On Your Own: The Independent Hygienist
Everything you need to leave the chair behind and launch your own independent hygiene business — legally, financially, and operationally.
Book — $29
Get the Book — $29Independent practice is real — and most hygienists were never shown the map
A growing number of states allow hygienists to practice on their own terms. What stops most is not ability — it is not knowing the legal, financial, and operational steps to actually start. This book, written with a practicing RDH, lays them out.
From employee to owner
The practical path to launching and running an independent hygiene business.
The legal path to independence
Understand what independent practice requires and how the rules differ from state to state.
The financial setup
Pricing, startup costs, and the money mechanics of running your own hygiene business.
The operations of going solo
Scheduling, referrals, records, and the day-to-day systems that keep an independent practice running.
Written with a practicing RDH
Co-authored with Susan Volk, RDH, so the guidance reflects the real work, not just the theory.
Who it is for
- Hygienists who feel they have outgrown the operatory chair.
- RDHs in states that allow independent or direct-access practice.
- Anyone who has wondered whether going out on their own is realistic.
- Hygienists who want the business side spelled out plainly.
Questions hygienists ask about going independent
In a growing number of states, yes — often under direct-access or independent-practice rules. What is permitted varies significantly by state, and the book explains how to find and read your own state rules.
A clear understanding of your state legal requirements, a financial and pricing plan, and the day-to-day operations to run it. The book walks through each in plain language.
It depends on your state statutes and board rules, which change over time. The book shows you how to determine your own status and what independence looks like where you practice.
No. It is educational content, not legal, financial, or licensing advice. Confirm current requirements with your state dental board and your own advisors before starting.
Leave the chair on your own terms
The legal, financial, and operational playbook for independent hygiene — $29.
Get the Book — $29