Becoming a dental hygienist may be one of the most important endeavors of your life. This career, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, will be one of the fastest growing occupations, slated to grow a whopping 36 percent by the year 2018. Moreover, dental hygienists enjoy excellent salaries with an average annual income that is in the range $50,000.But, in order to reap the benefits of such a lucrative profession, one must first learn how to become a dental hygienist—and then take the necessary steps needed to fulfill achieve this career dream. This article will show you how to do that.
Professional (and Personal) Qualities of a Dental Hygienist
Dental hygienists perform many roles that include:- Cleaning hard and soft deposits—such as tarter, plague, and stains—from patients’ teeth.
- Instructing patients in proper dental hygiene habits
- Administering cavity-prevention treatments
- Treating periodontal diseases
- Taking x-rays of patients’ teeth
- Administering diagnostic tests for the dentist’s evaluation
To fulfill these many roles, therefore, a dental hygienist must have both excellent people and communication skills (for near-constant patient interaction) and excellent manual dexterity to operate the many different types of hand tools that they use to perform their jobs.
Educational Requirements for Dental Hygienists
Successful completion of an accredited dental hygienist program is the usual requirement for entering this career field. But, in order to be accepted into such a program, one must have a high school degree and have submitted college entrance test scores to the institution.According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 301 dental hygienist programs—accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation—in the United States. Most of these programs offer associate’s degrees upon successful completion of their programs. However, some programs offer certificate, bachelor, and even master’s degrees.
Some of the subjects studied in a dental hygienist program include:
- Pharmacology
- Nutrition
- Histology
- Pathology
- Chemistry
- Periodontology (gum disease)
- Radiography
- Dental hygiene
- Anatomy
- Microbiology
Becoming Licensed
All dental hygienists must be licensed by their practicing state. The requirements for licensure include successful completion of an accredited dental hygienist program and the passing of a written and a clinical examination. (Please note: Alabama is the only state in which applicants do not have to take the written exam in order to become licensed. Rather, applicants must meet all of the requirements of the Alabama Dental Hygiene Program).The written examination is administered by the American Dental Association’s Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. However, the clinical part of the exam is usually administered by state or regional testing agencies.
Once these licensing requirements are met, you are free to pursue a career in this growing and financially rewarding career field. Good luck!
Article Source: http://www.dentalhygienist.org/
