure.