Dental Hygiene

Overview

Dental hygiene programs teach people to clean and protect patients' teeth.

Dental hygiene programs preapre people to instruct patients about flossing and caring for their teeth. Students learn oral anatomy, hygiene theory, and cleaning techniques. They also study ways of identifying oral diseases and injuries.

Dental hygiene programs include topics such as:

Dental anatomy, microbiology, and pathology
Cleaning equipment operation and maintenance
Dental materials
Radiology
Patient education and counseling
Office management
Professional standards

Internship

During the final year of your dental hygiene program, you complete an internship. During this period, you work with patients under the supervision of a dental hygienist.

Schools

Many community colleges and technical schools offer certificate and associate degree programs in dental hygiene. Both degree programs usually take two years of full-time study to complete.

Many colleges and universities offer bachelor’s degrees in dental hygiene. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study.

Several universities offer graduate degrees in dental hygiene. A master’s degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor’s degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

Dental Hygienists

Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

Program Admission

Proprietary schools, colleges, and universities all offer this program. If you want to study at a proprietary school, you can prepare for this program of study by completing your high school diploma or getting a GED. If you want to study at a college or university, you can prepare for this program by taking the following courses: four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Many undergraduate programs require applicants to have taken one to two years of college first. Specific prerequisite courses vary among programs, but typically include some combination of the following:

College Math
Communication
English Composition
First Aid Training and CPR
Human Anatomy
Human Physiology
Inorganic Chemistry
Introductory Chemistry
Introductory Psychology
Microbiology
Nutrition
Organic Chemistry
Social Sciences

In addition, if you are applying to a degree completion program for a bachelor's degree, you usually need to be licensed to practice dental hygiene.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Anatomy and Physiology
Dental Assisting
Food and Nutrition
Health Education
Psychology

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You must be a graduate of an accredited, entry-level dental hygiene program. You also need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good test scores.

Additional requirements at some schools include:

Letters of recommendation
Personal interview

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

Undergraduate programs that lead to an associate or bachelor's degree typically include courses in the following subjects:

Cleaning Equipment Operation and Maintenance
Dental Anatomy
Dental Emergencies
Dental Health
Dental Hygiene Techniques
Dental Microbiology
Dental Pathology
Oral Anatomy
Oral Biology
Oral Health Administration
Oral Health Education
Oral Pathology
Oral Physiology
Pain Control
Patient Management
Periodontics
Radiography

Graduate Program Courses

Graduate programs that lead to a master's degree typically include courses in the following subjects:

Advanced Clinical Techniques
Clinical Instruction
Educational Methodology
Healthcare Management
Laboratory Instruction
Research Design, Methodology, and Statistics

Students rarely do graduate work just in the general field of dental hygiene. Instead, they usually specialize in one area of the field. Possible areas include research, education, management, or public health. You're likely to first take a set of "core" courses similar to the list above. You would then take other courses that focus on your specialty.

Also, most graduate programs require the completion of some combination of the following: