Dental Hygiene
Careers
A career in dental hygiene focuses on patient education, prevention, and dental therapeutics. Dental hygienists are key members of the oral health care team. Dental Hygienists use interpersonal and clinical skills to meet and maintain oral health care needs of their patients.
There are career opportunities for licensed practitioners in general practice or in specialized areas such as pediatric dentistry or periodontics (treatment of gum disease). Career options include: clinician, educator, advocate, administrator/manager, or researcher.
The job outlook for dental hygienists is excellent and is expected to remain so. According to U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- Employment of dental hygienists is expected to “grow much faster than average for all occupations through 2014”
- Dental hygiene ranks among the fastest growing occupations
- Demand for dental care is increasing and hygienists are performing many services previously performed by dentists
- Flexible scheduling is available in many settings, and more than half of all dental hygienists work part-time (less than 35 hours per week)