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Candice Boyce expected to endure a few aches and pains this past fall when she became one of the first dental hygienists in the Edmonton area to open her own standalone practice.

Spending $160,0000 to equip a Sherwood Park office, passing an eight-hour health inspection and building a client base were no small tasks to overcome in the first few months.

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What the 35-year-old didn’t anticipate was the acrimony that accompanied her decision, most of it originating from dentists who dislike the independent model she is using.

Exactly why they dislike it seems to be a matter of debate.

While the organization that represents dentists suggests any concern is around ensuring patients receive the best possible team-based care, Boyce and other hygienists think it’s more about money.

“I charge less right now just because I don’t have the same overhead as a dental office,” Boyce said. “Dentists like to have hygienists working with them, and I’m not. Financially, they are not getting that cleaning fee.”