Become a Dental Hygienist

As a dental hygienist, you'll provide a wide range of services designed to promote good oral health in your patients. Working side-by-side with a dentist, you'll focus primarily on preventative oral health care, cleaning patients' teeth and educating them on how to care for their teeth and gums between dental appointments.

Dental Hygienist Job Description

Your daily responsibilities will vary according to the specific regulations set by each state, but will generally include the following:

• Collecting information about the patient's oral and medical health history
• Examining teeth and gums as well as inspecting the neck and head to identify any abnormalities or potential health problems
• Removing calculus, stains and plaque (hard and soft deposits) from all surfaces of the teeth
• Applying preventative materials, such as sealants and fluorides, to the teeth
• Taking and developing dental x-rays
• Teaching patients about good oral hygiene and nutrition
• Making molds of patients' teeth used for evaluating treatment

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In some states, their roles have expanded to include these responsibilities:

• Placing and removing filling materials, temporary fillings and periodontal dressings
• Smoothing and polishing metal restorations
• Preparing clinical and laboratory diagnostic tests for the dentist to interpret
• Administering anesthetics

Dental Hygienist Salary

Earnings vary by geographic location, employment setting, level of education and years of experience. The median hourly wage for dental hygienists in their first four years of employment is $30.72 according to PayScale.com. Other sources, such as Indeed.com, report that dental hygienists earn a salary of $58,000 per year on average.

Benefits also vary greatly depending on employment setting. Dental hygienists who work for school systems, public health organizations or government agencies usually have substantial benefits. Almost all full-time dental hygienists in private practice received paid vacations, while nine out of 10 full-time and part-time dental hygienists received dental coverage.

Dental Hygienist Work Environment

As a dental hygienist, you might work in any of the following settings:

• private dental offices
• hospitals
• public health clinics
• dental schools and dental hygiene education programs

You might also find job opportunities in research, office management, business administration and companies providing dental-related materials and equipment.

Dental hygienists have very flexible schedules—full-time, part-time, evenings and weekends. More than half of all dental hygienists work part-time (less than 35 hours per week). They may work in more than one dental office, since dentists often hire hygienists for only two or three days a week.

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Dental Hygienist Education and Qualifications

To become a dental hygienist, you'll need either a 2- or 4-year degree in dental hygiene. Most programs are two years long and lead to an associate's degree. They are offered through community colleges and technical colleges.

Dental hygiene programs at universities are typically four years and lead to a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's offers a broader base in the humanities and other disciplines through two years of prerequisite courses such as English, speech, psychology, sociology, nutrition, chemistry and biology.

An associate degree is sufficient for practicing in a private dental office, while a bachelor's or master's degree can lead to careers in research, administration, teaching or clinical practice in public or school health programs.

Dental Hygiene Program Prerequisites

Admission requirements vary from school to school, but you'll generally need to fulfill theses prerequisites:

• High school diploma or GED
• Minimum age of 18
• High school courses in math, chemistry, biology and English
• Minimum 'C' average
• College entrance exam scores

Most programs prefer applicants who have completed at least one year of college. Some bachelor's programs require two years of college prior to enrollment in a dental hygiene program as well as completion of courses in chemistry, English, speech, psychology or sociology.

Dental Hygienist Licensure

Dental hygienists must be licensed by the state in which they want to practice. To qualify for licensure, you need to graduate from an accredited dental hygiene program and pass written and clinical exams. Almost all states require the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination in addition to the regional or state clinical exam. Some states may require an exam on the legal aspects of dental hygiene practice. After earning licensure, dental hygienists may use "RDH" after their names to signify that they are a Registered Dental Hygienist.

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