You may have heard that dental hygienists make good money and work steadily. You have also seen ads for training programs, and you are wondering if it is really worth it. Before you enroll in those classes, you should learn a bit about what a hygenist does during treatment and what to expect a typical day to look like.
Cleaning Teeth
According to TempMee, one of the most important things a dental hygenist does during treatment is clean teeth. When a person brushes their teeth, there is a certain amount of plaque and tartar that does not come off. A dental hygienist will have a special tool to remove the plaque called a scaler. They will also have a different perspective on the situation than a person would if they were cleaning their teeth. Using a scaler is dangerous, and only a trained professional should do it. If people try it on their own teeth, they may damage the enamel
A dental hygenist may also give children fluoride treatments. They will apply sealants to teeth in order to protect them. Dental sealants are thin protective coatings that are applied to the back of the teeth to protect the chewing surface from damage and cavities.
A hygienist will also take x-rays of a person's teeth. They will go over those x-rays with a doctor to make a treatment plan. You have to be patient to take dental x-rays. It involves taking pictures of different sections of the mouth. The plates will often slip inside the patient's mouth while you are taking the picture, and you will have to reposition them and start over.
After a dentist examines the patient, the hygenist will document the results of an exam and write up a treatment plan for the patient. They will give the patient instructions for aftercare and answer any follow-up questions.
What kind of training does a dental hygenist have?
A dental hygenist goes through about three years of formal training, where they will learn in a classroom, lab, and clinic. Community colleges and trade schools often offer dental hygenist programs.
A dental hygenist must take several college-level core requirements to become a certified dental hygenist. Those classes will include:
- Nutrition
- Psychology
- Chemistry
- Physiology
- English
- Anatomy
- Biology
Dental hygienists will have to learn about human anatomy just like a nurse in a doctor's office. In addition, they will take a dental ethics class where they will discuss such things as the morality of selling certain dental products and the importance of doing some charity work. They will also learn about gum disease.
Dental hygienists must be licensed to practice. The state of Florida has certain criteria for getting a dental hygenist license.
The Florida dentistry board does not have reciprocity with other states and does not issue licenses for other states. That means that if you practice dentistry in Florida, you will have to be licensed here. In order to practice as hygienist, a person must be:
- At least 18 years of age.
- A graduate of a dental hygiene college or training program accredited by the Commission or accredited by the American Dental Association or a dental hygiene program that is recognized by the Department of Education.
- A graduate of postsecondary dental training that is at least four years long. It must offer a diploma comparable to a D.D.S or a D.M.D even if it is unaccredited.
They must also pass an exam administered by the Dental Hygiene National Board. If they are a graduate of a non-accredited school, they can complete the National Board Dental Examination or the Dental Hygiene National Board Examination.
Where to Get a Job
Although it takes a long time to become a dental hygienist, once you are trained and certified, you can start making good money. Dental hygienists have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. People will always need to go to the dentist, and dentists will always need the assistance of a hygienist.
You can get your first job through your school's employment office. Paid internships often turn into regular jobs. When you are ready to move on, there are several different ways you can find employment.
Dental employment agencies place people in jobs every day. They maintain a large database of dental professionals. Dental offices call in when they need help, and a recruiting specialist at the employment agency will begin looking for a qualified candidate.
If you sign up with one of these agencies, you are likely to get a job. However, you might not be offered the best opportunities the office can give you. An agency will often just call the dental professionals in the database until they find someone to send to their client. In other cases, they will contact the most experienced person first. It may take a while to find a job you like.
You can also look on job boards to find a hygenist position. Several boards dedicate themselves to the dental profession. Some job boards are not current. People will often leave ads up long after the job fills.
Dental temporary apps are the latest way to connect dental offices and dental professionals. They work similarly to a rideshare app. When a dental office wants a hygenist, it posts a job. The post creates a notification for every dental hygenist who uses the app.
When a hygenist is interested in a job, they can accept it. The dentist's office receives a notification and will approve or deny the temporary. Most of the jobs on these apps will be temporary at first. However, they can lead to permanent jobs.
Dental hygienists are so in demand that many work as freelancers simply for the freedom it offers. They can work any time they want, and they can work anywhere in the state. The apps are perfect for finding daily work.
Dental hygiene is one of the most stable professions a person can go into. It may take a while to get qualified, but when you do, you will never find yourself unemployed again.
