Dental Hygiene Information

General Information

Dental hygiene career information and a listing of accredited programs can be found at www.adha.org

Dental hygienists are oral health clinicians and educators who help the public develop and maintain good oral health. As members of the dental health team, dental hygienists may perform preventative and therapeutic services under the supervision of a dentist. Specific responsibilities of the hygienist vary depending on the laws of the state in which she or he is employed. These responsibilities may include removing deposits and stains from the patient's teeth, providing instruction for patient self-care, nutritional counseling, applying topical fluoride to prevent tooth decay, taking dental and medical histories, exposing and developing x-rays, making impressions of teeth for study models, and preparing other diagnostic aids for use by the dentist. Many hygienists are involved with school districts to help promote dental health among children.

Education

Degrees in dental hygiene are granted by a wide variety of colleges, universities, and technical schools. BYU does not offer a degree in dental hygiene; however, the prerequisite requirements for entrance into a dental hygiene program may be fulfilled at BYU. The prerequisite course work varies widely from program to program. Contact the school to which you plan to apply in order to get the specific prerequisites for that school. The addresses of each dental hygiene program are available in the Health Professions Advisement Center in 380 WIDB.

Many dental hygiene programs grant an associate degree, others a bachelor's degree. An associate degree takes two years of course work. A bachelor's degree requires four years of study. Completion of an associate degree is usually adequate for the dental hygienist to practice in a private dental office. A bachelor's degree is usually required to do research, teach, or work in public health programs. The curriculum includes courses in basic sciences, dental sciences, clinical sciences, and liberal arts.

Application

Contact individual schools for information about their requirements as well as admissions information.

Additional Resources

The following resources are available in the Health Professions Advisement Center:

• Listing of accredited dental hygiene schools with their addresses.
• Course requirements for the Weber State University hygiene program.
• General information on dental hygiene.