Is a Dental Hygiene Degree Right for Me?

If you're passionate about patient health and maintaining great hygiene, then a professional career in a dental practice may be a good fit for you.

There are many types of careers you can move into in a dental practice from becoming a dentist to a dental assistant. Another popular option is to become a dental hygienist.

In this article, we'll discuss the necessary information related to this rewarding career in dental hygiene, including questions you should ask yourself to find if it's the right fit.

What Is a Dental Hygiene Degree?

A dental hygienist plays a critical role in maintaining oral health and assisting patients in preventing dental diseases.

In order to become a dental hygienist, students can choose from various degrees. At the entry-level, students can take dental hygiene prerequisites through community colleges and may be able to earn an associate degree in dental hygiene.

Next, they must enroll in higher education programs that result in a bachelor's degree in dental hygiene. A bachelor's will teach the necessary information about periodontal health and preventative care.

As the final step, a student may choose to enroll in a master's degree through a dental school. While a master's can supply beneficial information, it is usually not necessary to reach the minimum requirements of a registered dental hygienist (RDH) license.

Completing the necessary licensure exams through the national board dental hygiene examination ensures you can begin working in the field.

What Does a Dental Hygiene Major Study?

A dental hygiene major studies a variety of topics that prepare them for a career in dental hygiene and oral healthcare. A dental hygiene program typically includes both theoretical and practical components so that students can understand the reason behind certain practices.

In most cases, a dental hygiene program will also come with a licensure track so they can complete their testing requirements upon graduation.

The typical focus areas of study include:

• anatomy and physiology
• microbiology
• oral anatomy
• oral diseases
• periodontology
• radiology and X-rays
• preventive dentistry
• dental materials
• clinical dental hygiene and oral care

Why You Should Consider a Degree in Dental Hygiene

If you think dental hygiene is a good career path for you, consider some of these additional reasons why you may love this profession.

Supporting Patient Well-Being

Patient care is at the heart of dental hygiene. Not only do these professionals identify issues at the early stage, they help people maintain proper health.

Improving Public Health

Oral hygiene is incredibly important, especially as professionals can now identify certain diseases manifesting in the mouth. Likewise, there may be a link between dental health and the overall health of the body.

Maintaining this balance of dental care can translate to wellness of patients and the overall population in an area.

Competitive Salary

A dental hygiene career can offer a competitive salary as this is a highly specialized profession. Hygienists are rewarded for having to spend a number of years are required in school, along with earning the proper licensure to become a RDH.

Upon earning proper licensure, professionals can usually earn a higher salary even at the entry-level.

High Chance of Employment

There is currently a high need for qualified medical professionals, particularly as new practices open up and the population increases. This is a beneficial career choice if you like to have a high chance of employment with many practices to choose from.

Good Work-Life Balance

As a dental hygienist, you can choose to work on either a full- or part-time basis. Many dental offices allow their hygienists to choose a schedule that works for their lives.

Because their hours do not always follow the standard eight-hour work day, this is a great option for professionals who are leading busy family lives or have other responsibilities outside of work.

Job Opportunities for Dental Hygiene Degree Majors

The primary career opportunity for with someone with a dental hygiene education is to become a dental hygienist.

But what does a dental hygienist do? In this profession, the dental hygienist is the person who first sees the patient and cleans their teeth. Hygienists will work with different materials such as sealants to cover tooth decay, and fluoride to keep teeth strong and health.

Beyond clean teeth, the hygienist may also assist with preventative dental care, observing gum health and making sure there are no signs of disease or tooth decay.

Dental Hygiene Degree: Questions To Ask Yourself

If you feel this may be the right career fit, continue reading for more questions you can ask yourself before entering the world of healthcare professionals.

Do I Enjoy Working With Dental Hygiene?

This is an important question to know the answer to. Working as a dental hygienist will mean you will be working inside of people's mouths. This is a highly sensitive area and you should have a delicate touch, sometimes paying extra attention when using sharp objects.

Your patient's teeth will need to be examined for signs of disease, so you should always be on the lookout for possible issues.

Do I Like Working in Dental Offices?

Beyond wondering if dental hygiene right for you, you will also want to consider the typical environment of a dental office.

These offices can be quite fast-paced, and you will work in a patient-facing role. You may have patients with many different personality types, some of whom may be dealing with significant oral health issues.

Do I Want To Work in Healthcare?

Having deep care for patient health is the most important aspect of this job. In order to be a qualified dental professional, you will need to care about your patients and the overall wellbeing of the general population.