How to Become a Dental Hygienist

For those who want to know more about how to become a dental hygienist, it would be useful to look into the various training programs available. These usually require an applicant to have completed high school and taken a college entrance exam.

A good percentage of the programs prefer for an applicant to have had a year or two of college studies before applying for admission to their programs, but not all programs require this. There are some online programs as well as traditional programs, but these do not prepare you quite as well as you do not get the clinical experience you would otherwise.

Dental hygienists are required to complete an approved training program, of which there are almost 300 available. They then need to pass licensure exams, which for most states include a written exam administered by the American Dental Association's Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations, a clinical exam administered by the state, and in some cases also an exam on the legal aspects of practicing as a dental hygienist.

Most programs that teach people how to become a dental hygienist are two years long, however, there are also four and six year programs available that teach more advanced skills and result in a higher degree than the two year programs available.

Dental hygienist educational programs usually include classes in such topics as oral anatomy, chemistry, clinical dental hygiene, dental materials, histology, microbiology, nutrition, pathology, periodontology, pharmacology, physiology, and radiography.

The many two year programs available from community colleges for learning the skills required to become a dental hygienist are all that is required for those who wish to practice in a dentist's office as a dental hygienist. Those who decide on studying the extra two to four years to get a Bachelor's or Master's degree will be qualified for research, teaching, or clinical practice.

Once a student has finished their educational requirements, they can expect to get a dental hygienist pay rate, which is a median salary of $31.21 per hour. This translates to around $64,910 per year if a dental hygienist works full time. This amount varies based on the location where the hygienist is working, how much experience the hygienist has, and the setting where the hygienist works.

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