How To Become A Dental Hygienist

The world of dentistry is not just for dentists and dental nurses; there are many other available paths in to the world of dentistry and this guide provides information about how to become a dental hygienist in the U.S.

Dental hygiene is a profession with particular benefits; the average salary of a dental hygienist is far above the average salary for the U.S with some dental hygienists earning as much as $100,000 per year as their salary. No wonder so many people are now considering how to become a dental hygienist.

The information below provides details of the work of a qualified dental hygienists as well as outlining the qualifications you will require to become a dental hygienist and from which institutions these qualifications can be obtained; it details how many years to become a dental hygienist as well as how to from achieving these qualifications to becoming a qualified and practicing dental hygienist. An important question for many considering a career in dental hygiene is how much does it cost to become a dental hygienist? This information answers that question whilst also looking at what you are likely to earn working as a dental hygienist in the U.S. as only the top hygienists will earn in the region of $100,000 per year.

Once you have learnt how to become a dental hygienist, the following information also provides some suggestions about other options available to you once you are a qualified dental hygienist as well as ways in which to further your dental career.

What Does A Dental Hygienist Do?

When considering how to become a dental hygienist, it is important to consider what a dental hygienist actually does to ensure that it is the right career choice for you. The role of a dental hygienist is in looking after the hygiene and overall cleanliness of a patient’s teeth, mouth and gums.

The work of a dental hygienist complements that of a dentist or dental operator and works with the patient to try and prevent future oral problems by working on the hygiene of the mouth. It may be that a dental hygienist can prevent the need for a patient to ever see a dentist through their preventative work. The work of a dental hygienist is quite broad within this remit of oral health and hygiene; however it can be placed on one of three categories of work:

• Providing oral hygiene health care to patients before they have a procedure undertaken at the dentist; or even before the need to have a procedure undertaken by the dentist
• Providing oral hygiene health care to patients during a dental procedure
• Providing oral hygiene care after a dental procedure

In reality this means that a dental hygienist is responsible for examining a patients mouth and teeth and identifying areas which may need improvements in oral hygiene; removing plaque and tartar deposits on a patient’s teeth thereby potentially reducing the risk of requiring further dental work and finally to look after the oral health of a patient after a dental procedure has been performed, such as ensuring that the mouth is kept clean to prevent infection at a procedure site.

What Qualifications Do You Need And How Long Will It Take?

To answer the question of how to become a dental hygienist, it is important to consider what qualifications needed and how long it take to acquire that qualification. A dental hygienist is a highly specialized role within the field of dentistry and requires at least four years of study to become qualified and accredited; here we look at the different ways in which you can become qualified as a dental hygienist and how to become a dental hygienist post qualification.

In order to become a qualified dental hygienist you must enter and pass a dental hygiene program which has been accredited by the American Dental Hygienists Association (ADHA); there are over three hundreds institutions now offering such courses. In order to enter a dental hygiene program, you must have a first degree in a relevant subject, such as a science including mathematics or a degree with a focus on dental health.

Another route to becoming a qualified dental hygienist is to take a degree over four years in dental hygiene. In order to be qualified to apply for this course, you must have a high school diploma relevant to the field of dental hygiene.

Further to passing either of these two courses which is a requirement across the whole of the U.S, each state requires that potential dental hygienists must also be licensed in the state within which they are to practice. This licensing of dental hygienists must take place every two years. There are different methods of licensing in different states; therefore the question of how to become a dental hygienist in California may have a different answer to how to become a dental hygienist in another state. It is worth checking what the different licensing arrangements are for each state before embarking on your dental hygiene career.

How Much Does A Dental Hygienist Earn?

It is worth bearing in mind how much does it cost to become a dental hygienist when looking at how to become a dental hygienist. With all the study required, it can be quite expensive; though a distance learning course can be a cheaper option for some. There are also a number of scholarships available to qualify to become a dental hygienist. It is important to know that you are studying for the right career or it could be a costly mistake.

However, if you have made the right career choice, being a dental hygienist can be extremely lucrative. Whilst the salary associated with being a dental hygienist does vary considerably, dependent on the type of work undertaken and the location in which that work takes place, a dental hygienist can earn up to around $100k per year; indeed one in every ten dental hygienists in the U.S make over $90k per year. It is also worth bearing in mind however when looking at how to become a dental hygienist that one in ten dental hygienists in the U.S. make around $45k per year.