Overview of responsibilities

If you like helping people, enjoy working with your hands as well as your mind, and are interested in helping prevent disease while assisting patients to maintain their health, a career as a dental hygienist might be for you.

Dental hygienists are important members of the dental health care team. They work with dentists in the delivery of dental care to patients. Hygienists use their knowledge and clinical skills to provide dental hygiene care for patients. They use their interpersonal skills to motivate and instruct patients on methods to prevent oral disease and to maintain oral health.

Dental hygienists are a valuable asset in a dental practice. Besides performing technical duties, they play an important role in teaching patients appropriate oral hygiene techniques and counseling them regarding good nutrition and its impact on oral health.

Education

The majority of community college dental hygiene programs take at least two years to complete, with graduates receiving associate degrees. Receipt of this degree allows a hygienist to take licensure examinations (national and state or regional), become licensed and to work in a dental office. University-based dental hygiene programs may offer baccalaureate and master's degrees, which generally require at least two additional years of schooling and might be required to embark on a career in teaching and/or research, as well as for clinical practice in school or public health programs.

Wage data

Source: Wisconsin's WORKnet, 2005

Schools with dental hygiene programs in Wisconsin

Chippewa Valley Technical College
Eau Claire, WI
www.cvtc.edu

Fox Valley Technical College
Appleton, WI
www.fvtc.edu

Madison Area Technical College
Madison, WI
www.matcmadison.edu

Milwaukee Area Technical College
Milwaukee, WI
www.matc.edu

Northcentral Technical College
Wausau, WI
www.ntc.edu

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
Green Bay, WI
www.nwtc.edu

Waukesha County Technical College
Pewaukee, WI
www.wctc.edu

Western Technical College
La Crosse, WI
www.westerntc.edu

For more information

American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA)
444 N. Michigan Ave.
Suite 3400
Chicago, IL 60611-3902
312-440-8900
FAX: 312-440-8929
www.adha.org
(The ADHA is the national professional organization for dental hygienists.)

More information on a career in dental hygiene can also be found online at ADA.org. Be sure to ask your dental hygienist about a career in dental hygiene.