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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:

  • Accreditation - Is the program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (CODA)? There are about 270 CODA accredited dental hygiene programs in the US. CODA accreditation helps ensure a quality program that leads to proficiency and employability. Most states require completion of a CODA certified program to qualify for licensure.
  • Graduate success - In recent years, what percentage of graduates passed national and state exams? For reference, nearly 100 percent of the graduates of the respected Raymond Walters College dental hygiene program successfully complete licensing examinations. Nearly 100 percent of graduates from the Iowa Western Community College program pass national exams. What job placement services are offered by the school and program? What percentage of recent graduates are working as dental hygienists? Where are they getting jobs?
  • Graduation rate - What percentage of the students graduate from the program? For reference, the Coastal Carolina Community College dental hygiene program recently graduated 88 percent of its students. The graduation rate is an indicator of the quality of the program.
  • Clinical experience - Clinical training is vital; does the program incorporate substantial supervised clinical practice? For reference, the Harcum College dental hygiene program's clinic training spans three semesters. Some programs broaden students' training with clinical rotations outside of the campus, for example the popular Harcum College (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) dental hygiene program includes clinical rotations in hospitals, geriatric facilities and various community sites. Another consideration is flexibility of working in other states -- for instance does the program include coursework in clinical skills that are not licensed by the school's state, but in other states where the student may wish to live and work at some point?
  • Class structure - Are classes small enough to facilitate learning? For reference, the popular Coastal Carolina Community College dental hygiene program accepts 24 students each year, the University of Mississippi Medical Center program accepts 25 students and Iowa Western Community College accepts 20 students.
  • Emphasis and focus - Does the program heavily emphasize preparation for national and state exams? How well does the program support the student's long term career goals?
  • Admission requirements - In addition to a high school diploma, does the program list prerequisite courses? Are students required to provide college entrance exam scores?
  • Tuition and financial aid - What program-specific scholarships, as well as grants, work / study and student loan options are available?

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.

 

  Example Job Titles

  • Dental Hygienist
  • Dental Nurse
  • Hygienist
  • Oral Hygienist
  • Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH)