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What Do Dental Hygienists Do?
To prevent disease and enhance appearance, teeth and gums must be regularly cleaned and treated. Dental hygienists are trained to properly care for and repair teeth, diagnose specific dental conditions, and educate patients about oral health.
Video - A Dental Hygienist School Experience
This video is an excellent introduction into the dental hygienist school experience and career. A college student shares how she chose this career and what she finds attractive about it. The student describes a typical day and week for her. The camera follows her into the classroom where she is treating patients. Produced by Penn College, a part of the Penn State University system,
How to Choose the Best Dental Hygienist School
What makes for a top dental hygiene program? Of course that answer will be different for each student -- but factors that all students should consider in choosing their "best" school and program include:
Responsibilities
Although responsibilities of dental hygienists vary according to state regulations, typical tasks include:
- Testing for cavities and gum disease
- Documenting conditions, abnormalities and treatments
- Using tools and equipment to remove dental plaque
- Applying treatments to seal cracks and prevent cavities
- Performing procedures such as root planing to treat periodontal disease
- Administering anesthetics
- Preparing laboratory tests
- Placing fillings and polishing restorations
- Taking x-rays and developing film
- Providing chair-side assistance to dentists
- Instructing patients in oral hygiene and educating them on its relationship to diet
Almost half of dental hygienists work part-time, some in more than one office.
Degrees and Schools
Two-year associate's degrees for dental hygienists are offered through community colleges and vocational schools, and are considered standard for students who plan to work in private dentists' offices. These programs usually require a high school diploma or equivalent and college entrance exam scores, plus certain pre-requisite courses.
Bachelor's degrees and master's degrees in dental hygiene are available through colleges and universities, and prepare students to work in teaching, research or clinical practice in public health programs.
Graduation from a program accredited by the American Dental Association (ADA)'s Commission on Dental Accreditation is a requirement for licensure in most states.
Coursework
Dental hygiene students spend time in class, lab and clinical practice. Classes typically include:
- anatomy and physiology
- chemistry and pharmacology
- microbiology and pathology
- pharmacology and radiography
- histology (tissue structure) and periodontology (gum diseases)
- dental tools and materials
- clinical dental hygiene
- nutrition and preventive oral health
- social and behavioral science
Good programs require substantial supervised practical experience.
Online Classes and Programs
There are quite a few online dental hygiene programs that offer degree completion or at least for some classes. These programs offer convenience, but may not provide access to laboratories or clinical experience. Programs that offer 100% online degrees will be those involving advanced degrees that do not require clinical time.
In order for graduates to qualify for licensure in most states, any program must be accredited through the ADA. Additionally, any online program should be part of an institution with accreditation from agencies approved by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or United States Department of Education (USDE). A listing of schools with online programs or classes is available from the American Dental Hygienists' Association.
What's Required?
All states require that dental hygienists be licensed. In addition, most states require that dental hygienists be graduates of an ADA-accredited program and pass both a national exam and test on dental hygiene-related legal issues.
For admission to associate's degree programs, students must have a high school diploma or equivalent, provide college entrance test scores, and in some cases complete pre-requisite courses.
Scholarships
A few scholarship sources to be aware of include: ADHA Institute General Scholarships, American Dental Hygienists' Association, Colgate "Bright Smiles, Bright Futures" Minority Scholarship and the Oral-B Laboratories Dental Hygiene Scholarship.
Career Profiles
To help career searchers evaluate their options, BrainTrack has asked hundreds of workers to profile their jobs with a review and ratings. See below for a summary of this career compared to all rated careers and for detailed reviews.
| Category | This Career | All Rated Careers |
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| Opportunity for Promotion | | |
| Career Flexibility | | |
| How Cool Is The Career | | |
| How Stressful | | |
| Social Orientation | | |
| Earnings Potential | | |
| Task Variety | | |
| Job Security | | |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: University Of New Mexico • Albuquerque, NM
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2009)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 2/25/2012
"The repetitiveness is quite mundane. The physical stress has made it impossible for a long term career."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | The school's program admits only 24 students each year which can translate to more one on one attention from the professors. The school is also part of the Medical school of New Mexico, and therefore students have access to human cadavers to learn from. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | Dental hygienists are paid on an hourly basis, so promotion is not possible. There is only one level for a hygienist. |
| Job Security | 3 | I am currently employed at an office 3 days a week and with the economy seeing no improvement, my work hours differ week to week. With so many Dental Hygienist coming in to the job market, it seems as if there are more hygienists than jobs available. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | Though hygienists are paid well per hour, they do not usually hold full time positions; therefore, they do not have health insurance, sick leave, or annual leave. Potentially a hygienist can make close to 70k a year, but only a small percentage make that much. |
| How Stressful | 6 | Stress comes from always having to choose between keeping your job and agreeing with the Dentist or doing what is morally right. If we want to keep our jobs, then we must bite our tongue even if we see a blatant attempt to get patients to do what is not necessary. |
| Task Variety | 2 | The everyday tasks of a hygienist do not change and if they do, they change very little. In general practice, hygienists clean teeth and educate their patients. This may differ in other specialized offices, but it remains essentially the same. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | Definitely not seen as the cool career since working in the mouth, especially cleaning it, is somewhat deemed to be on the same level as a service provider. Most patients will go in to get their yearly prophylaxis and they view it as the same as getting their nails done. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | I can work part time and still live somewhat comfortably. There are definitely options when it comes to specializations, such as pedo, ortho, and perio if I want to steer away from general. |
| Social Orientation | 6 | You are in constant interaction with your patients, but since you only see them twice a year, there are no real relationships. Interaction between the staff is quite interesting due to some animosity between hygienists and assistants. |
Job Title: Registered Dental Hygienist
Attended: Diablo Valley College • Pleasant Hill, CA
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2002)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 2/27/2012
"I am well compensated and well paid. I like the flexibility of the job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | The school has high standards. I also liked the staff. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | I would need more education. There is really not much room for growth. |
| Job Security | 9 | I've established great relationships with patients. I also have very specialized training which makes me hard to replace. |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | I work part-time and still make a good living. I could increase my hours and make even more. |
| How Stressful | 8 | I'm on a time schedule and have to follow it closely. I have to keep patients comfortable while being thorough. |
| Task Variety | 4 | I do mostly the same tasks daily. There is a lot of repetition. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 6 | I am able to improve people's health and well-being. But it's not like I'm a music producer - I'm a dental hygienist. |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | I'm able to work part-time and I make a good living. |
| Social Orientation | 9 | I get a lot of interaction with my patients. I can maintain ongoing relationships with them as well. |
Job Title: Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH)
Attended: Shoreline Community College • Shoreline, WA
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2007)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 2/25/2012
"Working as a dental hygienist, I have a very flexible schedule, great salary, 3 day weekends, and although I have a boss, I feel like I have a great deal of independence in my position. I enjoy working with the public in a health care field and being able to provide them with information and knowledge to better their oral health. Every hour is someone and something completely different from the previous hour and it makes the day go by quickly."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | Shoreline provides an excellent foundation for a career in dental hygiene which includes the fundamentals, instrumentation, patient-clinician relationships, anesthesia, and restorative procedures, and it provides a great dental hygiene clinic to the public; especially to those with no insurance, limited finances, or medical coupons and have no other options. The staff and faculty also seem to care greatly for the students and want to make sure that we succeed in the program and as dental hygienists. They seem to have a real interest in our future in the profession. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | Dental Hygiene is a specific and limited degree and field. In my dental office, there is no hierarchy between the 3 hygienists. We are all equal and do not have room for promotion. There are different types of offices to work in, for example pediatrics, Perio, General, etc., but a hygienist is still going to do the same job, just on different groups of people. |
| Job Security | 9 | I feel like dental care is a field that would be very hard to replace by machines. Dental issues are never going to disappear and there are always going to be people with gum disease. Dental hygienists will always be in need. I also think that with so much research coming out recently about the link between oral health and systemic health, dental hygiene and getting preventive treatments, like cleanings, will be pushed to the forefront even more so than they already are. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | Hygienists make very good money right out of school. In Washington, the average new grad probably makes around $40/hr to start and it is likely to receive salary increases yearly or every other year in private practice. However, hygienists will not have a large salary range because there is not much room for promotion. |
| How Stressful | 8 | I think that dental hygiene can be quite stressful at times. Many people are scared or afraid of going to the dentist and getting their teeth cleaned. Those types of patients freely admit that they don't like being at the office, or what you do, or the sound, or the fact that it hurts, etc. These types of emotions put lots of stress on the hygienist. It can also be stressful just dealing with people's personalities and ideas. It's hard not to take the comments personally. |
| Task Variety | 2 | Everyday I perform the same duties. I clean people's teeth, take x-rays, do periodontal chartings, provide information, review home care, etc. While every person will need something a little different, dental hygiene is a highly monotonous job. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | I think dental hygiene caries some prestige with it, but I wouldn't consider it too "cool." There are many people that find it disgusting that I work in people's mouths, and so it's not very glamorous. There is not much excitement, but it can be rewarding and I like it. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | Most hygienists work a maximum of 4 days/wk. Many hygienists work even less. If I ever need time off I can easily close my schedule or re-schedule patients with very little inconvenience. A dental office can be found almost anywhere across the USA and there are many different types of speciality offices to work in, depending on your preference. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | There is constant interaction with people. My career revolves around patient care and every hour I see a different patient. There is also a lot of interaction between co-workers, sales reps, professional organizations, service providers, and other dental providers. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: Loma Linda University • Loma Linda, CA
Studied Hygiene (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 2/25/2012
"It's a well paid occupation. The main problem is that the duties are very repetitive and can cause hand strains."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | Loma Linda has a great program. The patient pool is substantial and there is an emphasis on clinical skills. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | There are very few opportunities. Once you are a hygienist, there isn't any way to get "promoted" to dentist without additional training. |
| Job Security | 7 | Hygiene has become a very competitive field. There are more and more hygiene programs throughout the country while the number of DDS programs has remained relatively constant. |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | Depending on your years of experience, you can make a pretty good income as a hygienist. Also, the geographic area you practice in has a lot of bearing on the income. |
| How Stressful | 5 | Some offices are production-driven, so it can get pretty busy at times. Fatigue and routine can be two of the downsides of this profession. |
| Task Variety | 3 | Not very much diversity in this job. Prophys or scaling & root-planings. Of course, the degree of disease can make a difference, but the very involved cases get sent to the perio surgeon. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | I don't think cleaning teeth is very glamorous. It's a great job, however, if you are a people person and you enjoy interacting with different types of people and helping making a difference in their oral health. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | It is pretty flexible in the sense that some offices only require hygienists part time. That gives freedom to work with a few different offices in different areas if desired. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | Like I said in a previous answer, you have to be a people person in this field. You constantly interact with people from all walks of life. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: Ozarks Technical Community College • Springfield, MO
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2009)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 3/10/2012
"They helped me with every detail. OTC helps you prepare for real life experiences."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | The instructors know what they are doing. They are highly competitive against other schools. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | There are no "Boss' pets." Everyone is treated equally and the harder you work and help others determines your paycheck. |
| Job Security | 10 | I have worked here for several years and everyone treats each other like family. We don't need to cut down on employees. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | We are very satisfied with our paychecks. The money is amazing. Well worth the schooling. |
| How Stressful | 5 | Every job has its stresses. Our customers always leave happy which in turn makes us happy. |
| Task Variety | 9 | We have different customers every day. They leave happy and always come back. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | Very up to date facility. We just finished remodeling. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | I can have as many sick days as I want. Employees do not take advantage of the flexibility. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | We talk and joke a lot. We have tons of fun with the customers too. It's like we've known each other for years. |
Job Title: Registered Dental Hygienist
Attended: University Of Pittsburgh • Pittsburgh, PA
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/10/2012
"Currently, I work Tuesday-Friday from 8am to 5pm. I am fortunate to work for a wonderful and trusting dentist who allows me to utilize all of the diagnostic tools I learned in my undergraduate education. I have been working in this office for over a year and enjoy seeing the same patients twice a year. The practice kind of feels like a family."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | Dental Hygiene school is a LOT harder than most people expect. There is a strong emphasis on anatomy and physiology as well as infectious materials and bacterial/viral diseases. Not only is the material totally foreign most of the time, but it is detailed and intense. Learning this information in a supportive environment with an appropriate student/teacher ratio is key. Pitt definitely had that, so I am thankful. I would not be where I am today without the resources they provided me. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | The more patients that get to know you and like you, the more valuable a hygienist is to the office. Switching faces constantly does not bode well for the timid patients who are comfortable seeing a familiar face. Since a promotion is not really an option for a hygienist in terms of responsibilities, all I can hope for is a raise. |
| Job Security | 10 | Hygienists are very in demand where I live. As research is linking overall health and dental health more and more closely, general practitioners are beginning to encourage oral hygiene to their patients more readily. I believe this is responsible for the influx of patients we have seen despite the economy. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | There is kind of a cap on salary for hygiene. The most I have ever heard of someone making is 5 figures, but things are changing in the field. Some states allow hygienists to open their own practices. With private practice and small businesses, the salary prospects are promising. |
| How Stressful | 3 | It really depends on the doctor you work for. I have worked for dentists who made me dread stepping foot in the office every day. Some dentists are temperamental due to stress and working for them can be like walking on eggshells. Dealing with bosses is something every person has to deal with though, and aside from that hygiene is pretty low stress. |
| Task Variety | 7 | Some days feel repetitive. It is all worth it though, for me at least, when you see something amazing or work with a patient who has actually heeded your advice as a health professional. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | I think hygiene is cool because I love dental medicine. However, most people think it is gross. I wish more people understood that dental medicine is ACTUAL medicine. It is just as important as any other part of the body! |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | We have great hours at our office and I am confident that if I needed the day off my boss could use a temp. agency to fill my position. Or, if I found that my hours no longer worked, I could always work for a temp. agency and essentially make my own schedule. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | There are a lot of young women working in the field who I have made friends with. It is nice having the same age demographic around the office. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: UT Health Science Center San Antonio • San Antonio, TX
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/6/2012
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | In my opinion it is one of the best schools in Texas. UTHSCSA has a great reputation and has some of the best professors in all areas of medical instruction. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 9 | Once I get my master's degree, I plan to pursue other opportunities in the teaching arena, or pursue a corporate job as a consultant for a dental corporation. |
| Job Security | 8 | Dental hygiene is a great career with many job opportunities. I plan to get my master's degree to expand my job opportunities even further in the near future. |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | I think the salary that I am earning now is great and I feel that I have the potential to increase my earnings upon completion of my master's degree. |
| How Stressful | 3 | I really don't find it to be stressful at all. The only time when it can be sort of trying is when we have pediatric patients. You have to really work at entertaining them with stickers, or talking about cartoons, etc. |
| Task Variety | 1 | My tasks are pretty much the same from day to day. I have assisted at the front desk only once to schedule an appointment when the receptionist was out sick. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | Dental hygienists work alone. Dental assistants and front office clerks tend to get jealous and consider us prima donnas of the office. Our job is very cool! |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | You have the option to work part time or full time depending on the dental office. Some dental offices are open Monday through Thursday, closed on Friday's or open only half day on Friday, and it can be nice to have a 3 day weekend or a long weekend to relax. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | There is not much social interaction with other staff. I pretty much work independent of others, which I like a lot. Sometimes the dental assistant will assist with x-rays if it is a slow day in the office. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: Utah Valley University • Orem, UT
Studied Dental Assisting (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 3/8/2012
"I really love doing what I do, but I do not like the doctor I work with."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | School was amazing. The program was very good. The professors were all great. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | There's only one doctor. I'm not going anywhere. |
| Job Security | 8 | Even though I don't like the Doctor I work with, I still feel that he values me. I'm really knowledgeable about what I do. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | I make a decent amount of money already. The longer I'm here, the more money I will make. |
| How Stressful | 8 | It's very demanding. You need to be on top of your game. |
| Task Variety | 7 | I'm always doing different things throughout my day. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 9 | I really like it. A lot of girls think it's cool when I tell them that I'm a dental hygienist. |
| Career Flexibility | 4 | There's not too much room for vacation at our office. It's a little smaller, and he needs me there a lot. |
| Social Orientation | 3 | It's a little hard to talk with patients with equipment in their mouths, but I like talking with them anyway. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: United States Air Force • San Antonio, TX
Studied Certificate Program In The Military For Dental Hygiene. Bachelor's Degree In Biology Post-Military. (completion in 2005)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/8/2012
"I enjoyed helping my patients understand the importance of flossing. I also enjoyed teaching about periodontal disease and how it can affect more than your oral health."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | The Air Force prepared me for various cases I would encounter as a hygienist. Learning to clean teeth under sedation was beneficial. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | Opportunity to get promoted depends on the supervisor retiring. There is no room for promotion unless someone leaves or retires. |
| Job Security | 5 | High overhead cost makes job security somewhat poor. Budget cuts also affect job security. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | Potential increases for the office as a whole when we get a bonus for meeting sales goals. |
| How Stressful | 5 | The career is stressful when patients have not improved their oral hygiene and conditions are getting worse. It is also stressful when young children come in with a mouthful of dental caries. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Task vary depending on if dental traps are cleaned. Also, tasks change depending on which dental procedure has to be done in your room. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 6 | A hygienist is cool because you are informing people about oral health. Young people who never knew of such a career are now interested. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | The schedule is flexible in case of family issues. Also, it's flexible in that we can reschedule patients to a Saturday if needed. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | The office goes out once a week for lunch. There is also interaction with the community when giving free dental screenings to local elementary schools. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: Broome Community College • Binghamton, NY
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2001)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 3/7/2012
"Great pay. Hours are good - no nights or weekends. I love the people that I work with."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | Teachers and staff were very knowledgeable. When I graduated from the program I was prepared to work in a real dental office. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | There is only one level of hygiene. The only way to move up is to go back to school to become a dentist. |
| Job Security | 9 | There is a very low turnover rate at my office. Most of the girls have been there for 20+ years. |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | Always an opportunity for a raise. I make good money. |
| How Stressful | 7 | Can be stressful at times when you're waiting for a late patient or for a doctor to come and do your exam. These things both put you behind. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Mainly do cleanings plus the occasional sealant, x-ray, etc. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | I personally think that it is a cool career. I am proud to be a hygienist |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | The office is open from 8-5 on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday and 7-2 on Wednesday and Friday. No weekends. There are some girls that only work 2 days a week. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I'm always talking with patients, front desk personnel, doctors, and other hygienists. Also, I talk with sales reps. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: Concorde Career College • Kansas City, MO
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 3/7/2012
"I love going to work and helping people every day. I also enjoy educating people on how to take care of their oral health."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | Concorde was a really good school. There was a lot of hands on practice with real patients. The instructors were not ALWAYS as helpful as they could have been. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 10 | There is a lot of room to expand in my career field. As a hygienist I could always go back to school, or if my boss thinks I am good enough, I could do some actual dental work. |
| Job Security | 8 | I have tons of patients every day. I am worried that one day people may not be able to afford dental visits. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | My job pays very well, and the longer I am in my career, the more money I can make. Also, I am a fairly good saver, so money shouldn't be an issue in the future. |
| How Stressful | 9 | There are some days were I have a lot of patients and get overwhelmed. Also, there are sometimes patients that don't like me and make my job a bit more difficult. |
| Task Variety | 7 | On a daily basis, I usually take x-rays and clean teeth. Sometimes I do have to file my own paperwork or help out the doctors, it all just depends on how busy we are. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | To me, my career is very cool and I have a lot of fun. However, others may not see it that way. I usually have my hands in people's mouths for most of the day. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | For the most part I work nine hours a day, five days a week. My schedule is not as flexible as other careers because I have patients to think about. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I work with a great group of people that I am talking to all day. I also have 10-14 patients a day, so I am talking almost non-stop. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: Georgia Highlands College • Cartersville, GA
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 3/12/2012
"I really enjoy the field, it is exciting and fun. You meet interesting people and work in a field that is very fulfilling."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | Everything at the school is amazing. They have great things that can help you to learn the field. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | I am a hygienist, there's not much room to be promoted. With that being said, you can receive plenty of raises. |
| Job Security | 7 | People will always need work done on their teeth. This is a great field that will always be needed. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | You start out with a decent income and it only gets better. I have received quite a large overall raise since I've started. |
| How Stressful | 8 | It is extremely fulfilling. But at the same time it is extremely stressful. There's no room for failure. |
| Task Variety | 5 | The tasks you do each day usually remain the same. You don't really do many new things very often. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | I feel like it's a pretty cool career. Most people I talk to consider it to be a fairly average career, not very cool but not very uncool either. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | You work a pretty set amount of time each week. Most places get weekends off and most jobs start early, around eight a.m., and end around 5 p.m. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | You are always working with other people. You constantly interact with people and are always working with a dentist. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist II
Attended: Baylor College Of Dentistry • Dallas, TX
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2004)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/13/2012
"Love my job as I'm always experiencing and learning new things everyday. The dentist I work for is amazing and allows me to be very involved in most of the patients' procedures."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | My school offered a "very hands on" environment and allowed the students to gain much "real world" experience before graduation. All my professors were very knowledgeable. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 10 | I've been promoted 3 times by my employer since graduating in 2004. |
| Job Security | 10 | I've been with my current dentist since graduating in 2004 and have successfully moved up in my career. I feel very secure as our company has not been too impacted by the economy. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | Since working for my employer I've been promoted three times with substantially higher pay each time. My employer's belief is pretty much that with hard work and dedication, their employees will be recognized and rewarded. |
| How Stressful | 8 | It can be very stressful at times, especially on some of the more complicated procedures. However, the stress is actually good and allows me to learn something new everyday. |
| Task Variety | 10 | My tasks are different everyday. There are of course regular maintenance/preventative daily work, but we also get a lot of different cases with each patient. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | My job is very cool and exciting. I experience new things everyday! |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | Currently, I'm attending school and my employer has been very flexible with my class/study schedule. The same goes for when I need extra hours. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | The office I work in is pretty small and consists of only 2 dentists. The particular dentist I assist is extremely knowledgeable and patient and recognizes and rewards hard work. My co-workers are all happy with their jobs, which makes for a very pleasant work environment. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: Taft College • Taft, CA
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 3/15/2012
"I am very happy with the career I have picked out for me. Dental Hygiene is very important to me."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | I'm not for school, but I did enjoy the one on one attention you got. My school did steer me in a very good direction. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | I would not get promoted, if anything I would go back to school to be a dentist or orthodontist. Hygienists don't get promoted - hygiene is their job. |
| Job Security | 8 | People will always need their teeth cleaned. I also see my future in the places I work. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | I do very well for myself, maybe because I work at two different offices. I don't think I would get paid much more unless I went back to school. |
| How Stressful | 8 | The only time it is stressful is when a patient cancels and I need to fill my schedule in. If I don't fill my schedule, then I don't get paid as much. |
| Task Variety | 3 | I do about the same procedures most of the day. I am a hygienist so I clean the teeth. About every other day I might do a deep cleaning, and it also depends on which office I am working at that day. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | I can control my own schedule and set which days I work. I work Monday and Tuesday at one office, and Wed and Thursday at another office. It's amazing - I've never had that kind of control of my own schedule. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | That is my job - to see people. I see about 10 to 15 people a day. Yes, social interaction is the main part, in addition to teeth. |
Job Title: Dental Aid
Attended: Penn Foster • Scranton, PA
Studied Dental Assistant (completion in 2008)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 3/16/2012
"I have been a dental aid for approximately 3 years now and I am very satisfied with my working conditions, in terms of employee benefits such as bonuses, satisfying salary and medical care. At times, as individuals being in such a field for a period of time, we tend to want more and pursue more. As a result, our feeling of satisfaction and perspective may change over time on the job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 6 | My studies at Penn Foster College prepared me with the essential skills and knowledge that may be applicable in such a field. As a Dental Assistant, you need to know how to manage office operations, understand dental terminology and procedures, schedule appointments, update patient records, and more. The Penn Foster Career School Dental Assistant Program has helped me to learn these skills quickly and conveniently. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | Being part of a phenomenal dental team, promotions are given to various levels of dental aids or assistants. Based on how well you perform, employees are being promoted according to training performance, courses completed or any qualification accomplishment in the field of study. For instance, where I work, a dental aid may be promoted to Dental Assistant 1 to Dental Assistant 3 depending on years of experience /qualification/skills. |
| Job Security | 7 | I am satisfied with my job security as a dental aid. Yes indeed, in this time and challenging economy, individuals are looking for secure employment. With my job position my employer provides me with benefits such as insurance, bonuses, reimbursement of tuition and an effective retirement plan. After all, the population is growing, and people require increased dental care as they are becoming more and more educated about the need for proper dental care throughout their lives. There is a need for more Dentists and Dentists will need knowledgeable assistants. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | I have a very strong earnings potential and I am quite satisfied. As time goes by and business continues to bloom, I hope to be paid even more. |
| How Stressful | 6 | As I said, I am content and happy with my job, however we all have days that can be tremendously hectic and stressful when you have to deal with many clients on a daily basis and clients who may be be aggressive and stubborn. However, we ought to be calm and assist them despite the challenges that may be faced on a hard, long day. |
| Task Variety | 8 | Daily tasks may be different on a day to day basis based on the number of clients we have. At times, my tasks may only be to manage the office operations and update patient records when times are not busy. On the other hand, on a busy day, tasks would include preparing for dental operation - equipping the room where procedures will take place, giving assistance during a transaction or surgery, and scheduling appointments. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | I must admit that my employer ensures that employees are content and satisfied on the job. Before commencing work or concluding a days work we always have that time where we talk and spend time together. We also have social events such as dinners, outings and outdoor activities to keep the unity amongst us. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | I am a hard working and committed employee and I give my best in the work I do. I am loyal to clients, my employer and the organization at large for its services being granted. I always make myself readily available when needed in the office, in surgery or on a house call. I have worked for over 10 hours and overtime at times when there are busy days in office. I must admit that I am an extremely flexible worker. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | As a team we always have constant interaction before work and at the end of the day. We have social activities such as birthday events, dinners, outdoor trips (such as to the beach), and game nights, to name a few. I am happy with this interaction because this assists in the building of a solid team relationship. |
Job Title: RDH
Attended: Valencia Community College • Orlando, FL
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2006)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 3/12/2012
"I am very satisfied with my career in dental hygiene. It is an interesting and fulfilling career where I am able to care for many people."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | Valencia Community College has a very in depth, rigorous dental hygiene program. I was well prepared to work in dental offices upon graduation. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | I am not interested in being promoted to another position. I enjoy working as a hygienist. |
| Job Security | 10 | I feel secure in my position at the dental office. There are two hygienists there and we are both kept busy and booked up to six months in advance. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | Hygiene is an excellent career choice. I make a sizable salary and have had pay raises yearly. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Hygiene can be stressful when it comes to time management. Some patients require more time than what you have been alloted and if you fall behind, it can be stressful. |
| Task Variety | 6 | Usually, my days are pretty similar at the office. There is variety in the patients, though. Everyone brings their own personality with them and that can be interesting. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | I'm not sure others would think my career is "cool," but I do. I enjoy learning new things daily from my patients. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | My schedule is extremely flexible and I am able to spend a lot of time with my family. I only work four days per week. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | There is constant social interaction. I am with patients all day and also have a good rapport with the staff. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: C.S. Mott Community College • Flint, MI
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 1976)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 3/16/2012
"When I was raising children, I was able to work part-time when I needed to. I enjoy the pay and benefits."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | The instructors were friendly and willing to work with the students. The campus life was lacking, which is why the rating is lowered. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 2 | I have not had a promotion in the time I have worked. I also have not had any opportunities to get one either. |
| Job Security | 10 | I have never had a problem finding a job. I can also go to any state to find work if I need to. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | Daily pay is above average for someone with an Associate's degree. Expanded duties increase the yearly pay in some states. |
| How Stressful | 10 | Working with the public can be stressful. Many patients are fearful of seeing the dental hygienist, which puts a lot of stress on me as well. |
| Task Variety | 2 | The only variance is the patients that I see. The same tasks are done over and over. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | I am respected at my job. I also feel that I am helping my patients, which is exciting for me. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | I can work as many days a week as I want. I can work in as many different offices as I want as well, working as a temporary employee or a full-time employee. |
| Social Orientation | 9 | Working with regular patients helps me get to know people and their personal lives. I also feel like they know a lot about me as well. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: Apollo College • Spokane Valley, WA
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2007)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 3/24/2012
"I do not mind the job but there is not much room for advancement. The next step up is to be the doctor."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 6 | The class size was very small. The job placement service was horrible. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | There is just not much room for advancement. The only way up is to become the dentist. |
| Job Security | 5 | Dental offices are small businesses that are having hard times. The larger chains are not great to work in. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | The money is pretty good. There is not much of a chance for a substantial raise though. |
| How Stressful | 7 | Working w/doctors of any kind is hard. Many doctors are very sure they are always right. |
| Task Variety | 6 | Since I work in a general office, we do everything. It is a lot more interesting that way. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | You get more of a "gross" than a cool factor. Putting your hands in people's mouth it not really considered cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | It really depends on your office. If the Dr. wants the day off too, you have a better chance to also be off. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | You can interact with many people, but those people usually wish they were somewhere else! |
Job Title: Part-Time Assistant Dental Hygienist
Attended: Carrington College • Portland, OR
Studied Dental Hygienist (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 3/19/2012
"I didn't expect this to be a really great job, but so far I am good at it. I am employed as a part-time assistant dental hygienist while I still go to school for my Associate Degree as a Dental Hygienist. I started school to see if I would be good at this and, since I am, I have already landed a good part-time job. I will continue my education because my employer has promised me promotions as I proceed with my education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | I like it because I receive attention when I have questions and I feel I'm getting a good education so far, considering I already found a part-time job in my field. Also, I like living in Portland and going to school here because anything is better than living in crummy Salem! |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 10 | Like I said, my employer has promised me promotions as I advance through school. He has told me he knows I'm really working hard at my job to learn all I can in addition to school. |
| Job Security | 10 | My employer is a really sweet guy who is known for giving students a chance to work for experience while they are still in school. Also, he has promised me promotions as I advance through school. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | Any job would give me a very promising earnings potential at this point in my life. The fact that I was lucky enough to find a job while still in school clinches that. |
| How Stressful | 5 | Right now, since I'm only part-time, my work stress isn't horrible. I expect it to get a bit worse when I am full-time. There are always going to be patients who just really hate being at the dentist and I have already discovered that I need to be extra-nice and patient with those people to help calm them down. |
| Task Variety | 5 | On a technical level, so far there hasn't been much variety, although I really appreciate getting the experience since I'm so new at this. The variety comes from the types of people that come through our door. Most hate it here but they will react differently to HAVING to be here, so dealing with different personalities is always interesting. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | There isn't a lot of coolness in working with dentists, especially when they have a lot of bad press about how everyone hates going to them. But I think it's pretty cool that I've already gotten out of my social rut of not working without an education, to working while getting an education. I see nothing but better things for me in the future. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | My employer wants me to succeed while I am going to school so he allows me to schedule my part-time work around my school schedule. Also, when I have a particularly difficult school schedule (such as tests), he allows me to skip work and reschedule times to make sure I get my full 20-hour week in. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | Right now I'm too busy to spare time for much socializing with the people I work with. I like everyone there and have been invited to several parties and after-work get-togethers, but with my school workload and other personal obligations, I just can't take much time for them. |
Job Title: RDH
Attended: San Joaquin Valley College • Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2008)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 3/21/2012
"I am very satisfied with the pay. However, I have no benefits and it is very hard on my body. My neck and back ache after 4 years in the field."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | The school was well rounded and overall it was a good program. There were teachers and policies that could have been better, but it prepared me to take and pass the national and state exam. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | I do not feel that there is any chance for promotion in clinical hygiene. I would have to go back to school. After 4 years I make the same amount of money as I did when I first graduated. |
| Job Security | 10 | I have been at the same office 4 days a week since I graduated. After almost 4 years of working with the same Dentist, I feel like we have established a great working relationship. I know he depends on me as much as I depend on him. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | If you work full time, you have the ability to make very promising earnings. However, it is very demanding physically, so most hygienists do not work full time. Also, there is no room for advancement, so earning more means putting in more hours. |
| How Stressful | 7 | The schedule can be very stressful. Patients walk in over 30 mins late and you still have to do the same amount of work with half of the time. It is very easy to get behind and it is also physically stressful on the body. |
| Task Variety | 5 | I do the same thing day after day, appointment after appointment. However, the patients are all different and cases are all different. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | Cleaning teeth is not very glamorous. There is a certain amount of prestige being in the medical field, but you are not given the same amount of respect as a dentist. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | The schedule is flexible. I can take a day off if I know ahead of time and I can only work part time if I wish. However, I am only licensed in California so I cannot move out of state and work. I cannot work from home or work at another location. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | Dental Hygiene is a very intimate career. You meet someone new 8 times a day. You are often working very closely with a stranger. It takes a high level of trust to let someone work in your mouth. Social skills are key in the profession. Patients will not feel comfortable in your hands if you do not come across as outgoing and trustworthy. |
Job Title: Registered Dental Hygienist
Attended: West Los Angeles College • Culver City, CA
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 1988)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 3/21/2012
"I am burned out from the constant pressure to do more in the same allotment of time, and from the petty office politics. I am very stressed out and concerned for my health, as I am diabetic now, and need to take breaks to drink water, check my blood sugar and go to the bathroom, but am not allowed to."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | I believe the instruction I received at West LA College was very good and prepared me for the national and state board exams. The diversity of patients I saw at the UCLA clinic was a big help to me as I went into private practice. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 2 | There aren't really any opportunities to get promoted if you work private practice. I guess if you had a Bachelors or Masters degree and taught, then there could be some very limited opportunities for promotion. |
| Job Security | 5 | The current poor economic climate right now means people put off dental work until absolutely necessary. I know dental offices are not hiring hygienists now like they did 10 years ago, and I have been sent home early for lack of work more in the last 3 years than in the 15 before. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | As stated previously, there is very little upward mobility in earnings potential. Most dentists do not value the experience of a dental hygienist and prefer to pay the lowest rate to new grads who are desperate to pay off huge student loans. Often, new grads lack the maturity and people skills that are needed in the dental office. |
| How Stressful | 9 | You have to keep patients happy, you have to keep the doctor happy, and then your co-workers can undermine you at every turn. You are constantly asked to do more and more in the same amount of time per patient. I am seeing my colleagues leaving the profession due to stress related illnesses. |
| Task Variety | 2 | You had better like doing the same thing over and over again if you want to be a hygienist. There is very little variation in the day-to-day tasks. Most dental offices view variations in the daily schedule as exceedingly unpleasant and do not demonstrate a positive "can-do" attitude. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | I think there is a public perception that this is an easy way to make money, but that is not true at all. Most patients will respect you and think that you are educated and have their best interests in mind, but some still treat you worse than their manicurist, and think a trained monkey could do your job. |
| Career Flexibility | 4 | Licensing requirements, which vary from state to state, can make moving to another state very difficult. There obviously are no work at home options. There are very limited opportunities for advanced practice alternatives. Part time work is readily available, but if you need to support a family with full time work and medical benefits, there are very few opportunities |
| Social Orientation | 7 | You have to be an effective communicator to be a successful hygienist. There is constant interaction with staff and patients. |
Job Title: RDH
Attended: Concorde Career College • Garden Grove, CA
Studied Dental Hygienist (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 3/21/2012
"I like that my job pays well. It's kind of mundane, though."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | The school had new facilities, which was great. The program was accelerated which made it challenging. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 2 | There's no room to move up. The job is what it is. |
| Job Security | 8 | My job will never go away. Some doctors, however, are doing their own cleaning. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | The base pay is great. I usually work 3 days a week and can substantially increase my pay by working more days. |
| How Stressful | 5 | There's no more stress than any other job. Not a lot can go wrong when cleaning teeth. |
| Task Variety | 2 | There is no variety. It is what it is. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | There's nothing cool about being a hygienist. It's respected, though. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | I can set my own days. If I want to make more money, I just work more days. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | Most of the co-workers are subordinate to me. There isn't much chance to interact socially outside of the office. |
Job Title: Registered Dental Hygienist
Attended: Pacific University • Forest Grove, OR
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2014)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/28/2012
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | I went to a very small school, so some resources were limited. The labs were not like others that I've heard students from other schools talk about. We did not have a high volume of patients to work on either. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 2 | There are not really any options within the dental office for advancing or getting promoted as a dental hygienist. You could use your experience to move to a career as office manager, sales rep for a dental products company, etc. |
| Job Security | 8 | People will always need their teeth cleaned. Healthcare is a very secure industry. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | The wage is great for a dental hygienist. Significant promotions are not really likely. You are what you are and do not have much room to move up. |
| How Stressful | 6 | This is a pretty laid back job. As with every position, you have your rough days, but they are manageable. You'll always make it home for dinner. |
| Task Variety | 6 | I do the same things every day, but the mouths and teeth are different. Some days are harder because you might have 3 or 4 hard patients compared to a day without any. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | I get to wear scrubs to work every day! That is like wearing pajamas! I am basically a nurse for the mouth, seems pretty cool to me. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | Days and hours are very flexible. I obviously cannot work from home, but part-time to full-time is always an option. Private practices are the best as they do not work evenings or weekends. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | The patient offers a good deal of interaction. I communicate with the doctor during his exam. Interaction with staff members is also required to ensure good patient flow. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: University Of Missouri Kansas City • Kansas City, MO
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 4/4/2012
"My job is very repetitive and there is not much excitement in my day to day work life. The pay is decent, but not what I was expecting to make."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | The teachers were intelligent but wanted to go through the motions of the program. All of our equipment was in good working order and with current technology standards. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | My job is very specific and I can really only clean teeth. The only promotion I can get is manager of other hygienists. |
| Job Security | 10 | There will always be a need for clean teeth. I will always have somewhere to work that will offer me a stable income. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | My pay is based on production. The more I work, the more I make. |
| How Stressful | 3 | I have little stress. The only stress I have is working to support myself. If I want money I have to work. |
| Task Variety | 2 | I do the same thing every day. My job is boring, but it's good pay. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | Not many people like being inside someone's mouth. A lot of the patients have nasty perio disease, and this is not very cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 4 | I have a schedule that I have to adhere to or I will get fired. I can switch shifts, but if I want money I have to work. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I always have new patients and I interact with all walks of life. I also interact with my coworkers. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist - Partner
Attended: University Of Pittsburgh • Pittsburgh, PA
Studied Pre-Med (completion in 2000)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 4/6/2012
"The salary is only mediocre whereas getting the pre-med degree was close to impossible. However, the hours aren't bad so I don't mind as much."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | University of Pittsburgh has a really good medical program. In addition, the UPitt hospital was a great place for gaining experience. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | I don't have the education level needed to advance in the field. However, it wouldn't be hard to get a promotion if I went back to school. |
| Job Security | 7 | They are always in need of more assistance at this practice, so I don't think I would get fired any time soon. However, dental hygienists are pretty replaceable, so I can't be sure. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | The salary isn't bad, I mean it's higher than average. However, even with experience, I don't see any significant raises in the future. |
| How Stressful | 5 | Working with patients puts a lot of pressure on your quality of work. However, my job isn't hard, so you get used to it. |
| Task Variety | 2 | I pretty much do the same thing every day. I'm mainly doing the routine twice a year cleans, the only difference would be when patients ask for the fluoride treatment. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | Working at a dental practice makes the job "prestigious." However, it's not the same as being one of the lead dentists. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | This might be rare, but the practice I work for lets us choose our own hours. I made my own schedule, but it would be hard to change anything without a week or two's notice. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | This job requires constant interaction with patients, so I meet new people everyday. The thing is, they are not always pleasurable to work with. |
Job Title: Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH)
Attended: Indiana University Northwest • Gary, IN
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2009)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 4/7/2012
"I was trained by several well-respected professionals, and am overall satisfied. My only regret is that the training wasn't as hands-on as I had anticipated."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | Compared to other Indiana schools, this one is above average. Overall, an excellent program. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | I am ambitious, but plan on starting a family, and don't think I'll be able to handle any more than a job with more flexible hours. I still feel that I'll have the opportunity, however. |
| Job Security | 7 | Jobs are very difficult to find at the moment, though I'm confident the job market will pick up in the near future. |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | I believe any job in the medical field has great potential. People will always need dental hygienists. |
| How Stressful | 7 | I work with a wide variety of people. Some are very difficult to be around day after day. It can be stressful, but at the same time it's rewarding. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Daily tasks are fairly consistent. Sometimes I will have an odd job to do. Nothing out of the ordinary for my job, however. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | I work among many young people. It seems to be a relatively "Cool" career, from my experience. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | It all depends on the nature of the work at the particular office one works at. Though for the most part, it's a flexible career. |
| Social Orientation | 9 | I see several people a day. I often interact with each and every patient that comes through the door. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: Ferris State University • Big Rapids, MI
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2009)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 4/6/2012
"I am very satisfied with my career as it brings together everything I love. Helping people is just such a great perk."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | The program was great. The curriculum was engaging, the tuition was affordable, and the campus was great. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | There really is not much room for advancement. I have moved really as high as I can get at my current position. |
| Job Security | 10 | My job is very secure as my boss needs me. We are lacking in quality dental hygienists, as many get fired for being unprofessional. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | I could definitely be compensated better. I mean I do have an associates degree after all, you'd think I would be paid better. |
| How Stressful | 7 | It can be very hectic trying to do a quality job and rush through patients. It really depends on how many patients we have. |
| Task Variety | 5 | There is a lot of repetition in my position. Processes are pretty standardized, but every person is different and occasionally unconventional methods are needed. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | I think dental hygiene is so wonderful. So many people let their teeth rot, and I get to help correct that. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | Demands can place constraints on time. Service positions require you to be there when the people are. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | I get to interact with my peers occasionally. The main plus is that I get to interact with the patients often, when they can speak. |
Job Title: Dental Hygienist
Attended: Florida State College At Jacksonville • Jacksonville, FL
Studied Dental Hygiene (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 3/29/2012
"I graduated two years ago and was immediately hired by a local dentist. I choose my hours and I am paid very well."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | The school I attended was very high-tech and I enjoyed the program director. My only complaint was that I had to commute about an hour each way to get to the campus. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | In the office I work for, there are not many opportunities for promotion due to the nature of the career. We get bonuses based on performance, but not promotions. |
| Job Security | 10 | I have great job security with the dentist I work for because I was very well trained and I am good at what I do. The only reason I would leave my job is if my husband got a job in another city. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | Earnings potential is relative in each field, but hygiene has a promising future. I believe some hygienists earn around $90,000, with the lowest being around $40,000. |
| How Stressful | 7 | I don't get very stressed out because I perform the same job duties day after day. There is not a lot of surprise with dental hygiene, I clean teeth and encourage gum health. |
| Task Variety | 2 | Due to the nature of the career, the job duties never change. I follow a patient schedule, and do my cleaning in sequence to how the dentist prefers his office to be run. I exclusively clean teeth and encourage gum health to my patients. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | Dental hygiene is not very cool, but I think it is a very respected career. Everyone knows their hygienist, and usually refers them to friends. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | Dental Hygiene is a very flexible career, and is great pay for part-time, if you so choose. I choose my own hours and days I work. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | Due to the nature of the job, we constantly have clients coming and going from the office. Also, my career is dealing directly with patients on a personal basis. |
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