I know a lot of people who are considering dental hygienist as their career. Therefore it is only natural that they are asking about the dental hygienist job outlook and its prospect in the future. In today’s post, you will see why this profession might and might not be the one for you. We are giving you the 2010 to 2020 job outlook for this profession, and some other things to consider.
Before we continue to the job outlook, it would be wise if you know the basic knowledge about this profession. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the dental hygienist is one of the fastest growing professions, following the increased awareness of oral health. Moreover, a trend shows that dentists prefer dental hygienists to dental assistants. BLS predicted that the dental hygienist (along with dental therapists) would keep growing in the next few years.
Being a dental hygienist means that you will examine patients’ teeth for damage or disease signs. You are also in charge in cleaning their teeth and explain a good way to maintain the dental and oral health. Of course, there are some differences in some states, but overall a licensed dental hygienist is allowed to do a preventive oral care.
Dental Hygienist Job Outlook and Salary
There are some educational requirements that have to be fulfilled before you can enroll into this profession. First, you must graduate from an accredited dental school. The most common degree in this line of work is associate degree. However, you may also apply with a bachelor or master’s degree. Make sure to check the American Dentists Association site for the list of accredited dental hygienist schools in United States. Moreover, one should also have a license from the dental board in the respective state. To get one, you must pass a written and clinical exam.
Dental hygienist job outlook seems to be promising. According to BLS, from 2010 to 2020 there will be a spike of growth in the number of dental hygienist profession. This growth is far above the average growth of all occupations. The BLS even predicted that the dental hygienist profession would grow faster than other jobs that require associate degree or secondary training. The exact number is still uncertain, but BLS is convinced that there will be a 36% increase in dental hygienist jobs in 2018. That means there will be around 62,900 new jobs available.
The latest statistics showed that a median annual salary of this profession is at $66,580, with median hourly wages of $33.31. However, the actual income may vary greatly. The education level, years of experience and the dentist location are the three main aspects that play the role in determining your salary.
Although up until now the dental hygienist job outlook seems to be very appealing, you should also consider other aspects before choosing this career. The first thing you might want to know is that not every employer will provide benefits such as health insurance. Statistics have shown that about half of the current dental hygienist don’t get benefits. Moreover, if you are looking for a fulltime profession instead of part-time profession, this might not be a good choice. There are only 38% dental hygienists working fulltime, while others work part time. Some are known to work at several offices.
We found a useful quiz that might help you determine whether you are suited to become a dental hygienist or not. Check it out this link : Dental Hygienist Quiz
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