The highest degree you can earn in the field of dentistry is a doctorate in dentistry – either a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD).
A dental hygiene degree is not one of the qualifications needed to apply for dental school. While it’s possible to use your experience as a hygienist to transition into a career as a dentist, you will likely have minimal advantage when applying for dental school.
Learn more about our bachelor's degree in dental hygiene
BLS pay estimates calculate the median annual wage for various occupations. Per the BLS the median wage for an occupation is: "The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount, and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey." Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2024. BLS median wage estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geographic market in which you want to work, and degree level and field, will affect career outcomes, including starting salary and earnings as an experienced employee. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the median salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, particular wage or salary, or other career growth.
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