Dental Hygienist Training Courses
Dental hygienist training courses prepare graduates for entry-level clinical work. These courses may include certificate, associate or bachelor's degree programs.
An associate degree requires an average of 86 credit hours, a bachelor's degree requires 122 credit hours. Eighty six percent of dental hygiene training programs are conducted through semestral sessions with some including summer classes.
Only a few dental hygiene programs have part-time curricula. Thirty six percent offer dental hygienist online and distance learning courses. Master’s degree and degree completion programs are usually offered in dental hygienist training online courses.
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Degree completion courses are for licensed dental hygienists who have earned a certificate or associate’s degree. The bachelor's degree major can be in dental hygiene or related health sciences. Associate and bachelor degrees are considered entry-level courses for a career in dental hygiene.
Master degree courses prepare for careers as educators, administrators and researchers. These programs include research methods and applications. Other courses offered may include leadership, educational theory and methods, statistics, epidemiology, basic sciences and clinical practice.
Entry-Level Dental Hygienist Training Programs
A degree course in dental hygiene includes:
General education courses including English, Speech, Psychology and Sociology
Basic Science courses including Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry,
Microbiology, Pathology, Nutrition and Pharmacology
Dental Science courses including Dental Anatomy, Head and Neck Anatomy, Oral
Embryology and Histology, Oral Pathology, Radiography and Periodontology
Dental Hygiene Science courses including Patient Management and Community
Dental Health
Supervised instruction in pre-clinical and clinical practice completes the internship requirements. Off-campus dental facilities are often used for the purpose. An individual who studies to become a dental hygienist also performs clinical practicum in community or public health settings.
Dental hygienist schools train students in these procedures:
- Prophylaxis
- Data gathering for dental diagnosis
- Treatment planning
- Fluoride treatment
- Sealant application
- Radiographic examination
- Nutritional counseling
- Local anesthesia
- Administering nitrous oxide
These are offered in lecture sessions in classrooms. Hands-on training in dental technology is held in state-of-the-art laboratories.
Qualifying for Dental Hygiene Training Courses
Admission requirements may be different different educational institutions. Some common requirements include a high school diploma or GED, high school mathematics, chemistry, biology, and a minimum “C” average. Some training programs require a personal interview and dexterity test.
Admission to a program is highly competitive. Most programs in dental hygiene schools have limited places.
The average total cost of tuition and fees for an associate degree is estimated at $30,155. Tuition is $40,207 for a bachelor's degree and $23,133 for a master's degree.
The cost of dental hygienist training courses is a small investment considering how this can be a stable, long-term career when you become a dental hygienist.
Become a Dental Hygienist |
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