What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you plan to become a dental hygienist? How long does the process take from start to end? Well, there is no specific timeline for this as it completely depends on your academic background, chosen program and the time required to complete licensing requirements.
Everyone has their own timeline to become a dental hygienist like some students move through the whole process with minimal delays, while others who face some delays may require some more time. Let’s get directly to the guide.
Timeline to Become a Dental Hygienist
Prerequisites (0–1 Year)
Now there are two different ways to go on with these. Some students complete their basic courses before joining a dental hygiene program. These courses mostly include anatomy, physiology, biology, chemistry and sometimes maths/statistics.
The other way is to complete these requirements in high school or early college. In some cases you may need an extra semester or even a year to finish them. Due to this, the process does not necessarily begin immediately. Most prospective dental hygienists use this time to put all the pieces in place before they can apply. This is one of the reasons why hiring may be slow as far as dental practice is concerned. Many of the interested candidates are still preparing and are not yet ready to work in the workforce.
Associate’s Degree (About 2 Years)
The most basic route you can take to become a dental hygienist is an associate degree. This program builds a strong understanding of dental care and oral health. Throughout the program, the students get to know how to attend to patients, carry out simple clinical procedures and acquire valuable thinking skills such as problem-solving and attention to detail. They also pay a lot of attention to communication along with technical training. Students are taught how to communicate with patients and how to be a member of a healthcare team, and it is highly significant in practice.
Bachelor’s Degree (Approximately 4 Years)
A bachelor’s degree is more in-depth than an associate program. The main subjects are similar, but the subjects are addressed in greater detail and in a more general way.
Students also know how to develop more individualized oral health care plans depending on various age groups, medical conditions and needs of patients. Often, coursework refers to dental specialties, pharmacology and periodontal care.
The programs take approximately four years. Upon graduation, people can either practice in a clinical environment, enter into community or school level health programs, or advance to higher-level or leadership positions.
It is also worth mentioning that bachelor’s degree programs in dental hygiene are not as prevalent, yet they do provide a wider range of career opportunities as opposed to regular clinical practice.
Master’s Degree (1–2 Years)
A master’s degree is the highest degree in this field. Many people who get tired of clinical practice choose to pursue this degree to shift to other fields like teaching, research and public health. In this program, you learn advanced skills and focus on specialized topics. Students can learn such topics as geriatric dentistry, research methods and academic writing, among other advanced subjects that can assist in leadership positions.
The average duration of most programs is one to two years, with the student taking full time or part time. This is not a popular route. However, it can be of benefit to individuals who desire to make a contribution to dentistry, either in the educational field, research or policy.
Licensure (Not more than 2 Years)
After completing a degree, the next step is getting licensed. This is through taking necessary exams and so, you have to book and pass exams before you can legally practice.
The time here may be different. Candidates can pass in a short time and some can take longer based on how they are prepared and the availability of the exam.
Exams usually can be rescheduled in advance, when necessary. And in case one fails on the first attempt, he/she can take exams again after a waiting period. Nonetheless, the number of times that the exam can be taken is limited, particularly following successive failures.
Due to this, the licensure period may be either longer than anticipated; however, when properly prepared, numerous applicants may pass through it without significant setbacks.
Total Timeline:
The total time it takes to be a dental hygienist depends on the path you choose and how smoothly every step goes. If nothing goes wrong and there are no delays, the quickest way would be around 2 years. This generally involves a full time study and already having prerequisites. In the case of most students, the process is more likely to last between 2.5 to 3 years. When a student decides to pursue a bachelor’s degree or learn on a part time basis, the time frame is likely to take about 4 years.
Generally, there is flexibility in the process- but it will always be dependent on your course of study and your speed.
Conclusion
The average time to become a dental hygienist is 2-4 years, depending on the path you take and the speed at which you accomplish each step. This is a fairly manageable timeline to individuals. With dental practices, however, it also gives a reason why staffing shortages are so prevalent and persistent.
The reality is that you can’t speed up the process of recruiting the best dental hygienists. The only thing you can do is to influence the response of your practice. Your practice can remain stable by just better planning and smarter systems.
