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Dental Hygiene Schools- Most Affordable Accredited Dental Hygiene Colleges
Dental Hygienist Programs – Top Hygienist Programs in the US
Dental Hygienist Schools – An Overview of the Process
Becoming a dental hygienist
Get a high school diploma
Dental Hygienist Schools require that before prospective dental hygienist students enroll for the dental hygienist program, they must first have qualified with a high school diploma or its equivalent. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates high school courses that include biology, chemistry, and mathematics generally help students when they purse dental hygienist programs in dental hygienist schools.
Dental Hygienist Schools – The Enrollment Process
The institution charged to approve dental hygienist schools in the country is the Commission on Dental Accreditation. To qualify to practice as a dental hygienist, candidates either need to obtain an associates or bachelors degree in dental hygiene by an accredited college or vocational school.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics recommends a Masters degree for those who want to become teachers or do technical research.
Dental hygiene programs consist of laboratory, classroom, and clinical education. The courses offered are in oral pathology, periodontology, and anatomy. Students also complete laboratory exercises, together with clinical experiences where they may interact with patients and learn to perform basic dental procedures.
Getting your license after completing study at Dental hygienist schools
It is a requirement in all states in the country that a person is licensed before practicing as a dental hygienist. Generally, a person should be a graduate from any of the accredited dental hygienist schools in the country having passed written and clinical examinations. There are two written examinations offered by the American Dental Association’s Joint Commission on Dental Examinations. These examinations are recognized from almost all the states in the country except Alabama.
Each state has its unique clinical examination and others require students to take a test about legal aspects in the field of dental hygienist.
Getting employed
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics says job openings for dental hygienists are expected to grow at the rate of 36%. This is well above that of average career in the US. Licensed dental hygienists who graduated from dental hygienist schools mostly find themselves working in dental offices, while others work in physician’s offices, general hospitals and outpatient care services.
The advantage in this career is the ability to work in a flexible schedule as can be seen with 51% of dental hygienists working as part-time employees.
Dental hygienist schools continue to get high enrollment of students because of the growing employment rate for the profession. Dentists continue to rely on their hygienists for their services. Today, people are paying more attention to their dental care and adults keep teeth for longer. This also contributes to the growth of dental hygienist profession.
Additional Resources:
http://www.remingtoncollege.edu/dental-hygiene-schools/
http://www.lonestar.edu/dental-hygiene-dept-kingwood.htm
http://louisville.edu/dental/hygiene/
http://www.foothill.edu/bio/programs/dentalh/
http://www.nyu.edu/dental/academicprograms/dh/index.html