Dental Hygienist Schools

The dental hygienist career is currently considered one of the most sought after jobs to date. The projection is, it will continue to be in demand until the year 2018. The demand for this career has been on the rise due to the government and private institutions’ campaign to promote preventive oral health care.

A dental hygienist or an oral hygienist specializes in preventive oral health care. A dental hygienist is a licensed dental professional who focuses in oral hygiene techniques. They are trained to perform common dental procedures, much like a licensed dentist, but with a few limitations. They usually work as an assistant for a dentist, much like a nurse works as an assistant for a medical doctor.

The scope of work of a dental hygienist may include the following:

-          administer local anesthesia (requires license)
-          cleaning hard and soft deposits from patient’s teeth and gums
-          scaling and tooth planning
-          take radiographs or dental x-rays
-          administer fluoride or dental sealants
-          diagnosing and treating periodontal diseases
-          instruct patients about proper oral hygiene

Two of the major skills required of a dental hygienist are good communication skills and good manual dexterity. The communication skills will be useful when dealing with various types of patients. It is also the job of a dental hygienist to teach the patient proper oral hygiene thus they need to be able to lecture well. The manual dexterity is essential to be able to perform various dental procedures and to handle a variety of dental tools. A patient’s mouth is only a small opening which leaves very little room for error. Oral hygienists need to have both a firm and gentle grip to perform dental procedures efficiently.

Before one can become a dental hygienist, an associate degree, certificate or bachelor’s degree is necessary from a reputable dental school or program. After graduation, one has to pass a written and clinical examination to acquire a license. The American Dental Association’s (ADA) Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations administers the written examination. Regional testing agencies handle the clinical part of the examination.

Career advancements as a dental hygienist may come from working outside of a dental office setting. It may also require finishing a bachelor’s degree if you only earned an associate degree. Or you may also pursue a master’s degree. A career in teaching, working at a corporate setting or a public health setting may provide more career advancements.