Dental hygienists assess the oral health of their patients by conducting various cleanings and inspections. They also help a dentist as needed and work with patients to maintain good oral health by teaching them about proper oral hygiene.
Dental hygienists require an associate degree in dental hygiene and also state licensure. Those who want to advance in their career should consider a bachelor’s or master’s degree in dental hygiene. These advanced degrees can help dental hygienists obtain positions extending outside of the dental office, such as those in teaching and research.
Dental hygienists should be patient, detail-oriented, dexterous, and also positive. Strong interpersonal and decision-making skills are also essential. Their duties also require them to stay on their feet for long durations.
Top 8 Reasons You Should Become a Dental Hygienist
1. Enjoy a Flexible Work Schedule as a Dental Hygienist
No matter what type of work schedule you want, you likely can find it as a dental hygienist. Dental hygienists can work in full- or part-time roles, and also many hygienists work only a few days a week. You could even work in a floating position, where you work at multiple offices throughout the week. In this career, you often can customize your schedule to fit your personal needs and also maintain a healthy work-life balance.
2. Earn a Competitive Salary
How much do dental hygienists make? This question is among the most common to ask about any career you’re considering. Luckily for you, dental hygienists usually earn more than the average for health technologists and technicians. In fact, in the United States, the median dental hygienist salary is $74,820 per year, or almost $36 an hour5. Your actual salary will depend on things like where you live and how much experience you have, but the national median gives you a good idea of the competitive salary dental hygienists can earn.
3. Work in a Relaxed and Interactive Environment
Dentists strive to create a calm and inviting atmosphere for patients. These efforts typically also make dental offices a comfortable and enjoyable place to work. As a dental hygienist working in this kind of environment, you’ll get to interact with people of varying ages and backgrounds every day, help to ease any fears, and also ensure their visits go smoothly. Over time, you can even build relationships with your repeat patients.
4. Every Day is Different
Dental hygienists work with numerous patients each day. Even when you are completing similar tasks, each patient will have unique needs, concerns, and challenges. Every patient will involve different interactions, oral care, and also dental health education, and you’ll need to be ready to adjust your communication style and methods for each patient. No two days will be exactly alike, and also you never know what the day ahead might bring!
5. Find Job Stability Wherever You Live
While the world around us is constantly changing, the fact remains that people everywhere need someone who can care for their teeth properly. No matter where you move, dental offices will likely need dental hygienists. A dental hygienist is a key provider of dental care and always will be. Furthermore, the ever-increasing life expectancy means an ever-growing pool of patients.
6. Discover Advancement Opportunities in the Dental Field
Many people who aspire to become dentists start their careers as dental hygienists. Earning your associate’s degree prepares you for working as a dental hygienist, where you can gain valuable experience in the dental field. From there, you can continue to pursue your bachelor’s and a graduate degree in dentistry. Alternatively, you can also earn advanced degrees to pursue research, teaching, or other specialized roles in dental hygiene. Some employers even offer employees tuition assistance for continuing their education.
7. Receive Potential Benefits from Your Employer
Dental hygienists may receive a range of benefits through their employers, including paid vacations, sick leave, insurance coverage, dues for professional memberships, and tuition support for continued education. The extent of your benefits often depends on your employer, and whether you are a full-time or part-time employee.
8. Build a Lifelong Career as a Dental Hygienist
Entry-level dental hygienists can step out of college and rapidly move into a rewarding career. Best of all, it is a career where your hours can be adjusted to fit your lifestyle and your needs as they change through the years. From parenthood to empty-nesting and even a soft retirement, being a dental hygienist offers you tremendous flexibility and benefits.
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Bachelor’s Degree in Dental Hygiene
Dental hygienists may choose to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene in addition to an associated degree. For full-time students, this spans four years, excluding any previous college credit.
Students with 60 or more transferable college credits from an associate program may transfer to a bachelor’s program in roughly two years. Dual curricula are also available at several dental hygiene schools. It enables students to pursue both an associate’s and a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene simultaneously.
MBBS Vs. BDS Vs. BAMS Vs. BHMS for Dental Hygiene Career
Medicine is one of the most prestigious and hence a challenging discipline a candidate may study in India. Every country attempts to offer its inhabitants a sound healthcare system, and also doctors have a critical role as pillars of that system. There is always a demand for qualified healthcare professionals in times of a worldwide pandemic.
MBBS is a 5.5-year professional medical degree. A Bachelor of Dental Science (BDS) is a professional degree in dental science. BAMS and BHMS are indigenous medical degree programs covering alternative systems of medicine, Ayurveda and also homeopathy, respectively.
1. MBBS Course for Dental Hygiene
The Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) is a 5.5-year program. The Indian Medical Council Act of 1956 recognized it as modern scientific medicine. MBBS is a pre-clinical and para-clinical study of the human body. Pharmacology, pathology, microbiology, physiology, and also anatomy are among the subjects taught. Practical knowledge is included in the curriculum, and also it incorporates clinical procedure performance criteria. Candidates will learn how to comprehend differential diagnosis and also patient care procedures in this course.
2. BDS Course for Dental Hygiene
The Bachelor of Dental Surgery is a four-year undergraduate program. A one-year internship is included in the program. The BDS program focuses on dental surgery. It also focuses on oral health and cleanliness. The aim of the BDS program is the diagnosis and also treatment of oral illnesses. It also includes oral cavity and disorders. Dentistry isn’t only about teeth and also gums. It also broadens the scope of research into musculoskeletal structures. Graduates are prepared to diagnose and treat medical conditions, and they use dental medicine for it.
3. BAMS Course for Dental Hygiene
BAMS is a 5.5-year undergraduate program. The training is based on Indian Ayurvedic concepts, and hence it combines contemporary treatment with Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurveda medicine is centered on three types of disorders or doshas: Kapha, Pitta, and Vata. Graduates are taught how to treat patients based on the three doshas of Kapha, Pitta, and Vata and restore balance
4. BHMS Course
The Bachelor of Science in Management Science (BHMS) is a five-year undergraduate degree program. It is a type of complementary and alternative medicine. Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician, is the one who came up with the idea. Homeopaths are physicians who practice this type of medicine. This treatment’s pharmacology is based on homeopathic dilution. Graduates are taught how to diagnose. They administer treatment depending on a patient’s medical history and symptoms.
Some Medical Colleges to Pursue a Degree in Dental Hygiene
- AIIMS Delhi – All India Institute of Medical Sciences New
- PGIMER Chandigarh – Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research
- CMC Vellore – Christian Medical College
- NIMHANS Bangalore – National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences
- SGPGIMS Lucknow – Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences
- Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore
- BHU Varanasi – Banaras Hindu University
- JIPMER Puducherry – Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research
- KGMU Lucknow – King George’s Medical University
- KMC Manipal – Kasturba Medical College
Conclusion
In conclusion, Dental hygienists may choose to pursue a degree in Dental Hygiene. The MBBS is a 5.5-year professional medical degree. A Bachelor of Dental Science (BDS) is a professional degree in dental science. BAMS and BHMS are indigenous medical degree programs covering alternative systems of medicine, Ayurveda, and also homeopathy.
Becoming a dental hygienist can be a fulfilling career option for those with a passion for the job or those who want to enter the dental field with minimal education. To obtain a job in this profession, meet the necessary educational and licensure requirements so that you can begin helping patients of all ages.