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One of the fastest growing occupations today is that of a Dental Hygienist. Dental hygienists are primarily known for cleaning your teeth, but they also perform other functions such as preventive care. We’ll take a look a closer look into the career of a Dental Hygienist such as Education, job outlook, pay scale, and many other aspects of this career.

A dental hygienist is a trained and licensed professional who focuses on preventing and treating oral diseases with both teeth and gums. Dental hygienists are graduates from an accredited Dental hygiene program and have passed both written and clinical examinations. Graduates can walk away with a certificate, associates degree, bachelors’ degrees, or master’s degree. There are some differences between degrees, a bachelors or higher will allow you to teach, research, or perform clinical practice in public or in school health programs. Any of these degrees will allow you to practice in a private dental office. You can earn these degrees in as little as two years or as long as four years.

Dental hygienists perform many functions such as remove soft and hard deposits from teeth, they teach patients how to practice good oral hygiene, and provide other preventive dental care. They can examine patients’ teeth and gums, and record any findings. Dental hygienist evaluate patients' needs by performing screening procedures, which include reviewing health and dental history and taking temperature, pulse, and blood pressure. Some of their other function include examining teeth and other oral structures, taking and developing dental radiographs (X-rays), removing calculus and plaque from above and below the gum line, talking to patients on proper nutrition and appropriate oral hygiene techniques, and applying cavity-preventing agents (fluoride and sealant) to teeth. Some dental hygienists are responsible for designing and implementing dental health programs for communities and organizations. Their...