Dental Hygiene Degree

If you have an interest in becoming a health care professional, you many want to consider a career in dental hygiene. As an integral part of a larger health care team, the professional with a dental hygiene degree promotes optimal oral health through public education and information as well as providing direct preventative oral care to patients. Students of dental hygiene will be taught both the theory and practice of dental hygiene through the study of social, behavioral and biomedical science. Dental hygienists regularly collaborate and interact directly with their patients as well as with dentists, dental assistants and other health care professionals.

A dental hygiene degree will prepare graduates to work in a variety of health care settings such as a private dental practice or community based health care clinics. Public education is an integral part of any community care setting and can include counseling on nutrition and oral hygiene as well as program planning and implementation. Some of the services provided by a health care professional with a dental hygiene degree can include:

• Exposing and developing dental radiographs
• Assessment of patients’ oral health
• Removing deposits and stains
• Application of topical fluorides
• Polishing amalgam restorations
• Administering an aesthetic
• Providing education and hygiene counseling

Many working professionals with dental hygiene degree choose to continue on to a Bachelor of Science specializing in dental hygiene in order to advance their career options.  This Post Diploma Degree program allows graduates to be more involved and productive within the health care system. Such a specialized dental hygiene degree qualifies the experienced professional to develop new and innovative oral health preventions programs within the health care delivery system.

Choosing the right community college or university to enroll in may seem like a difficult task at the outset. A good place to begin would be to visit a college search engine which will direct you to the schools that offer a dental hygiene degree. Deciding whether you wish to study at a school near your home or travel to another state or province will help narrow down your choices. It is a good idea at this time to first make a college check list of important questions you will want answers to and secondly to visit the college website of each school you are considering. Some of the more important questions you will want to include on your college check list are:

• Is this institution recognized by the industry?
• What is their accreditation standing?
• Is there an application fee and is it a one time fee only?
• What are the tuition and other related costs?
• Is there student financial aid available if necessary?

What paper work or transcripts are required with my application?