How To Go From Dental Assistant To Dental Hygienist

Last Updated on July 30, 2023

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Dental assistants and dental hygienists do many of the same things from day to day, such as taking and developing X-rays and teaching patients about proper oral care. But they are not different names for the same job.

Dental assistants share a common work environment with dental hygienists and dentists. It is not uncommon for a dental assistant to pursue a career in dental hygiene or dentistry by continuing his or her education in an accredited dental or dental hygiene program. In many dental hygiene programs, having a background in dental assisting may be an advantage in the dental hygiene application process. In fact, 46% of accredited dental hygiene programs use previous dental office experience as one of the criteria in the admissions process.

Dental Hygienist vs Dental Assistant: 10 Differences You Don't Know

Education/Training & Admission Requirements

How to become a dental hygienist depends on completing educational requirements, training and passing the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination.

Dental hygienists receive their education through academic programs at community colleges, technical colleges, dental schools or universities. The majority of community college programs take at least two years to complete, with graduates receiving associate degrees. Receipt of this degree allows a hygienist to take licensure examinations (national and state or regional), become licensed and to work in a dental office.

University-based dental hygiene programs may offer baccalaureate and master’s degrees, which generally require at least two years of further schooling. These additional degrees may be required for a career in teaching and/or research, as well as for clinical practice in school or public health programs.

Dental hygiene program admission requirements vary depending upon the specific school. High school-level courses such as health, biology, psychology, chemistry, mathematics and speech will be beneficial in a dental hygiene career. Most programs show a preference for individuals who have completed at least one year of college. Some baccalaureate degree programs require that applicants complete two years of college prior to enrollment in the dental hygiene program. Contact the particular dental hygiene program of interest to you for specific program requirements.

Dental hygiene education programs offer clinical education in the form of supervised patient care experiences. Additionally, these programs include courses in liberal arts (e.g., English, speech, sociology and psychology); basic sciences (e.g., anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, immunology, chemistry, microbiology and pathology); and clinical sciences (e.g., dental hygiene, radiology and dental materials). After completion of a dental hygiene program, dental hygienists can choose to pursue additional training in such areas as education, business administration, basic sciences, marketing and public health.

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