If you like being more conscious about your oral health and keep asking questions like what can I do to improve my smile? Or what should I be eating to make my teeth healthy? Then you are passionate about getting into dental school or becoming a dental hygienist.
Dental Hygienist courses are 2 to 4 years long. They can be tough to compete with, but there are so many questions that you need to find answers to help you get into this profession in the right way.
Here in this article, we will discuss what a dental hygienist is and what can you do to become a dental hygienist.
Table of Contents
What is a Dental Hygienist?
A dental hygienist disinfects teeth and examines the patient’s mouth for any indications of dental disease as part of their job duties. Dental hygienists also give tooth scaling and root planning skills, give anesthetic, take x-rays, and educate clients on oral care.
How much does a Dental Hygienist earn?
How much a dental hygienist can earn depends upon the state in which they work. This can vary greatly depending on the number of dental hygienists working in that state. The greater the number lesser will be the annual salary.
Here are a few cities that can work as an example
| State | Employed Dental Hygienists | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
| Alabama | 3,670 | $23.65 | $49,200 |
| Florida | 11,830 | $32.63 | $67,870 |
| Alaska | 610 | $55.31 | $115,050 |
The average salary can vary depending on the population and the number of hygienists there. The national average hourly wage for a dental hygienist is $41.2. Annually they earn $85,175 on average.
What are the education requirements for dental hygienists?
Dental colleges are very hard to get into. Still, some of the basic requirements that you need to fill in before applying to good dental colleges are as follows:
- Minimum cumulative grade points ( 85% and above)
- SAT and ACT scores
- Chemistry and Biology courses completed with B grade
These are just some of the basic requirements you need to have before applying to any dental college. They may require an additional entry test for admission or a year of college completion.
Admission requirements are different for different colleges. They can vary if you are an international student or applying for a license.
How can I get an official License for a dental hygienist?
Let’s get this straight, studying as a dental hygienist is one thing, but working in this competitive field is another. If you want to work professionally, you need to complete a full written exam and clinal exams. A recognized degree program is usually necessary to qualify for licensure tests. They are administered by the American Dental Association (ADA) and taken by state testing agencies.
3 Steps to Become a Dental Hygienist
- Graduation from an accredited dental hygiene program
- Successfully complete the written National Board Dental Hygiene Examination
- Successfully complete a regional or state clinical board examination
National Board Dental Hygiene Examination
National Board Dental Hygienist Examination is required if you want to work as a practicing dental hygienist. This test is composed of 350 Multiple choice questions, and you need a minimum of 75 to pass the test.
State Board Examination
State Board examinations vary from state to state. Once you have passed both the national test and state examination, you will work as a Dental Hygienist.
What can I do after getting the license?
Suppose you have a license in dental hygiene. In that case, you can work as a professional dental hygienist next to a Dentist, and there are tons of other fields that you can join which are open to you. Teaching Research and Public health care, just to name a few.
Dental hygienist training programmers typically last two years for ambitious students. They must next pass a licensing exam before they begin working in the field. Advanced dental hygiene training is also offered at the graduation level.
What will be my duties as a dental hygienist?
While working as a dental hygienist, you must work with patients and get their Oral Health History and work with the dentist to screen the patients for dental problems. You are required to assist the dentist while they work on the patient. Whether it is removing tartar from the Teeth or whitening the teeth.
What kind of jobs I can do as Dental Hygienist?
Dental hygienists may also specialize in a particular area of dentistry. Dental hygienists may specialize in several different sizes, some of which are as follows:
Registered Dental Hygienist
RDH, as they say, are luscious Oral hygienists who work in private and overmen hospitals to work in the pediatrics department and other sections. They are required to pass the national and state test to become a Registered Dental hygienist.
Dental Assistants
They work as assistants to dentists and prepare their office files, get the patient’s history, and then set appointments. They can work as consultants to provide information if clients want to get oral work done.
Dental hygienist researchers
Suppose you are interested in making changes at a more significant level. In that case, you can work as a researcher. For this, students typically pursue a master’s degree to get extensive knowledge of the field.
Dental hygienist teacher
Teachers are the cradle of future leadership. To become a Dental hygienist teacher, you need a very comprehensive knowledge of the teachings and in-depth ongoing work. This will provide your students to become great at solving problems.
You will also need a master’s degree to begin working as a Dental Hygienist Course instructor.
Public health advocate
A dental hygienist who works in public health is well-suited to promoting good oral health and teaching others about it. Those in the field of public health may operate in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods or in educational institutions.
Conclusion
In short, if you are looking to pursue a degree in dental hygienist, then you must be sure about it. You must have an excellent command of biology and chemistry to pursue this degree. This field is competitive and requires long study hours to become a dental hygienist and the best one.
Also Read:
What is a Biological Dentist, And a Traditional Dentist?
What Does It Take To Be A Dental Nurse?
From Dentistry to Nursing: Five Medical Related Careers to Consider
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