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Learn about the dental hygiene prerequisites to obtaining a dental hygiene education as part of your pursuit for a career as a dental hygienist.
As a dental hygienist, you will provide oral health educational, clinical and therapeutic services to the general public. Therefore, a thorough educational background is required. All schools have dental hygiene prerequisites that you must fulfill before admission into their programs.
The admission and dental hygiene prerequisites vary among schools, but generally require that applicants are at least 18 years old; have a high school diploma or GED; have a minimum "C" average in high school, with courses in mathematics, chemistry and biology; and, acceptable college entrance test scores. Additionally, some schools may require prerequisite courses in chemistry, English, speech, psychology and sociology before beginning the core courses. A personal interview, dexterity test (to measure such things as hand and eye coordination) and essay writing may also be a part of the entrance process.
You should expect to commit at least two years of study once you have been accepted. This is for either a diploma, certificate or associates degree. Still, other programs offer a four year degree. If you want to advance your career in education, research or administration, many schools offer master's level program with a specific set of dental hygiene prerequisites.
Dental Hygiene Prerequisites Categories
The courses associated with dental hygiene prerequisites vary, depending on the type of degree or certificate you want to receive. The following list outlines the areas of instruction offered for each level of education.
General education includes English, speech, psychology and sociology. These are basic course which are part of all types of program curricula.
Basic science courses include general chemistry, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, nutrition, and pharmacology. These dental hygiene prerequisites begin to lay the foundation of understanding the human body and its functions.
Dental science courses include dental anatomy, head and neck anatomy, oral embryology and histology, oral pathology, radiology, periodontology, pain control and dental materials. The student transcends to understand the relationship between the human anatomy and the dental structure.
Dental emergencies courses are basic life support, legal and ethical aspects of the dental hygiene practice, and supervised instruction in pre-clinical and clinical practice. This category of dental hygiene prerequisites deals with handling emergency situations. The student also receives hands-on practice which is necessary to fulfill dental hygiene prerequisites.
Becoming a dental hygienist requires multiple hours of classroom study and clinical dental hygiene instruction. Source: Certdentalhygienist dot com
For more about becoming a dental hygienist as well as job perspectives and tips on your dental hygiene cover letter visit Certdentalhygienist dot com
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If you want to make sure that you have good teeth then you need to use the dental hygienist attached to your dental office. The dental hygienist will help you in taking care of your teeth in a preventive way.If you don't like taking trips to the dentist then maybe you should try more trips to the dental hygienist instead. There, you are going to learn ways in which you can keep your teeth healthy without too much effort at all - just creating good, regular routines that take merely minutes each day.You will learn how to make the most out of your time when you are cleaning your teeth.The Role Of The Dental Hygienist In Dental Health CareYour dental hygienist will teach you techniques on how to brush your teeth as efficiently and effectively as possible. This is something that is hugely valuable, in all sorts of ways, to a healthy mouth
, and even your whole body.If you are prepared to make the meager investment of a little time and money you will certainly benefit from such a service. If your dentist scares the pants off you, then the alternative is to pay close attention to what your dental hygienist tells you instead.In addition, they have some really smart professional gear that they will use to clean off any really tough plaque that seems resistant to normal brushing.Ever had that stain test that shows how old the plaque is? Well, it's not a very encouraging sight without help from them!Flossing Is Just As Important As BrushingMany people fail to realize just how vital flossing properly is too. It is really to know how to floss properly, because you need to reach the in between areas of your teeth where that nasty plaque builds up.Plaque which has been implicated in more than just dental health, but, amazingly, heart disease too!So you see, brushing alone is quite insufficient for oral care.You have to make sure that you reach those hard to reach places in between your teeth or else it will be a haven for damage and (as we know already that nasty) plaque and you will eventually need to go to the dentist - think about the cost! This is the last thing that you want to happen to you.If there is a saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, then the advice from your dental hygienist would be, 'brush and floss' everyday, to keep your dentist at bay!Don't forget that not only can your dental hygienist advise you on technique, but they will also be able to suggest the best toothbrush or more exotic pieces of dental equipment around today.For example, there is a whole array of electronic toothbrushes with gizmo attachments to do this and that - you need advice to work out what's best for you and, you might be surprised with a special deal on the kit they can sell you too!Smile With ConfidenceIf you want to make the most out of your teeth and smile with confidence then you must listen closely to your dental hygienist.If you listen to them, you are going to have a much happier life (at least orally!). You will be able to smile with confidence in front of your friends and with great looking teeth, you can be assured that you will be more attractive to the opposite sex.Do not wait for your teeth to become a major problem - it isn't the way to organize things at all. Do not wait for your smile to get raggedy round the edges - it just isn't worth it!.Smile with confidence with regularly (twice a day will do), well brushed and flossed teeth.Prevention is better than cure and with the support of your local dental hygienist, you can be assured of gainful insights as to the very best you can do for your teeth, gums, mouth and beyond. You do not want to end up with holes in your teeth.Truth is, you have to listen to your dental hygienist, and do just what you are told!

As a dental hygienist or dental assistant, you know that it is necessary to graduate from an American Dental Association (ADA) accredited school of dental hygiene and have a current certification in CPR and other such documents.

- Dental Hygiene Anesthesia: What to Expect

Continuing education is important in dental anesthesia, in order to stay in touch with the latest trends and technologies as well as staying current with safety and procedures as they are to be properly performed. This article discusses some of the continuing education opportunities available for clinical local anesthesia courses.

Most continuing education dental hygiene anesthesia courses are going to provide a comprehensive introduction to conscious sedation. Topics will most likely include areas of anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and dental emergencies.

Other dental hygiene anesthesia courses will describe themselves as pain control and local anesthesia courses. All courses will be anywhere from 3 days to a week long, and could be seen somewhat as refresher courses.

- What to Look for in a Good Dental Hygiene Anesthesia Course:

A good course will provide content on rationale for pain management, medical emergencies as well as client management tools. There should be a review of the essential anatomy that need be fully understood to perform dental anesthesia, as well as physiology and pharmacology of the pain control agents, typically nitrous oxide.

The idea, of course, is to train a dental hygienist who will safely and effectively administer a local anesthesia. This means the course should probably include lecture time, laboratory time and focus on clinical settings. At the completion of the course, the participant should receive a certificate of local anesthesia for the acceptable state of practice.

You will most likely be provided with a text book on local anesthesia as well which is included in the payment. However, don't expect a refund for partial completion of the course.

Usually there will be a few course presenters who will take part in the lecture, laboratory time and clinical trial and clinical settings time.

- Dental Hygiene Anesthesia Conclusion:

You will obviously want to take a course that will certify you for the state in which you practice. Shop around for the right price, as you may find big differences in the course costs. Make sure to complete all the general requirements and be aware of them, as well as the time it will take to complete the course. Make sure the dental hygienist licensing course has a strong reputation as well.

A career as a Dental Assistant will open many doors of opportunity. Dental Assistants will be among the highest growing occupations from now until 2012. This is because people are starting to take a better interest in their oral health. Technological advances have led many individuals to the dentist office for cosmetic dental procedures rather than just cleanings and major dental work. Also, people are living longer, so their teeth need more care to stay healthy throughout their life.

The most common place of employment to find Dental Assistants is in the dental office. Here they provide a variety of services. They often help to comfort scared patients prior to procedures as well as give them follow up care at the end of the appointment. Dental Assistants clean the tools used as well as make sure each work unit has the necessary tools and equipment ready for the next patient's procedures.

Dental Assistants in the dental office work very closely with Dentists and Hygienists. They often sit in on all procedures, handing staff the necessary tools. Dentist offices are generally small so Dental Assistants often help with lab work. This includes making molds of teeth for caps, bridges, and other dental work. They may also be required to assist with the taking of X-rays.

A common place for Dental Assistants to be employed is in prisons. With more and more prisons being built all over the Nation, Dental Assistants are in great demand for Federal, State, and privately owned prisons. Working as a dental assistant in a prison setting requires more caution that in a regular dental office.

All Nursing Assistants need to be aware of the risk of communicable diseases that are transmitted via saliva and blood. However, the rate of these diseases, especially HIV, is much higher with a prison population than the general public. Also, some inmates might try to attack by biting.

Nursing Assistants in a prison setting need to be alert, and never let down their guard, inmates often look for any opportunity to escape or obtain weapons. They can use a dental tool as a weapon against you, other staff, or other inmates. It is very important that you keep very close track of all dental tools in a prison setting. Never leave a tool in the reach of an inmate for even a moment. If you discover a tool is missing, immediately notify your supervisor and follow the procedures outlined in the prison policy.

For those Dental Assistants wanting to help the lower income populations, securing employment in a Child Development Center, Head Start, or Migrant program is an excellent way of giving back to the community. Often, these populations can't afford dental care and would go without it if the services weren't offered as part of a government program. Employment in these types of agencies as a Dental Assistant often pays less than other employment opportunities in the field. However, many Dental Assistants make the choice to help those in need rather than earn more money.

There are many opportunities to work as a Dental Assistant for agencies who serve the disabled. Often, Dental Assistants are afraid to work with such a population. However, once you feel comfortable with disabled people and their disabilities, you will be able to provide proper care to those who are in need, regardless of their mental capacity or physical appearance.

A career as a Dental Assistant offers you many areas of employment including dental offices, prisons, low income programs, and for facilities who serve the disabled. The ability to choose the type of environment you want to use your Dental Assistant skills in makes the field even more inviting. If you are not sure if a particular type of agency is a good fit for you, talk to them. Ask if you can shadow another Dental Assistant who works there for a few days. This should give you plenty of exposure to the activities that take place in that agency.