In this article “how to become a dental hygienist” we look at the role dental hygienists play in oral care, the career prospects in dental hygiene and finally how one can get into this profession.

Role of dental hygienist

As a person grows older, their teeth become unable to handle the stress meted out to them. The incidence of dental cavities, periodontal problems, oral cancer, etc. increases significantly as your age advances. All these problems can be completely avoided or at least its onset delayed with routine preventive care and by practicing good dental hygiene.

Dental Hygiene is the practice of keeping the mouth, teeth and gums clean and healthy to prevent diseases. This is achieved by proper brushing, flossing and regular checkups by a dentist. Dentists are assisted by dental hygienists in this work. Dental hygienists work closely with dentists in performing various dental procedures. They educate patients about oral hygiene. The clinical role of a dental hygienist includes therapeutic and preventive care duties to control oral diseases. There is increasing demand for the services of dental hygienists as more people become aware of the importance of oral hygiene in the overall health of a person.

Personal qualities required of a dental hygienist

Dental hygienists deal directly with patients. Hence they should be adept in calming down a distressed patient. They should have good communication skills to instruct patients on ways to prevent oral diseases and motivate them to maintain good oral hygiene. They should be good team players.

Dental hygienist careers

A career in dental hygiene offers personal satisfaction in providing valuable advice on preventive oral care to patients. Flexible work schedules make balancing work and lifestyle needs on dental hygiene jobs very achievable. With a dental hygienist license and work experience, there are good growth prospects and earning potential in the profession. Some dental hygienists get opportunities to work as orthodontic therapists or to teach training courses.
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How to become a dental hygienist?

The subject of dental hygiene is very extensive in its content and the right education is the first step in how to become a dental hygienist. An aspiring dental hygienist should have the requisite educational qualifications and also possess personality traits suited for the role.

Dental hygienist schools accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association (ADA) can be found all over the country. A dental hygienist course is among the most accessible vocational training programs in the country.

Graduate education in dental hygiene is a must for becoming a dental hygienist. One must have a high school diploma or GED to get admitted into a dental hygienist school. Students should have done high school courses in mathematics, chemistry, biology and English and also have good college entrance test scores.

A minimum of two years of college education that combines classroom and clinical coursework is necessary to become a dental hygienist. Dental hygiene courses consist of dental anatomy, periodontology, patient management, etc. These courses also promote critical thinking, problem solving and information literacy. They prepare dental hygienists to work in dental clinics, educational institutions, research centers, etc.

Dental hygienist license

The final step in how to become a dental hygienist is to obtain the dental hygienist license from your State of choice. To qualify for a license, one must graduate from an accredited dental hygiene school and pass both written and clinical examinations. The American Dental Association Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations administers the written examination. This is accepted by all States. After passing the exams, an applicant must contact the licensing authority in the state where he / she wishes to practice.  Licensing requirements vary from state to state. Hence it is necessary to find out the specific application requirements from the state licensing authority.

This is an ideal choice for someone who has the requisite skills and personal qualities to provide care for fellow humans. Now that you know how to become a dental hygienist and the prospects of this career, you may want to look at dental hygienist schools and programs near you. To this end, we have given a search box on this page that is backed up by a large database of accredited dental hygienist schools.