Dental Hygiene
Get in on one of the fastest growing occupations
Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene
An increasing demand for dental care has led to major career opportunities for dental hygienists. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in this field is expected to grow 30% through 2016 making it one of the fastest growing occupations in America today.
The need for dental services will continue to grow due to the aging of the population and the renewed focus on preventative care. To keep costs down, dental offices and other care facilities will increasingly employ dental hygienists to perform services that were traditionally handled by dentists.
Dental hygienists perform a wide range of duties including:
- Examining patients’ teeth and gums
- Recording the presence of diseases or abnormalities
- Removing soft and hard deposits from teeth
- Teaching patients how to practice good oral hygiene
- Taking x-rays and developing film
- Applying cavity-preventative agents such as fluorides and pit and fissure sealants
Hygienists sometimes make a diagnosis and other times may prepare clinical and laboratory diagnostic tests for the dentist to review and interpret. Hygienists sometimes work with the dentist during treatments.
Check out all of our available
Dental Hygiene Programs.
If you’re up for a challenge, this is a wonderful career.
Successful Dental Hygienists are truly dedicated to helping their patients. Their work requires them to stand on their feet most of the day. In addition, they play a critical role in ensuring that individual patients practice the correct preventive care on a regular basis.
A career as a dental hygienist could be right for you, if you:
- Like to work with people
- Are compassionate and supportive
- Are detail oriented
- Have an interest in teeth and dental procedures
- Like clear guidelines
- Trust facts
- Have good people and communication skills
- Feel oral health is very important
Michelle LaMark
