If you’ve thought about dental hygiene as a profession, you’re in luck. It is an occupation with a growing rate of demand, unlike other job areas where the market is becoming restricted.
The growing demand for dental hygienists is linked to the aging population. People are living longer, and they want their teeth’s longevity to meet their life expectancy. There is an increasingly strong link between oral health and overall well-being. As people accept this, they have begun to realize the importance of the role a dental hygienist can play.
Becoming a dental hygienist takes hard work, dedication, and passion for the job.
1. Graduating from high school
The first step on your journey toward becoming a dental hygienist is to finish high school. Since you’re going to need to go to college to become qualified, your results need to be good.
Then you can gain easy acceptance to the institution of your choice, and you might even be eligible for a scholarship. Your school courses should include chemistry, math, and biology.
Don’t take your schoolwork for granted and tell yourself you’ll work hard when you get to college. Your path starts long before you become a college student. While you’re still at school, see if you can get some on-the-job experience.
Find out if you can spend some time with a local dental hygienist to see what it’s like and make a final decision about whether it’s the career path you wish to pursue.
2. Graduating from college
You’ll need to complete a three-year dental hygiene associate degree if you want to become a dental hygienist. Your college might offer bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well.
Such degrees are preferable for those students wishing to work in public and school dental health programs as well as research and teaching positions. The associate degree is enough to allow you to practice as a dental hygienist.
During your studies, you will do laboratory and clinical work in addition to attending classes. This will prepare you for your future in the field.
3. Entering the world of work
Once you’ve graduated from college, there’s one more step to complete before you can start practicing as a dental hygienist. You’ll need to obtain a license to do so. Each state has its own regulations and requirements.
Every state requires dental hygienists to be licensed. You can then start looking for work. Many dental hygienists work part-time at a dentist’s office. They fill up their time by working for more than one dentist.
Now it’s time to get to the nuts and bolts of the job, seeing patients and helping them maintain good oral hygiene. You’ll do teeth cleaning and remove stains and plaque buildup. Another of your duties will be to take and develop dental x-rays.
You’ll work with the dentist in the best interests of patients to make sure they get the treatment they need. A lot of a dental hygienist’s work entails teaching patients about good oral health practices such as brushing and flossing the teeth.
4. Skills development
While you’ll have the hard skills and knowledge needed to be a good dental hygienist, you’ll need to develop some soft skills once you’re working. Essential soft skills include communication and interpersonal skills.
Dental hygienists spend a lot of time interacting with patients and must be able to communicate with them effectively. Patients should be treated with professionalism and sensitivity. Learning to find the balance between the two is vital.
A dental hygienist must be dexterous as they work with fine instruments in a confined space. There are set practices and regulations that govern the practice of dental hygiene, so the hygienist must be meticulous and detail-oriented.