Dental Hygienist
First and foremost, let me say congratulations to all recent graduates. Whether your graduation was from a high school or a post-secondary institution, you are to be applauded for your accomplishment. I sincerely wish each and every one of you success as you move on to achieve your next goal. If you are a high school graduate, you along with your parents, may have already decided what that next goal will be. On the other hand, there may be some of you who are undecided as to what steps you want to or need to take next. Regardless which category you fall in (decided or undecided), we wanted to take this opportunity during the summer months of July and August to profile possible career options you may want to give serious consideration to and also to provide you with information on what you need to do to prepare yourself for entry into each of these careers.
Most people (me included, at one point in my life) are under the misconception that in order to have a successful, rewarding and good paying career one will need to go to college and get a 4-year and beyond college degree. Let me just say right now—That is Not True! A 4-year and beyond college degree does offer it’s advantages, as there are certain professions (doctor, lawyer, engineer, teacher, etc.) that you can’t work in without it. However, there are equally satisfying, and in many instances, better paying careers one can have without the investment of time and money required for a 4-year college degree. We know that not everyone wants to go to college or can even afford to do so and that is why we’ve decided to highlight some of those exciting and rewarding careers you can have without a 4-year college degree.
For this post we are going to look at the profession of a dental hygienist. It is a career that was ranked as #5 on the U.S. News and World Report’s 2015 “100 Best Jobs” list. It is a career that is prestigious, rewarding, in-demand, high paying and, of course, does not require a 4-year college degree. So let take a look at the profession of a dental hygienist!
What is a Dental Hygienist?
A dental hygienist is a licensed professional who typically works in a dentist’s office. They may also work in a hospital, nursing home, public health clinic, correctional facility, military establishment, school, etc.
Dental hygienists work in conjunction with and along side a dentist. They are typically under the direct supervision of the dentist, however, depending on which state a dental hygienist is licensed and practice in, they may work without direct supervision of a dentist.
When a patient comes into a dental office, they will usually see a dental hygienist first. The hygienist will be responsible for:
- cleaning a patient’s teeth
- removing tartar, stain, and plague from a patient’s teeth
- applying sealants and fluoride to a patient’s teeth
- taking and developing x-rays of a patient’s teeth
- assessing a patient’s oral health, checking for signs of oral disease and informing the dentist of their finding
- documenting a patient’s care and treatment
- educating patients on oral hygiene techniques.
What is the job outlook for a Dental Hygienist?
The job market for dental hygienists is booming and the demand for individuals trained in the profession is growing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job growth rate for dental hygienist will be 19% between the years of 2014 and 2024 adding approximately 37,400 new jobs in the industry.
The growth of the industry is attributed to the following factors which will put an increased demand on dental services in the future:
- an aging baby boomer population that’s retaining their own natural teeth compared to previous generations
- an increase in the demand for cosmetic dental services (teeth whitening)
- an increase in individuals having access to health insurance
- an increase public awareness of the link between their overall health and their oral health.
With the increase demand, a person trained and licensed as a dental hygienist can earn a relatively good salary right away.
What is the salary potential for a Dental Hygienist?
Newly trained dental hygienists with no experience can expect a starting salary of approximately $50,160. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the 2015 median income for a dental hygienist was $72,330. Those individuals in the top tenth percentile can expect their income to be around $98,440. ***Please Note*** Salary will be dependent on the state you work in.
What Training is Needed to Become a Dental Hygienist?
To become a dental hygienist, one will need to obtain an Associate Degree in Dental Hygiene from a community college or technical school. A bachelor’s and master’s degree from a college or university is also available but not required (and is actually less common) for this field. A person who obtains a bachelor’s or master’s degree in dental hygiene is usually one who plans to be involved in research or teaching in the field.
The associate degree program typically takes 2 years to complete and will involve laboratory, clinical and classroom instructions. During your course of study, you can expect to take classes in:
- anatomy
- physiology
- radiography
- pathology
- nutrition
- pharmacology
- periodontics
- medical ethics
- patient management
If you have had high school courses in biology, chemistry, math and language art then those are good preparatory classes for a dental hygienist training program. Also courses in foreign language should serve you well as you will be communicating with different population of people in a dental office.
You want to make sure that you complete your classroom training requirements at one of the over 300 dental hygienist educational programs that have been accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). Attending a CODA accredited program will also allow you to apply for Federal Financial Aid to help pay for your education.
Upon completion of the classroom training, each of the 50 states do require that a person be licensed in order to work as a dental hygienist. The licensing involves passing a written and clinical exam administered by the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Joint Commission on National Dental Examination. After earning a license, a dental hygienist may then use “RDH” after their name which signify that they are a Registered Dental Hygienist.
As a dental hygienist you will constantly be in contact with the general public and will need to use your hands extensively in performing your work, so some of the other qualities that will serve you well in this profession are:
- Compassion: As some patients will suffer fear and anxiety as a result of visiting the dentist, your ability to put them at ease will be a great asset.
- Interpersonal Skills: As you will have to communicate with patients and other personnel in your work location.
- Dexterity: As you will constantly be working with your hands and using various tools within a patient’s mouth.
- Critical Thinking Skills: As you will need to be able to evaluate and assess a patient’s oral health.
- Detail Oriented: As you will have to follow certain rules and protocols to help the dentist diagnose and treat patients.
What should your next step be?
If you are interested in the profession of a dental hygienist, you may want to either meet with a current dental hygienist or even may want to shadow them in their job for a few hours in order to understand what their day to day routine is like and understand some of the pros and cons of the profession. If you see that it is a good fit for you, you will want to locate a training program at your local community college, technical school or research online schooling options. You want to make sure that whatever training venue you choose is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work, is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” Steve Jobs
“Please Note”
- Share this article on your preferred social network and direct your friends, family, and acquaintances to our blog at helpingyoungpeoplesucceed.com
- Leave a comment.
- Don’t forget to join our mailing list by signing up for email notification.