FAQ

I just finished my dental hygienist training and now seek dental hygienist employment. Does a dental hygienist receive benefits in addition to his or her annual dental hygienist salary?

Most full-time dental hygienists receive a dental hygienist benefit package that includes health insurance coverage, membership dues for a professional organization, paid vacations, sick leave and tuition assistance for dental hygienist continuing education. Dental hygienist benefit packages vary depending on practice setting.

Do any states allow for independent dental hygienist practices?

The American Dental Hygienists' Association recognizes 19 states, including Colorado and California, as having "varying forms of unsupervised practice or less restrictive supervision." Many dental hygienists want to be legally allowed to provide care in their own offices (rather than a dentist's office) and treat patients who need such care as regular teeth cleaning but cannot physically or financially afford to visit a dentist.

What does a dental hygienist do?

A dental hygienist removes deposits from teeth, examines teeth and gums for disease or abnormalities and takes care to remove tartar, stains and plaque from teeth. A dental hygienist can also perform planing of roots, take x-rays and apply agents such as cavity-preventing fluoride.

What does dental hygienist training entail?

To become a dental hygienist, he or she must pursue formal education--hygienist school that eventually awards a dental hygienist certificate. The most prevalent dental hygienist requirement for receiving a dental hygiene degree consists of two-year dental hygienist education, particularly science and general education prerequisites. Hygienist schools instruct dental hygienist students on anatomy, oral anatomy, material science, pharmacology, periodontology, nutrition and clinical studies.

Is the dental hygienist job outlook for women and minorities encouraging?

Indeed. Women, in particular, have a strong place in the field of dental hygiene. In fact, approximately 97.5% of the 13,031 students enrolled in dental hygienist programs in 2002 and 2003 were women. Out of those enrolled in dental hygienist programs in 2002 and 2003, minority students of dental hygiene represented about 14.0%.