A number of dental hygienists have, for one reason or another, asked themselves, “What comes next?” And many find that with their knowledge of patients, products, and dental staff needs, they are aptly suited to a second career as a sales representative for dental manufacturers.

Amy Gray, a sales rep for Ultradent, is one hygienist who made that transition after developing a latex allergy. Based in Columbus, she is the Territory Account Manager for central Ohio. This month, she shares her experience with Modern Hygienist.

MH: What sparked your interest in sales?

AG: Initially, I was exploring many different career paths where I could use my hygiene background. I knew a former hygienist who pursued sales and enjoyed it, which sounded interesting, so I started sending out resumes.

MH: How did you connect with Ultradent?

AG: Ironically, Ultradent was one company I didn’t initially send a resume to. After a CE class, I spoke to the lecturing hygienist who told me she thought Ultradent might be looking for a sales rep in Columbus. I sent them a resume and was hired a couple months later.

MH: How easy or challenging was the transition from hygiene to sales?

AG: The most surprisingly difficult thing was the amount of paperwork and extra things to do when you were “done” working. With hygiene, you were finished at the end of the day. Originally, I was going to work three days for Ultradent and sub hygiene for a day or two a week. I decided pretty quickly, though, that I would just go full time with Ultradent. I felt even though I was working part time, I was really working full time, since on my days off I was still trying to catch up on things: plan my route, get organized, do pre-call planning, inventory of my samples, and study whatever material was sent to us that week.

MH: What do you enjoy about the job?

AG: I think it’s the variety of things that I do throughout the day. I may talk with a hygienist at one office about a product, and a dentist at the next about something completely different. I do lunch and learns with the entire staff and cold calls in between. The days fly by! Another thing I like is that I don’t feel locked into a certain income. The harder I work, the more I can make. I like knowing I have some control over that.

MH: What advice do you give hygienists interested in moving to sales?

AG: I would tell them that they need to be really sure that this is what they want to do. It’s much harder than it might look. I suggest that they shadow other sales people to get a feel for what they do. Some days are awesome, and some are rough, and it can be hard to stay upbeat, especially when people are busy and don’t have time to talk. You can’t take it personally. That’s where my office experience really helps me put things into perspective. And as far as breaking into it, network and let the salespeople that visit your office know that you’re interested. The more people you talk to, the more likely you are to hear about something that might be available.