Career For Dental Hygienist

Are you looking for a career that is not only fun and challenging but highly in demand and financially rewarding as well? You might once have thought of becoming a full-pledged dentist, but the time and effort needed required to be one can prove to be quite a task. So why not take on a career as a dental hygienist? A dental hygienist is a licensed dental practitioner who gives special attention to the recognition, treatment and prevention of oral diseases. They are the ones who help patients in keeping their teeth and gums healthy and clean.

Among the most common duties of a dental hygienist include educating patients on proper oral hygiene, performing prophylaxis, application of fluoride, processing of dental radiographs, root planning, and administration of local anesthesia. They work closely with dentists, contributing their own professional expertise in order to provide optimum dental healthcare. Dental hygienists follow a standard process of care, composed of six components – patient assessment, dental hygiene diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation and documentation.

Educational preparation and training is very important for anyone aspiring to become a dental hygienist. The primary requirement would be to complete a dental hygiene program – whether certificate, associate or baccalaureate, as long as it is accredited by the American Dental Association (ADA). Before you can start working in any state, you must first acquire certification or licensure by passing a written and clinical examination. Written exams are administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations, while clinical exams are administered by state/regional testing agencies. Licensure and certification is only applicable in the state in which they are granted.

Dental hygienists have a very pleasant working environment; one that is both clean and well-lighted. They strictly follow certain guidelines in performing complex procedures such as administration of anesthetic gas and radiological procedures. They must always make sure that they protect themselves at all times, such as by wearing surgical gloves/masks and safety glasses. With the wide variety of roles of a dental hygienist, it is very important that an individual possess good physical fitness and manual dexterity, as well as excellent communication skills.

As a licensed professional, dental hygienists have a wide variety of employment opportunities. Besides dental clinics, they can also work in schools, public health offices, military, research facilities, and nursing homes. Graduates can also expect a very favorable job outlook with the increasing demand for dental care. It can also be attributed to the younger generation being increasingly conscious about oral hygiene and healthcare. As the work of dentists become more complex, the role of dental hygienists also becomes ever more important, and the more their professional services will be required.

As a dental hygienist, you have the luxury of being able to work under a flexible schedule. You can choose your own work schedule, be it part-time, full-time or weekend schedule. And since most dentists only hire them for a period of 2 to 3 days, it's not uncommon for hygienists to work for more than one dental clinic. Salary is very much rewarding, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting an average figure of $66,570 in May of 2008. You might even be surprised to know that the lowest and highest reported salary for this career has been at $44,180 and $91,470 respectively!