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Academic Advising - Questions answered
CLAUDIA CASAGRANDE "My daughter graduated with an Associate of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene. I am a strong advocate of the Dental Hygiene Program. I love to assist students in planning their prerequisites for the program and scheduling their classes." The Dental Hygienist is a member of the dental team, qualified and licensed to provide primary care to patients for the maintenance of oral health and prevention of oral disease. In California, the dental hygienist is licensed to remove deposits and stains form the teeth, apply agents to help prevent tooth decay, provide oral health instruction, administer local anesthesia and nitrous oxide sedation, and perform soft tissue curettage. Dental hygienists should enjoy working with peoples on a one-on-one basis and presenting oral health presentations to groups. They need to have good communication skills, appear professional, possess good manual dexterity skills and have an interest in the sciences. Work Conditions and Earnings vary within the different professional settings. The dental hygienist usually works in the private dental office. Earnings depend on the amount of experience of the hygienist, the location of the employment, and the employer specialty. Dental Hygienists who work in private dental offices are usually salaried, however some work on commission. It is not unusual for hygienists to work for more than one dentist. One of the advantages of the profession is the flexibility of the work schedule. National and State Board Examinations for licensure are taken after completion of dental hygiene program. The National Board exam is a written examination taken at Taft College. The California Dental Hygiene Clinical Examination is taken at an accredited California dental school and students must provide a patient that meets the examination criteria. |
