What To Look For In A Good Dental Hygiene School
With a good dental hygiene school you can begin a lucrative career that the Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected to be among the most in demand within a 10-year period. From 2008, when dental hygienists numbered 174,000, they expect the profession to grow by 36 percent until 2018, majority of whom will graduate from reputable dental hygienist schools.
The salary enjoyed by most practitioners is often rewarding and far higher than other professionals with other allied health care training. At entry level you can be making a salary of $17 per hour, which at times can reach $21 depending on your expertise and the kind of practical training you received. And it is not unheard of for dental hygienists to be paid $44 per hour, even while working part time.
If a dental hygienist career is something you want to explore, it will help that even before scouting for a dental hygiene school you take a good look at yourself and set clear goals. This will help you make that final decision of pursuing this line of work. The pay is good, but it's more than money that will make it a rewarding career.
What You Need To Become A Dental Hygienist
A good education will provide you with the necessary knowledge and develop the skills needed to be a successful practitioner. But there are certain qualities that you must already possess to begin with to pave the way for become a sought-after professional.
1. Compassionate nature – You must genuinely want to help people. Being a dental hygienist is not just about removing plaque and tartar or polishing teeth. It is about educating patients about the importance of preventive oral health care. It is about making them aware how you can detect disease even before it manifests symptoms during routine oral health examination. As a dental practitioner, you must develop a connection with patients for them to feel your concern about their welfare.
2. Manual dexterity – The mouth is a small orifice. But you must be able to examine every nook and cranny to determine its health. Your tools are small equipment that can be both uncomfortable and daunting to patients. With excellent manual dexterity, you and your patients are both confident the routine procedures will be as comfortable as possible.
Intense Curriculum
You want to be a capable and competent dental hygienist. And the best way to be that is to go through training that will teach you both the knowledge and skills for the job. So in looking for a dental hygiene school, find one with a curriculum that will test your mettle and develop the best.
An intense curriculum means you get not only classroom sessions for instructional training but also the laboratory and clinical experience you need to put into practice all that you learn and more.
Learn of the school's reputation, and how long their dental hygiene program has been in existence. And if you can, check how their graduates are doing. It's the best indication that their curriculum produces professionals that will, in time, be sought after in the field.
Three Schools In Southern Us
If you live in southern United States, there are reputable schools offering dental hygiene programs worth looking into as your possible training ground.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)- complete an associate or bachelor's degree at the Little Rock campus utilizing faculty expertise and the latest educational methodologies in the field. Graduates not just develop the skills and competence but the attitude necessary to succeed in their chosen field.
University of Oklahoma – The College of Dentistry at OU offers a two-year curriculum for its Dental Hygiene program, which upon completion will award a bachelor's degree. Admission is based on your completion of the prerequisite of a minimum of two years undergraduate coursework. The OU Health Sciences Center prides itself in having three hospitals multiple research facilities and various health care agencies to support their educational training.
Forsyth Technical Community College in Salem, North Carolina – The Dental Hygiene program offered at Forsyth will award graduates with an Associate in Applied Science degree. Admission is very competitive and only a maximum of 12 students are accepted annually. At the end of the program, graduates are expected to be able to prepare the operatory, note abnormalities, teach oral hygiene, take oral x-rays and apply preventive agents, among other skills.
There is likely a reputable dental hygiene school in your area and careful research and planning may just lead you to the one that will fit your goals best.
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