Top 8 Dental Hygienist Schools
A dental hygienist assists a dental specialist in carrying out essential dental procedures on a patient. They mostly work in clinics, and some of their tasks include screening patients, teeth cleaning, providing dental care measures, and guiding patients on maintaining oral hygiene. Their job is in high demand, and they earn a median pay of $77,100 a year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
To become a dental hygienist, all you need is an associate degree and the relevant state licensure to start practicing the profession. Enrolling in the best trade schools for dental hygienists is essential to become qualified and catching the eye of your employer.
Best Dental Hygienist Schools
Dental hygiene associate degrees are often earned by hygienists. You need to pass any regional or state clinical board tests in addition to graduating from a recognized dental hygiene program and passing the written National Board Dental Hygiene Examination to obtain a license. Here is a list of the trade schools for dental hygienists to make your search task easier.
1. University of Bridgeport – Fones School of Dental Hygiene
The first dental hygiene school in CT and the entire globe is the Fones School of Dental Hygiene at the University of Bridgeport. The school offers a 2-year associate degree program worth 73 credits which you need to complete in 4 semesters. It includes an understanding of fundamental microbiology, preventative care, and oral health, among other things.
For you to continue your studies into the second year, the first year’s coursework must be finished with a grade of “C” or higher, equalling a total of 2.5 QRP. The school also offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in dental hygiene. Students can enroll in the dental hygiene program at UB either on-campus or online. They get both theoretical and practical training through the programs through well-experienced and trained faculty.
Students are encouraged to obtain experience and self-assurance to fill roles meant for those with graduate degrees. The standards set by the Commission on Dental Accreditation are fully adhered to by the Fones School of Dental Hygiene. Exams at the regional, national, and state levels are open to graduates. The university also offers financial aid on a rolling basis to eligible candidates.
2. University of Pittsburgh
The Dental Hygiene programs at the University of Pittsburgh provide an Associate of Science degree that includes a two-year curriculum in a distinctive academic setting. After completion, Pitt Dental Medicine’s Dental Hygiene Program gives students a chance to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Dental Hygiene.
It will concentrate on health sciences and include lessons in oral hygiene, dental anatomy, and pharmacology. It also incorporates the services provided by dental hygienists, including teeth cleaning, oral prophylaxis, placing dental sealants, periodontal scaling, and other procedures. More Before applying to the program, you must have completed 15 hours of shadowing a professional dental hygienist.
In addition to rotations inside the school and at several local healthcare institutions, students also acquire vital clinical experience in the oral hygiene clinic. The tuition per trimester for the associate program is $9,880. Dental hygiene students can apply for scholarships and other types of financial help. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has granted the University of Pittsburgh accreditation.
3. Texas A&M University School of Dentistry – Caruth School of Dental Hygiene
The Caruth School of Dental Hygiene, a division of the School of Dentistry, offers a bachelor’s degree that meets the educational prerequisite for state licensing. The Caruth School of Dental Hygiene trains professionals in preventive oral health. They become qualified to be licensed as dental hygienists.
After graduating, they can also offer educational, clinical, and therapeutic services that promote whole health by promoting excellent oral health. Graduates are given a variety of opportunities to prepare for various career situations and graduate study. In addition, a dental hygiene-focused Master of Science in Education for Healthcare Professionals program is available.
The Commission on Dental Accreditation has awarded the accreditation status of authorized without reporting obligations to this dental hygiene program. Students who can demonstrate a need for help are eligible for financial aid. Additionally, dental hygiene students are qualified for several grants and scholarships that are only available to undergraduate students.
4. New York University
The Associate in Applied Science or the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene is the two programs that the Office of Allied Health at New York University offers. Aspirants wanting to finish A.A.S. or B.S. degrees in dental hygiene have several practical possibilities at New York University.
Dental materials, pain management, nutrition and health, pharmacology, general and oral pathology, and other topics are covered in class. To receive an associate degree, you must complete 78 credits worth of coursework. Before graduating, students must do two internships to get the degree. Students have the flexibility to complete it in 17 months, 2 years, or 3 years depending on their capability to grasp the coursework.
The Associate’s degree can be pursued as a three-year, day or night program by those already employed in the industry. The programs offered at the university include a combination of class sessions and practical training in addition to online lessons. The Commission on Dental Accreditation has given the dental hygiene programs accreditation status of approval without reporting obligations.
5. The University of Southern California (Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry)
The University of Southern California’s Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry has been educating students in the study of oral hygiene for more than 80 years. A Bachelor’s-Doctorate curriculum is offered in addition to the standard Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene. It is a six-year, specialized program of more extensive training that results in both a Bachelor’s and a Doctorate in Dental Surgery.
For professionals with full-time workers who are already in their area, an online master’s degree is available. The standard Bachelor’s degree program consists of five semesters and needs 88 units for completion, including 12 units for general education and 76 units for dental hygiene. Classes could include Geriatric and Special Patients, Infection Control, Dental Morphology Lab, Pain & Anxiety Control, and Patient Education in Preventive Dental Care.
By working as a volunteer at a dental practice or shadowing a dental hygienist, students are encouraged to get clinical experience while they are in school. The U.S. Department of Education-recognized independent organization, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), has granted the dental school full accreditation.
6. Shoreline Community College
You may get the training you need at Shoreline Community College to become a dental hygienist through the Associate of Applied Arts and Sciences in Dental Hygiene. It is a two-year associate degree program with 117 credits. You will learn how to conduct oral health screenings, create x-rays, advise patients on excellent dental hygiene, study head, and neck anatomy, and much more through classroom and clinical training.
You can become ready for a job at a public health institution, a private dentistry office, a nursing home, a hospital, or a clinic at Shoreline Community College. At the University of Washington School of Dentistry’s dental hygiene clinic, students get hands-on clinical experience. Required for each course is a grade of 2.5 or above.
The American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) has granted Shoreline Community College accreditation. The tuition fee ranges from $150 to $3000 for each quarter semester for the program. The students can pay the fee through federal aid, grants, and scholarships; all are available through the college.
7. Carrington College
To become a Dental Hygienist, Carrington College provides a two-year Associate degree program. Arizona, Idaho, and two sites in California are among the states that offer their dental practice program. On top of that, when you have completed the program, you will be ready to take your licensing test.
The emphasis of the coursework is on thorough lessons intended to teach students about the roles and duties of dental hygienists in oral healthcare as they develop outstanding ethical standards and communication skills. The program prepares in a variety of subjects, including how to remove plaque and stains, take x-rays, update patient records, teach patients about their mouth hygiene, and other skills.
You will also research to sustain the advancement of oral health. The school provides practical instruction so that students can have a better grasp of these subjects. The students can pay the total tuition fee of $55,600 for the program through scholarships, grants, and federal aid. The Commission on Dental Accreditation has granted accreditation to the dental hygiene programs at the campuses in Sacramento, Mesa, Boise, and San Jose.
8. Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University offers a two-year Associate of Science degree program in Dental Hygiene. Students can effectively serve their community by working as Dental Hygienists in general dentistry practices in public health facilities, schools, hospitals, clinics, the military, or specialty clinics.
Among other relevant areas, you will concentrate on oral anatomy, dental pharmacology, preventative dental hygiene care, dental radiography, pain management, and community health. Once accepted into the program, students are required to maintain a “C” or better grade point average in all of their dental hygiene courses.
The required coursework must be completed with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or greater to comply with Western Kentucky University policy. Students are required to complete 15 hours of shadowing dental hygienists to get enrolment in the program. The American Dental Association’s Council of Dental Education/Commission on Dental Accreditation has granted the Program accreditation.
Winding Up
The industry is expected to grow at a rate of 11% in the next 10 years, making dental hygienists one of the highly in-demand jobs. Dental hygienists must be licensed in every state, albeit each one has different standards.