How to Become a Dental Hygienist

A career in dental hygiene can be a great choice for anyone who wants to work in the medical field. They are at the forefront of the fight against dental disease. In many dental offices they are responsible for cleaning and examining the teeth before the dentist takes over.

In many dentist offices, the first professional patients come in contact with is the dental hygienist. Their main function is to assist patients to take care of their teeth and gums so as to avoid teeth decay and gum disease. Dental hygienist teaches proper teeth cleaning and flossing techniques.

Dental Hygienist Career Information

Most dental hygienist undergoes a two-year associate degree program at an accredited institution to get started in the career. Once they have successfully completed the two-year course of study, they need to be licensed to practice in the state they will be working in.

To get their license to practice, the dental hygienist must pass both a written and clinical test. Apart from an associate degree, people can also opt to get a bachelor's degree or master's degree in dental hygiene or dentistry.

The core courses generally pursued on the path to a career in dental hygiene include anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, dental hygiene, oral pathology and the science of gum diseases. The dental hygiene course can be taken at a dental hygiene school or a university offering dentistry as an option. Even if you do not have the entry level requirements, you can take qualifying courses such as biology and anatomy so as to get into dental hygiene school.

Private or Public Sectors

They can find employment in both private and public sector entities. Dental hygienists can be found working in institutions such as:

Dental offices

Hospital or other health institutions

Schools

Nursing homes

Prisons

Dental hygienists work in both public and private institutions. Apart from working directly with dental patients, some dental hygienists choose to work in a number of other careers, such as:

Instructors in dental hygiene

Researchers in dentistry

Sales representatives selling dentistry and dental hygiene products

Administrators in dental clinics or other medical institutions

In some states, dental hygienist can even set up their own practice and as such work independently. Dental hygienists who work independently do refer patients to dentist if they need dental work or surgery. In some cases, dental hygienists even go on to dentistry school to become a dentist.

A career in dental hygiene is especially suited for people who have some of the following skills:

Friendly and easy to talk to

Pays attention to detail

Can provide instructions clearly

Have a certain level of dexterity as they need to work inside small spaces, that is, the mouth

The average annual salary for dental hygienist is approximately $65,000. Some earn much more depending on their qualification and experience. Dental hygienists are paid by the hour while some are in a salaried position. Even more earn their living by working in more than one institution as the career lends itself readily to part time work.