Dental Hygienist Schools And Jobs

Dental Hygienists

Dental Hygienists are dental care professionals who typically work as part of a team along with dentists, dental technicians, and dental assistants. Dental Hygienists perform a wide range of dental care tasks, including:

• Patient screening procedures
• Cleaning and polishing teeth to remove plaque and stains using scaling instruments, rotating polishers, and ultrasonic devices
• Examining gums for signs of disease
• Charting conditions for diagnosis and treatment by dentist
• Applying cavity-prevention agents such as fluorides and pit and fissure sealants
• Taking and sometimes developing x-rays
• Explaining or teaching oral hygiene
• Preparing clinical and laboratory diagnostic tests
• Administering anesthetics (in some states)
• Placing and carving filling materials, temporary fillings, and periodontal dressings (in some states)
• Making impressions of patients' teeth for study
• Documentation and office activities

Dental Hygienist Job Characteristics

Dental Hygienists work in office settings, typically dentists offices or dental clinics. Flexible schedules are a hallmark of a dental hygienist jobs. Full-time, part-time, weekend, and evening work are all common. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (USDL BLS), more than 50% of dental hygienists work part time. Many work part time in more than one dentist office. A 2005/2006 University of California study of dental hygienists indicates that schedule flexibility and autonomy are very important drivers of job satisfaction among dental hygienists (California Survey of Dental Hygienists 2005-2006 Descriptive Findings. Center for the Health Professions University of California, San Francisco. March, 2007).

As of 2006, there were nearly 170,000 dental hygienist jobs in the United States. The profession is among the fastest growing in the country with projected growth of 30% through 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Dental Hygienist ranked 18th on the USDL BLS' list of the 30 fastest growing occupations in the United States from 2006 to 2016.

The College Board ranks dental hygienist as one of the "Ten Fastest Growing Occupations for College Grads ". MSNBC also featured the career as one of the "20 fastest growing jobs in America" in their article "What are the best jobs of 2008?" (Feb. 22, 2008).

Dental Hygienist Schools, Certification, and Licensing

Dental hygienists receive post secondary education from a dental hygiene program. A high school diploma or equivalent as well as passing an entrance test are typically required to obtain admission into a dental hygiene program. Dental hygiene programs offer laboratory, clinical, and classroom instruction. Most dental hygiene programs award associate degrees, which are typically all that is necessary educationally to practice in a private dentist's office. Advanced degrees are typically obtained by those wishing to go into research.

The majority of associate degree programs can be found in community colleges, technical colleges, dental schools or universities. It is important to obtain one's education from a program that is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).

All states require that dental hygienists be licensed to practice. Most require that applicants be graduates of an accredited dental hygiene program and pass the written National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). In addition, most states also require the passing of a clinical examination which is administered by state or regional testing agencies.

Resources for Dental Hygienists

• American Dental Education Association (ADEA)
• American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA)
• Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), of the American Dental Association
• Dental Assisting, Hygiene and Lab Technology Programs - U.S.
• Dental Hygienists, California Occupational Guide Number 155
• Dental Hygienists, U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Dental Hygienists, Virginia Career VIEW
• Dental Team Careers: Dental Hygienist, American Dental Association (ADA)
• International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH)

Major Employers of Dental Hygienists

Almost all dental hygienists work in dentist's offices. Many work in more than one dentist's office. Other settings where a small number of dental hygienists may be found include:

• Employment Services
• Offices of Physicians
• Outpatient Care Centers
• General Medical and Surgical Hospitals

Dental Hygienist Terminology

ADA - American Dental Association

CODA - Commission on Dental Accreditation

Dental Radiographs - x-rays

NBDHE - National Board Dental Hygiene Examination

RDH - Registered Dental Hygienist

Schools for Dental Hygienists are listed in the column to the left.

The Top Cities tab shows employment statistics for Dental Hygienists by major US metro area.