A Career As A Dental Hygienist

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Dental Samantha Composition I- 1510 April 14, 2012 Dental Hygiene Success comes in many forms and is a subjective term that everyone is acquainted with. Yet it means something different to each individual. To some people, success means money, power, and fame. To others, it may mean being happy with your life and what you do. I view success in the latter sense. I want my success to be measured in happiness and personal fulfillment, not in financial abundance. When I look back on my life, I want to be gratified with each decision that I have made. I have learned that one should not measure their success in wealth and popularity because once you do you will begin to rate yourself at a much lower standard. Success is believing in yourself…show more content…
I enjoy working with others as well as taking care of others. I take pride in what I do; therefore I prefer to do things to the best of my abilities. I hope that dental hygiene is a career that works well with my home life as well as any desires that I may have in going back to school to further my education. I know many people that have enjoyed working as a dental hygienist because the flexible scheduling enables their ability to go back to school or enjoy family life. To become a dental hygienist, a high school diploma and an associate’s degree in dental hygiene are required. Licensure is required by all 50 states and must be obtained from completing an accredited program and pass a written and clinical examination. The American Dental Association’s Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations administers the written exam and the state in which you reside administers the clinical examinations. To work in a private dental office, they require a minimum of an associate’s degree or certification in dental hygiene. If one is interested in doing research or teaching in public or school health programs, a bachelor’s or master’s degree is required…show more content…
In five years, I hope to have finished my two-year program and have employment in a private dental office. When considering advancement in this career, I am unsure if I want to continue my education to become a dentist. As a student, I know that I have the opportunity to plan ahead and decide what is in my best interest. I often think about pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the event that I decide that I would like to work in a school setting as an instructor. However, I currently feel that I should focus on getting from one point to the next. I have made many ‘life decisions’ since graduating high school and rather than try and think that far ahead, I prefer to
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