Why is it when looking between a career in Dental Hygiene and one in Radiology as a Technologist, or Nursing,?

the responses are all negative with respect to the dental choice? Are there no jobs in this field? The recent reports of medical careers being in high demand would make someone think that these were both good choices.

Any positive responses are welcomed as I am considering several options in the medical area.

Thanks.

If I am reading your question correctly, you are asking when you compare two with one being the dental hygienist, most people are for the other option; correct?

In any case, it was said before, your career choice is just that- yours. Do what you feel most comfortable with. At the end of the day if the choice that you make allows you to feel good about yourself and help others then go for it.

Most people here are giving you their experience from a personal standpoint. Their knowledge is from what they know. That does not mean that it is always 100% one way or the other. It just means that you need to take what is here that you can benefit from and leave the rest. My choice will be different than some-

Good Luck. Any of these choice would be a good fit for someone looking into a medical career with an associates degree.

I think Nursing is best. Ever look in your Sunday paper's employement ads? Pages and pages of want ads for Nurses There is such a shortage of Nurses that they have to import them from overseas. My girl friend is an RN and her mail box is always crammed with letters and post cards from companies trying to recruit her.
There are so many different areas that involve nursing. From working in hospitals, clinics,research and local state and federal government.
You can make a very comfortable living as an RN.

I don't know where you live to comment on the availability of jobs for a certain field, but it's been my experience that ANY job in the medical field has and always will be plentiful. I've heard that Physical Therapists are in great demand and pay very well. Also, lab technicians and the like also do very well. Good luck with whatever you choose, and remember it's YOUR choice. Not others. And if you are choosing a job in that profession because you like to help others: AWESOME!!

there are tons of jobs in the dental field, but oftentime they are part time, and demand varies greatly from area to area

My wife is a dental hygienist working four days a week making 40 per hour in nyc. Once the day is over, stres is forgotten. She has no benefits, yet makes this salary with only 3 years experience. Her sister is a nurse for the past 12 years and make 67,000 per year working 3 days a week with 13 hour shift. I believe she takes her work home with emotionally, and I know she does physically because whenever i see her she is drained and exhausted.

No mobility in hygiene, you may be bored after a while but pay is superb and jobs are plentiful here in nyc. No benefits...

The types of occupations you have listed are so different it would be hard to compare them. They are nothing at all alike. That being said, job availablity is a matter of location. If you are in a moderate city of 250,000 there should always be a reasonable market for nurses, but if there are also 5 nursing schools, there won't neccessarily be a great income potential. Dental hygienist at least where I live are always in short supply. For a while it was a 14 month wait for a cleaning, until they were just to frustrated with the complaints, finally got some more help and decided, to just drop the waiting list and tell everyone who called to make an appointment. There are many levels of X-Ray Tech and so that again become hard to address.

Just remember, when you are a dental hygienist, you can do dental hygiene. When you are an X-Ray Tech you can take X-rays. There is no limit to what an RN can do. They can work in many fields and settings, they can add to instead of retraining and do a different job that augments their skills rather than replacing them. There is currently a significant nursing shortage in this country, it is destined to get worse as the large number of baby boom nurses reach retirement age and become a burden to health care rather than the boon of health care. No matter where you go, you can always get a job as a nurse.