Career Tips & Advice

Passion Program: Dental Hygienist

Concorde Staff

Concorde Staff

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Updated October 27, 2015. The information contained in this blog is current and accurate as of this date.
dental hygienist

Dental hygienists are passionate about the help they provide in creating, cleaning, and helping to shape beautiful smiles. They are often the person dental patients spend the bulk of their time with. They offer tips to children learning to brush their teeth and assist with complex dental procedures that preserve, protect and perfect smiles for people from all walks of life.

WHAT QUALITIES MAKE A GREAT DENTAL HYGIENIST?

The role the dental hygienist plays is instrumental to that patient's overall oral health picture. These characteristics are essential and necessary in order to play that role effectively:

  • Good listener
  • Helpful attitude
  • Attention to detail
  • Natural teacher
  • Team player
  • Manual dexterity

THE REWARDS OF A CAREER IN DENTAL HYGIENE

When you consider the importance of a simple smile, it's not hard to understand why helping to preserve or repair that smile is so rewarding.

It isn't all about protecting smiles though. For many dental hygienists, it's a calling - a dedication to helping others maintain good oral health. Doing so early helps people enjoy a life free of dental disease, oral infections, gum disease and tooth decay, which can lead to early loss of teeth and poor overall health.

For those who did not have an early foundation in sound dental care and hygiene, the dental hygienist offers compassionate care for those facing painful choices about what to do next. It's a challenging field that provides visual rewards daily.

CAREER OUTLOOK

There is also a practical side worth considering if you're interested in a career as a dental hygienist. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, dental hygienists earned an average of $33.75 per hour or $70,210 per year in 2012. Further, the career is expected to grow by 33 percent by 2022.

Many dental hygienists who are employed full time in dental practices receive health insurance, life insurance, vacations, and pension benefits - making the career even more rewarding. Some dental practices also offer tuition reimbursement and continuing education options for their hygienists.

GETTING THE EDUCATION YOU NEED

You can begin your new career as a dental hygienist with a Concorde education in as little as 17 months. We offer practical knowledge that transfers from the classroom to the workplace with a curriculum that prepares you for real-life situations once you exit the classroom.

Gain the skills you need for the future you want. Let Concorde help you succeed.

Take The Next Step Towards a Brighter Future

Interested in learning more about our Dental Hygiene program? We have a Concorde representative ready to talk about what matters most to you. Get answers about start dates, curriculum, financial aid, scholarships and more!

  1. Program length may be subject to change dependent on transfer credits and course load. Please refer to current course catalog for more information. Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation, subsequent employment or salary amount.

  2. Professional certification is not a requirement for graduation, may not be a requirement for employment nor does it guarantee employment.

  3. Financial aid is available to those who qualify but may not be available for all programs. Concorde does not guarantee financial aid or scholarship awards or amounts.

  4. Clinical hour requirements and delivery may vary by campus location and may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee clinical site assignments based upon student preference or geographic convenience; nor do clinical experiences guarantee graduation, post-clinical employment or salary outcomes.

  5. Registration and certification requirements for taking and passing these examinations are not controlled by Concorde, but by outside agencies, and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Concorde cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take these exams, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment.

  6. Externships are a non-paid in-person learning experience, whose length and location may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee externship placement, graduation, post-externship employment or salary outcomes.