May 25, 2009
You Don’t Have to Go to Dental School to Become a Dental Hygienist
According to the most recent version of the online Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment opportunities for dental hygienists are expected to grow this year by 30%. That is faster than the average growth of ALL jobs listed in the handbook, and the prospects for the future of dental hygienists remain excellent. So if you’re searching for a new career, this is a great one to explore. It’s a wise idea to check out the in-depth description in the handbook to determine whether or not you have the temperament to be a dental hygienist, as it’s a profession which presents its share of challenges to go along with the extreme advantages.
You don’t necessarily have to go to dental school for dental hygiene training, but you have to be licensed by your state, which requires taking a licensing exam. There are a variety of ways to get your dental hygiene training in Boston or outlying areas. You can, of course, attend a dental school, but you can also attend community and technical colleges along with universities.
The pathways to become licensed through training vary somewhat, and many institutions have different requirements to get into their programs. For example, some require that you be a high school graduate, while many others prefer that you have a year or two of college. It’s a good idea to contact each school or training program to check on their individual requirements and costs.
The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is located directly in Boston and offers a B.S. degree in dental hygiene from its Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene. Northeastern University has a dental hygiene training program, and there are a number of associate programs and technical schools located in other areas of Massachusetts.
Most dental hygienist jobs are with private self-employed dentists, but there are some in hospitals, as well. Flexible schedules are widely available in dental practices, so you can easily work part-time, or even have two part-time jobs in different dental offices. Do your research carefully to ensure yourself a bright future.
