Your First Step towards a Successful Dental Hygienist Career
The job of dental hygienist was a creation of the twenty-first century. It was borne out of renewed awareness in the importance of dental hygiene as a facet of health and wellness. The job title or career name is rather new, yet the job is practically as old as time.
From the root word hygiene which is a synonym for sanitation or cleanliness, many construe the task of a dental hygienist as solely to clean the teeth. Although partly correct, the responsibilities of a dental hygienist include a roster of duties once performed only by a dentist:
Thus, the job of a dental hygienist may be summarized in one phrase: help people have healthy mouths. The above-mentioned roles are now entrusted with the dental hygienist due to necessity. The reasons are that American population is growing and second, they generally have better teeth from advances in dental medicine.
Academic Requirements
The importance of maintaining dental health makes it equally important that the government regulates the dental hygienist practice like it does with dentists. Accordingly, those who have the inclination to be a dental hygienist have to obtain a degree or certificate from a school offering a comprehensive curricular program. Additionally, the school granting the degree/certificate has to be duly accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). To be accredited, schools should include laboratory, clinical and classroom instruction. Prospective enrollees can inquire about admission requirements from the CODA-recognized California Dental Hygienist College.
Job Qualifications
To qualify for work as a dental hygienist, graduates of both associate degree and bachelor degree programs are required to apply for, take, and pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). The NBDHE is administered computer-based, consists of 350 multiple-choice type questions on two components. Component A basically covers the theory of dental hygiene, clinical services, community health and research principles. Component B simulates possible clinical cases that the examinee may actually encounter in practice.
Enrolling with the best school ensures that students receive the complete instructional hours as mandated by CODA. Likewise, passing the NBDHE should not be a problem as long as students do their share of the task. Exam passers then secure a job with the dental environment of their choice.
The job of dental hygienist was a creation of the twenty-first century. It was borne out of renewed awareness in the importance of dental hygiene as a facet of health and wellness. The job title or career name is rather new, yet the job is practically as old as time.
From the root word hygiene which is a synonym for sanitation or cleanliness, many construe the task of a dental hygienist as solely to clean the teeth. Although partly correct, the responsibilities of a dental hygienist include a roster of duties once performed only by a dentist:
- Dental/oral examination of patients for diseases and other abnormalities;
- Education of patients on the proper care of the teeth, with particular emphasis on preventive dental care;
- Diagnosis and treatment of dental problems within the scope of his/her qualifications; and
- Take X-ray imaging of affected area(s) of the mouth.
Thus, the job of a dental hygienist may be summarized in one phrase: help people have healthy mouths. The above-mentioned roles are now entrusted with the dental hygienist due to necessity. The reasons are that American population is growing and second, they generally have better teeth from advances in dental medicine.
Academic Requirements
The importance of maintaining dental health makes it equally important that the government regulates the dental hygienist practice like it does with dentists. Accordingly, those who have the inclination to be a dental hygienist have to obtain a degree or certificate from a school offering a comprehensive curricular program. Additionally, the school granting the degree/certificate has to be duly accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). To be accredited, schools should include laboratory, clinical and classroom instruction. Prospective enrollees can inquire about admission requirements from the CODA-recognized California Dental Hygienist College.
Job Qualifications
To qualify for work as a dental hygienist, graduates of both associate degree and bachelor degree programs are required to apply for, take, and pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). The NBDHE is administered computer-based, consists of 350 multiple-choice type questions on two components. Component A basically covers the theory of dental hygiene, clinical services, community health and research principles. Component B simulates possible clinical cases that the examinee may actually encounter in practice.
Enrolling with the best school ensures that students receive the complete instructional hours as mandated by CODA. Likewise, passing the NBDHE should not be a problem as long as students do their share of the task. Exam passers then secure a job with the dental environment of their choice.