How to Find Dental Hygienist Schools

<P>To locate dental hygienist schools in your area, begin your search by logging onto the American Dental Hygienist Associations website.  There you will find a search option by state.  This option allows you to find the schools that provide an entry-level education, which is generally an associates degree program, to enter the dental hygienist profession and also programs for bachelor, master and continuing education opportunities.  Some courses can be done online and that offers a bit more flexibility for some studies.  While a base standard is an associates degree, dental hygienist requirements for licensing can vary from state to state.  Your school should have the current licensure information available, or if not, you can contact the licensing board for your state.<BR> <BR>The dental hygienist requirements for each program or school also can vary somewhat.  In some cases, a traditional application and some science classes at the high school level is all that is necessary, but in others there are additional requirements or stipulations, such as having at least one year of college completed before entering the dental hygienist training.  Laboratory and clinical experiences are generally needed in addition to the classroom work.  Study in anatomy and nutrition as well as specific courses such as radiography and periodontology, or the study of gum disease round out the courses.  Since this is a career that has a licensing component, it is important to narrow down your possible choices of dental hygienist schools that are accredited. Usually accreditation means that the knowledge that you will need to competent in your new career should be taught at the accredited schools.  The courses are helpful in preparation for the licensing tests and they meet a standard of excellence that is required by students to be successful once graduating. </P> <P>Before deciding to enter the dental hygienist career, exploring as many aspects as possible about it is important.  One of these aspects is the pay level that you can expect.  A dental hygienist salary can be paid hourly or in a yearly salary.  The median income in 2010 was around sixty-eight thousand dollars. One interesting aspect of this profession is that a great many dental hygienists work part time.  In addition to a dental hygienist salary, attention should be directed to the potential career growth that is expected over the next decade. The projections are favorable for this profession, with an even faster than average growth than others.  Technological advances are making this a sought after career because the new and accurate tests can even use a small saliva sample as a method of early detection for oral cancer. A dental hygienist takes the sample and prepares it for the lab. Understanding the new technologies is important to a dental hygienists job. Further, the Baby Boomers are also aging and they also have more teeth at older ages than previous generations.  This fact alone drives the expected need in the profession.</P> <P>Dental hygienist schoolscan provide entry-level and sometimes beyond to advanced training in the dental hygienist profession.  A master degree in dental hygiene is needed if you plan to teach or to do research. Some online classes are offered, but most of the clinical hours would need to be onsite and not online.  Think about your new career. Youll work alongside a dentist and dental assistants in pleasant and bright dental offices.  Greet and help to ease patients fears around being at the dentist.  Help teach proper teeth cleaning techniques to your patients and keep the smiles coming year after year, knowing that you are an integral part of that healthy mouth of shiny white teeth.</P>