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Working While Pregnant: A Guide For Dental Hygienists

Working While Pregnant: A Guide For Dental Hygienists
by Christie Lincoln, RDH

Being pregnant and working an eight-hour (or longer) hygiene day isn’t for the faint of heart.

The pregnant body accelerates through a biological, physiological, and chemical metamorphosis that brakes for no one. Hygiene school may have covered “how to treat a pregnant patient,” but it did not include “how to survive being a pregnant dental hygienist.”

When to tell your employer

There is no set answer as to when an employee should inform an employer of a pregnancy. One suggestion is to wait until after the early months have passed, when the risk of miscarriage is lower. (1) However, keeping a lid on the news when there are significant pregnancy symptoms can be difficult. The one consistent piece of advice is to tell the employer first. (1) A pregnant hygienist may fear being treated differently or losing a position after revealing her condition. An open conversation regarding the commitment to work performance and laying the groundwork for the upcoming maternity leave and plans for returning to work can most often remove these fears. (2) Also, pregnant women are a federally protected class. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act was put into play in 1974 to protect the employment and employability of pregnant women. Although it has not obliterated discrimination, it offers a measure of protection. If a question of pregnancy discrimination arises, seek legal advice. (2, 3)

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