December 26, 2022 – CBC PEI: Patients would sometimes be surprised when Gerald Proctor would introduce himself as their dental hygienist. Wait, a male dental hygienist?
Proctor is a rarity on PEI. According to the Dental Hygienist Association of PEI, of approximately 120 registered hygienists on the Island, only three are men.
It’s not something people are familiar with seeing. Some have mistaken him for a dentist, Proctor said.
“They’re still a little bit, I guess confused would be the word,” he said. “They’re not put off by it, but they’re just like, ‘OK well this is different, you know, and different’s fine.'”
With a shortage of dental hygienists, as well as dental assistants, some are wondering if “different” — attracting more men and others to the field — would help alleviate the months-long waits to get in for just a teeth cleaning.
Read the full CBC PEI story by Shane Ross here