How to Get a Job in Dental Radiology
Dental radiology is used to produce images that detail the internal structure of a patient's mouth and jaw. You can get a job in this field without going to medical school, but you'll need to train as a dental hygienist.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Enroll in a dental hygienist diploma program at a local college. Some schools have study tracks that you can complete in 1 to 2 years, depending on whether you go full-time or part-time. Be sure that the school offers training in basic dental radiology before you sign up.
-
2
Consider going to school for a bachelor's or master's degree in Dental Science. Note that some of these programs may be 5 years long, with the extra year spent observing and interning at various offices. This degree offers greater upward mobility than an associate's degree, but costs more and requires other advanced courses.
-
-
3
Take a course that focuses on identifying the various dental conditions and states that can be detected with radiology. While the head dentist at the practice will probably be the one to analyze the images, this knowledge will still be an important skill for your job and may allow you to work in other fields beside dental hygiene.
-
4
Complete all of the state requirements for a dental hygienist license, including training for working with radiological equipment. Understand that you may have to complete additional tests if you choose to relocate to another state where your license isn't valid. Check whether there are new requirements when you renew your license.
-
5
Contact the offices and hospitals where you interned and find out whether there are any open positions. If you can't get a job at one of those locations, ask your school for help finding employment in your area. For more jobs, check with your local branch of the American Dental Hygienist Association (see Resources below).
-
6
Examine your options for going back to school for an advanced degree to help get a more specialized job in the field of dental radiology. For example, if you finished a bachelor of science degree in dentistry, then you should have the background needed to start a master's program in another science field. Areas such as physics and engineering can help you get involved in the research and development side of dental radiology.
-
1
