How to Become a Certified Dental Hygienist

You can launch a dental hygiene career in two years or less.

Dental hygienists are trained to remove hard and soft deposits from teeth, educate patients about oral hygiene and provide preventive care. Hygienists may take x-rays to examine the teeth and develop the film. The demand for these professionals is expected to increase by 36 percent by 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prospective dental hygienists must complete a program and earn state certification before working in a dentist's office.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

1. Enroll in a dental hygienist program. Options for prospective dental hygienists include certificate, associate degree and bachelor's degree programs. A certificate program takes less than two years (depending on the program), an associate degree takes two years to achieve and a bachelor's degree takes four years to complete. Most people training to become dental hygienists pursue an associate degree. During the program, you will learn about oral health, radiology, anatomy and biology.

2. Earn state certification. Dental hygienists are required to get certified in all states, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most states require passing practical and written tests to examine proficiency in dental hygiene. Dental hygiene programs prepare students to pass this exam.

3. Request study guide materials from your state. Most states offer sample tests and other references for test preparation, so contact your state licensing department to see what is available.

4. Plan to recertify. After earning certification, some states require dental hygienists to recertify every other year, while others require recertification every five years. Usually, a recertification application will be sent to you at the appropriate time. You may also need to pursue continuing education or take an additional examination.

Tips & Warnings

• Dental hygienists who are considering working in a school health program or teaching dental hygienist courses need to secure a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

• Send your recertification application back to the state well before the deadline. Some states require 30 days or more to process these applications. Don’t wait too long and risk a lapse in state certification.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Dental Hygienist
• Commission on Dental Accreditation: Find Programs
• American Dental Hygienists: Continuing Education