鈥淥pen up!鈥 Those words instill panic in the hearts of many. You鈥檒l be the hero who calms their nerves, cleans their teeth, and urges them to become more diligent flossers when you enter the world of dental hygiene. As a dental hygiene major, you鈥檒l learn the fundamentals of oral health and nutrition, the anatomy of the mouth, and how to promote oral safety and care. You鈥檒l also learn about dental care laws and how to manage patients safely. And you鈥檒l come away armed with the knowledge to help patients develop a dental hygiene plan to protect and care for their teeth, thus making this world a cleaner, whiter place.
Because a large part of being a dental hygienist is educating patients about oral health, you鈥檒l gain a wide variety of related skills. Primarily you鈥檒l be providing your patients with preventive care鈥攅nsuring their dental health now and in the future. To that end, you鈥檒l learn how to screen for oral cancer, how to take and analyze x-rays, how to administer fluoride, and how to remove deposits from the teeth. Your learning will be both classroom- and lab-based, and eventually you鈥檒l practice your newfound skills on real patients. Woo-hoo! A strong knowledge in the sciences as well as good communication skills are vital for success in dental hygiene.
Dental hygiene programs are generally two years in length, and you鈥檒l graduate with an associate鈥檚 degree. To actually become a dental hygienist, you must pass a national written exam and fulfill your state鈥檚 requirements for certification.
Clinical Dental Hygiene
Dental Hygiene Techniques
Dental Law and Ethics
Dental Materials
Dental Radiology
Infection and Hazard Control
Medical Emergencies
Oral Health and Nutrition
Oral Histology
Pain Control
Pathology
Patient Management
Periodontics
Preventive Dentistry
Tooth Morphology
Becoming solidly versed in the sciences鈥攅specially biology and chemistry鈥攚ill give you a great head start on your college studies. And since you鈥檒l need to be an expert communicator, don鈥檛 neglect humanities courses like English and languages, where you鈥檒l perfect your written and oral skills. Take advantage of any health or anatomy courses your school offers, too鈥攁nd pay close attention when talk turns to teeth.
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