Dental Hygienist
Dental hygienists work together with dentist to provide preventative dental care - preventing tooth decay and gum disease. This is one of the fastest growing professions and one of the Top Ten Hottest Careers in California and in the nation.Jobs are growing faster than average. Thus, job opportunities are excellent and continue to increase as more people are educated regarding the importance of regular dental care and as the aging population demands more dental care.
In fact, it is probably harder to get accepted into a program than to get a job!
Here's what you need to know:
1) Licensing Requirements in California
2) Duties and Responsibilities
3) Show me the money!
4) Dental Hygienist Schools
1) Licensing Requirements in California
Dental Hygienists must be licensed in California. The Committee of Dental Auxiliaries (COMDA) is in charge of examining and licensing Registered Dental Hygienists (RDHs).
Applicants for licensing must:
- graduate from an American Dental Association-accredited dental hygiene program
- complete approved courses in soft tissue curettage, administration of nitrous oxide, and administration of local anesthesia
- pass the National Board examination given by the Joint Commission on Dental Examinations
- pass the clinical or practical examination given by COMDA
- submit and receive fingerprint clearances from both the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Identification
The license must be renewed every 2 years whereby 25 hours of continuing education is required.
2) Duties and Responsibilities
Duties may include:
- cleaning and polishing teeth
- applying decay preventive agents such as fluorides and sealants
- charting medical and dental histories
- taking and developing dental X-ray films.
- teaching patients good oral hygiene practices
3) Show me the money!
The average hourly salary of a dental hygienist in Fresno and California ranges from $20 to $56, depending on location and size of the dental practice as well as the experience level of the RDH.
4) Dental Hygienist Schools
Competition for a spot in a dental hygiene program is very tough since there is a limited number of schools are accredited.
The only accredited dental hygiene school in Fresno is Fresno City College.
San Joaquin Valley College in Visalia also offers an accredited program.
Here are the other accredited schools in California:
- Cabrillo College - Aptos, CA 95003 Phone: (831) 479-6471
- Cerritos College - Norwalk, CA 90650 Phone: (562) 860-2451 ext. 2550
- Chabot College - Hayward, CA 94545 Phone: (510) 723-6900
- Cypress College - Cypress, CA 90630 Phone: (714) 484-7296
- Diablo Valley College - Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 Phone: (925) 685-1230
- Foothill College - Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 Phone: (650) 949-7335
- Fresno City College - Fresno, CA 93741 Phone: (554) 244-2601
- Loma Linda University - Loma Linda, CA 92350 Phone: (909) 558-4631
- Oxnard College - Oxnard, CA 93033 Phone: (805) 986-5823
- Pasadena City College - Pasadena, CA 91106 Phone: (626) 585-7241
- Riverside Community College - Moreno Valley 92551 909/571-6431
- Sacramento City College - Sacramento, CA 95822 Phone: (916) 558-2356
- San Joaquin Valley College - Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730-6862 Phone: (909) 948-7582; Visalia Campus - Visalia, CA 93291 Phone: (559) 651-3478
- Santa Rosa Junior College - Santa Rosa, CA 95401 Phone: (707) 527-4447
- Shasta College - Redding, CA 96049-6006 Phone: (530)245-7334
- South Western College - National City, CA 91950 Phone: (619) 421-6700
- Taft College - Taft, CA 93268 Phone: (805) 763-7706
- University of California, San Francisco - San Francisco, CA 94143-0758 Phone: (415) 476-2737
- University of Southern California - Los Angeles, CA 90089-0641 Phone: (213) 740-1072,
- University of the Pacific - Stockton, CA 95211 209/946-2211 phone
- West Los Angeles College - Culver City, CA 90230 Phone: (310) 287-4342