Dental Hygiene Schools Prepare Students For Important Role
To find a successful career in dentistry, without becoming a dentist, there are dental hygiene schools that can prepare you for a career to provide educational and therapeutic services to the public. A thorough educational background is required to become a licensed hygienist, and the training while not tantamount to a four or six-year stint in college or medical school, does require training at one of the accredited dental hygiene schools in the country.
Many dental hygiene schools offer three essential types of educational programs, including a two-year program that awards successful graduates with a diploma, certificate or an associate degree. They also offer a four-year baccalaureate program as well as a master's degree program for those interested in education, administration or even research. The type of program chosen will be determined by the student's long-range career goals.
Students Seldom Seen Without An Appointment
There are certain requirements to gain entry into dental hygiene schools including a high school diploma with courses taken in math, chemistry, biology and English. Prospective students will also have to have taken college entrance exams and have maintained a 'C' average in high school. Many of dental hygiene schools also require a personal interview among other possible testing procedures. They also must be at least 18 years of age at the time of enrollment.
The majority of states have similar requirements and all have a test, which the graduates must pass in order to receive their license. The number of instructional hours required prior to taking the exam may vary by state, but the majority of dental hygiene schools will exceed any required hours.
Learning Requires Being On The Clock
Almost 2,000 hours will be spent in the dental hygiene school that include nearly 600 hours of supervised clinical dental hygiene instruction. Microbiology, radiography and biochemistry are some of the courses that will be presented in dental hygiene schools to prepare students for their chosen occupation. Additionally, students receive instruction on dental emergencies such as life support as well as the legal and ethical challenges seen from the dental point of view.
All instruction is logged in order to meet the minimum educational standards required by the professional boards that will administer the state exams. Moving a person's career beyond the dentist office and into research or administration will require additional training from the dental hygiene schools, which typically results in the issuance of a Master's Degree. However, an Associate Degree will usually allow them to begin their career while, if they choose, to continue their education for advanced positions.
