The career I am researching is a dental hygienist. Although my NCC career interest results did not suggest this career for me, it is still something I am passionate about and want to pursue for the rest of my life. Dental hygiene is located in the Health Science field under the Nebraska Career Connections diagram, and is specifically identified as a “Therapeutic Service.”
Dental hygiene has been around since the late 1800s, and is still evolving today, due to new technological advancements. Dental hygiene work began in the 1880s, when women given the title “dental nurses” were hired by a man named Alfred C. Fones, and began treating people's’ teeth in an attempt to prevent disease. It wasn’t soon after that other hirees began polishing and cleaning teeth, similar to the practice that is done today by hygienists. The typical job of a dental hygienist is to clean teeth, examine oral areas for disease, and take X-rays. Along with this, hygienists also inspect patients’ neck and mouth areas for possible cancers or diseases. Dental hygienists often work in an office along with a dentist and other hygienists. In special cases, they can also work in the community during public health screenings, or in nursing homes or hospitals. Hygienists are located across the country, as well as many regions of the world. Employment for this job is seen highest in coastal states. The education needed to become a dental hygienist is a rigorous path, but has a very rewarding outcome. …show more content…
There are two options for dental hygiene, those being an associate’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree. Both require students to study at a higher institution that specializes in dental hygiene. Prior to this, students must take prerequisites in college that are needed before applying to a dental school. Once a degree is obtained, hygienists must also register in the state they intend to work in before beginning their career. An example of this schooling would be UNMC, specifically the dental hygiene program. Approximately two years of prerequisites are required before applicants can apply. If selected, students study at the dental school for two years minimum at a different location than where their pre-reqs were taken. A possible path is a student studying the first two years at UNL in Lincoln, NE, and then transferring over to the UNMC Dental Hygiene college at another part of the UNL campus. Tuition for the program only is around $30,000. According to (“Dental Hygiene”), the average salary of a dental hygienist is approximately $55,303. However, this number ranges; another source states that the range of pay for hygienists in the United States is between $61,137-81,074. Another important part of this career is the change in job openings around the country. The projected growth of this occupation is expected to rise 20% by 2026, (speaking from 2016.) Due to the constant need for oral care, as the population grows, the demand for hygienists will grow as well. Occupations that are similar to dental hygienists are the following: Dentists, Dental Assistants, and Medical Assistants. The study Dentists do is similar to Hygienists, but is more in depth about diagnosis and treatment for oral disease. Dental Assistants also do similar work as Hygienists, but do not clean teeth. Dental Assistants usually focus on taking x-rays, scheduling appointments, and recordkeeping. Medical Assistants are not related to the dental aspect, but work on tasks similar to those
Dental hygiene has been around since the late 1800s, and is still evolving today, due to new technological advancements. Dental hygiene work began in the 1880s, when women given the title “dental nurses” were hired by a man named Alfred C. Fones, and began treating people's’ teeth in an attempt to prevent disease. It wasn’t soon after that other hirees began polishing and cleaning teeth, similar to the practice that is done today by hygienists. The typical job of a dental hygienist is to clean teeth, examine oral areas for disease, and take X-rays. Along with this, hygienists also inspect patients’ neck and mouth areas for possible cancers or diseases. Dental hygienists often work in an office along with a dentist and other hygienists. In special cases, they can also work in the community during public health screenings, or in nursing homes or hospitals. Hygienists are located across the country, as well as many regions of the world. Employment for this job is seen highest in coastal states. The education needed to become a dental hygienist is a rigorous path, but has a very rewarding outcome. …show more content…
There are two options for dental hygiene, those being an associate’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree. Both require students to study at a higher institution that specializes in dental hygiene. Prior to this, students must take prerequisites in college that are needed before applying to a dental school. Once a degree is obtained, hygienists must also register in the state they intend to work in before beginning their career. An example of this schooling would be UNMC, specifically the dental hygiene program. Approximately two years of prerequisites are required before applicants can apply. If selected, students study at the dental school for two years minimum at a different location than where their pre-reqs were taken. A possible path is a student studying the first two years at UNL in Lincoln, NE, and then transferring over to the UNMC Dental Hygiene college at another part of the UNL campus. Tuition for the program only is around $30,000. According to (“Dental Hygiene”), the average salary of a dental hygienist is approximately $55,303. However, this number ranges; another source states that the range of pay for hygienists in the United States is between $61,137-81,074. Another important part of this career is the change in job openings around the country. The projected growth of this occupation is expected to rise 20% by 2026, (speaking from 2016.) Due to the constant need for oral care, as the population grows, the demand for hygienists will grow as well. Occupations that are similar to dental hygienists are the following: Dentists, Dental Assistants, and Medical Assistants. The study Dentists do is similar to Hygienists, but is more in depth about diagnosis and treatment for oral disease. Dental Assistants also do similar work as Hygienists, but do not clean teeth. Dental Assistants usually focus on taking x-rays, scheduling appointments, and recordkeeping. Medical Assistants are not related to the dental aspect, but work on tasks similar to those