Think Beyond The Prophy: StudentRDH

RDH Under One Roof was amazing. I have so much to share about the event. One of the highlights of my time was meeting other RDH entrepreneurs. There is so much inspiration out there!

I met an inspiring woman, Founder and CEO of StudentRDH, Claire. I first met her virtually through Instagram. I can't say it enough how important it is to surround yourself with positive, like-minded, and supportive individuals. Claire is just that! I was looking forward to meeting her and visiting her booth at RDH Under One Roof. I was not disappointed! The product that she offers is AWESOME!!! She has put a ton of work into it! Get to know this RDH entrepreneur and find out how she thinks beyond the prophy.

What is Claire's current position?

• Founder and CEO of StudentRDH, a review solution for the National Dental Hygiene Board Exams, Local Anesthesia Board exams and CSCE.
• Speaker in topics related to student success on the boards and their professional career. 

What is her passion?
Claire's passion is promoting success, education, entrepreneurship and YOGA!!!

What is her educational background and honors?

• BSDH from MCPHS University, Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene
• BS from Yonsei University in Business
• MS from Boston University in Administration
  Honors:
• Sigma Phi Alpha, dental hygiene honor society
• ADHA, District 1 Student representative, 2013

What are key highlights or interesting facts about her career?
Prior to becoming a dental hygienist, Claire worked as an educator/curator at museums! She was in charge of creating exhibitions and providing education. 

Why did you become a dental hygienist?
After a career in museums, I was searching for something that involved science and could impact others more directly. My sister was a dental student, becoming familiar with her journey through school, I knew I was going to like the profession.

Why did you create StudentRDH?
When I was a student, I felt that existing board review courses were not worth my time, money, and effort. Every study resource that I encountered were either outdated or not sufficient. Then I discovered that many other students were experiencing the same problem. So I decided to create a solution: a Dental hygiene board review that would fit the modern student.

I am motivated everyday by the success of hundreds of students who passed the boards because of my program. I learn from my users and know that I have to keep improving to support them in their success.

Through StudentRDH, I am able to combine my passion for education, dental hygiene, and business. StudentRDH is primarily an educational solution for one of the biggest hurdles a dental hygiene student can experience – the boards. I also see StudentRDH as a business that provides a service. I treat StudentRDH with a big business mindset, not an amateur small business because I also have a mission to create awareness about dental hygiene through this business. Dental hygiene is a very small and specialized field, but it needs to be taken seriously. So I surround myself with entrepreneurs and business savvy individuals to learn and elevate the profession of dental hygiene.

What are you currently up to with StudentRDH?
Perfecting StudentRDH and spreading it across North America! Since StudentRDH developed a special education methodology that is delivered through a powerful e-learning technology,  I am 100000% committed to making online education better!

Why did you become a dental hygienist?
After a career in museums, I was searching for something that involved science and could impact others more directly. My sister was a dental student and I looked at her material and knew I was going to like the profession.

As a young professional, how have you kept your momentum to reach your goals?
For me, I had to “jump” off my early career as a dental hygienist to become 100% committed to StudentRDH. I had to give up a predictable salary as a dental hygienist to become my own boss and make opportunities. The switch was not easy. In fact, it was very scary. But I did my research on my competitors and knew I had something to offer that was better. So very quickly, the hard work paid off!

I cannot say there is momentum. I know that a business can fail at any point if it is not run properly. I will always be on my toes to have more satisfied customers and be the best.

What mentoring moment help shape you to think beyond the prophy?
If we only look and stay in the field of dental hygiene, we will never think “beyond the prophy.” In order to think outside of the box, we have to step out and mingle with innovators of other industries. For example, I met people who created successful software companies or tech education products. I also had wonderful mentors in the dental hygiene industry such as Ms. Kathy Eklund, Ms. Debbie Rider, and Ms. Kathrine Dolan, who believed in my concepts and pushed me to be a better educator.

What tips do you have for other dental professionals who want to be entrepreneurs?

1. Find a problem, define the solution, look up numbers, and create a plan. All of this is related to a business plan – putting in words what you need to know and do. I have seen many dental hygienists “wanting” to do something without a clear solution. If you want to be successful, think like a big business and be strategic. Because ideas do NOT survive. Ideas with excellent execution MAY survive.
2. Be extra proactive and find people who are involved in start-up (companies) to learn. I was first intimidated by entrepreneurs and “geeks.” But I soon realized that they are the most open and caring people. Anyone who were involved in successful start-ups know the endless struggles, so they are very likely to help if they can.
3. As the words say, think “beyond the prophy.” Expand your potentials and do NOT get stuck in one aspect of your profession. 

How do you maintain the joy in your life?
If it does not involve the success of students, it is spending quiet time. I spend a lot of time interacting with others whether it is offline or online. To recharge, I like to be quiet and observe my surroundings. Everybody has a different way of spending quality time, but for me, it has lately been some solitude that helps me give back even more. 

Is there anything else you would like to add?
I would like to emphasize that dental hygiene CAN be bigger and better than what it is right now. We were trained at school to think and perform a certain way. That surely helped us become the RDH we deserve to be. But there are endless opportunities, especially with the interdisciplinary fields growing. Think “beyond the prophy” from the beginning, as a student, recent graduate, or practicing hygienist. 3 things you need: idea + plan + execution, then you can re-shape the dental hygiene world to be bigger and better.

Claire took the time out of her busy schedule to share these empowering words. I hope you enjoyed this feature. Let me know if you liked it and want more!!! To contact Claire, you can reach her at  [email protected].