There are different types of professionals that may be found at a dentist’s office, one of these professionals is a dental hygienist.
A dental hygienist is an oral health professional who plays roles such as an educator, a clinician and presenter of oral diseases.
Like any other medical profession, there are certain requirements that a person must fulfill in order to be licensed to practice.
What are the dental hygienist requirements?
First and foremost, the requisite education qualification must be attained. A dental hygienist will require at least an associate degree in dental hygiene. An associate degree is usually a two year program offered at community colleges, dental schools or at universities.
There is also the option of pursuing a 4 year bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree qualification will offer you better career prospects.
Anyone considering a career in teaching or research will require an advanced degree in dental hygiene. There are many dental hygienist schools but it is crucial to choose to study at an accredited one.
For admission at a program, most dental hygienist schools will require that the applicant have completed high school and be over eighteen years old. The prospective student will need to have taken courses like mathematics, biology and chemistry in high school as these are usually prerequisite courses.
Dental Hygienist Requirements – State License
Once you have completed a dental hygienist program at an accredited school, you will be required to get licensed by the state in which you want to work in.
All states require hygienist to be licensed. Before being licensed, a hygienist will need to take and pass both clinical and written exams administered by the state.
Some states will require the dental hygienist take an internship at a dentist’s clinic as a prerequisite to licensing. You may also be required to take a test on the legal aspects of dental hygiene practice.
Once you have fulfilled all the dental hygienist requirements, you may now embark on the rewarding career as a dental hygienist. The pay is great and the hours are flexible in most cases.
A hygienist can work either at a private dental practice, a hospital, a school or at an organization. He can choose to work full-time or part-time.
Now that you have learned the basic dental hygienist requirements, you can get started on your way into your new career.
