Career Report of Dental Hygienists - Research Paper Example

? My Career Report (Dental Hygienist) My Career Report (Dental Hygienist) Job Dental hygienists are essentially licensed dental professionals whose main specialty is precautionary oral health. Dental hygienists focus intently on techniques applicable in oral hygiene. These professionals offer three distinctive categories of services to their patients. The first service offered by dental hygienist is preventative services, which aim at the promotion and maintenance of quality oral health. Secondly, dental hygienists offer educational services to their patients, helping them to take on behaviors, which improve the quality of oral health and help patients to appreciate the value of constantly performing these actions. The third service offered by dental hygienist is therapeutic services. This includes therapeutic protocols aimed at stopping oral diseases and sustaining healthy tissues within the dental cavity. In peculiar instances, dental hygienists are also trained and accredited to administer anesthetic. Local and state dental regulations ascertain the scope of practice for dental hygienists (Mueller-Joseph & Petersen, 1995). In a majority of jurisdictions in the US, laws require that dental hygienists work for dentists in dealing out local anesthesia. Dental hygienists and dentists work cooperatively within a co-therapist setting in order to provide optimal oral health care to the general public. In the conduct of their everyday functions, dental hygienists perform a number of procedures. These procedures include, among others, cleansings or prophylaxis, dental sealants, fluoride administration and supply of instructions for effective oral care and hygiene. Dental hygienists also perform scaling and root planning in patients suffering from periodontal disease and acquire prescribed radio graphs to augment the provision of dental care (Noble, 2012). In essence, dental hygienists provide expertise in their field, offering diagnosis of dental hygiene and health, which is a critical constituent of dental diagnosis. Pursuant to the completion of at least one of the 200 ascribed dental hygiene courses in the US, dental hygienists are licensed in the state they intend to practice (“Dental Hygienist Career”, 2012). Requirements for licensure for dental hygienists differ from one state to another. However, most state call for a two-year degree, a clinical examination and a written examination. The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination fulfills the written exam prerequisite while the state licensing board offers the clinical examination. Education and Certification In the US, dental hygienists need to be graduates of viable dental hygiene programs. This accreditation comes with; a certificate, associate degree, a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree. The certification must, however, come from a dental hygienist school, for which the American Dental Association (ADA) offers accreditation. US laws require all dental hygienists to be licensed within the state they practice the profession, pursuant to the completion of at least two years of school and doing exceptionally well in a clinical board exam, as well as a written board exam. School programs targeted at dental hygienists typically require the professionals to pass general education courses, as well as courses designed specifically for dental hygiene (Noble, 2012). Courses termed as general include, among others, biology, chemistry and college level algebra. On the other hand, courses exclusive to the profession include oral anatomy, anatomy, radiography, nutrition, materials science, clinical skills and periodontology. Dental hygienists require pursuing a bachelor’s of science in dental hygiene; this degree program takes four years. In order for students to enter the bachelor’s degree program, they require an equivalent of a high school diploma. However, dental hygienists with other certification such as associate’s degree enter the bachelor’s program to enhance their clinical expertise and develop their careers (“Dental Hygienist Career”, 2012). After acquiring a bachelor’s degree, dental hygienists pursue graduate degrees in dental hygiene, which take at least two years. Some of the common graduate courses available to dental hygienists include Clinical Instruction, Healthcare Management and Lab Instruction. In addition to the conventional dental hygienist profession, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association also provides for an advanced level of dental hygiene referred to as the Advanced Dental Hygiene Practitioner or a dental therapist. Employment  At present, the dental hygiene profession is highly lucrative, offering immense opportunities for growth and attainment of necessary experience. However, such career advancements are only possible with additional education. The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a 36% growth in dental hygienist jobs from 2008 to 2018. An examination of job advertisements in popular sites such as Salary.com, Sunday Herald and others show the extent of the viability of this profession. Among the job advertising sites visited, all sites had at least four job offerings for dental hygienists. This is indicative of the need for academically qualified dental hygienists within the contemporary job market. Most dental hygienist jobs advertised in the sites are primarily located in major cities and states such as New York, Seattle and Texas. However, while most job openings for dental hygienists are from major cities, a few offerings are from small towns such as South Bend in Indiana and Santa Maria in the state of California. Notably, the search also produced federal government job openings for qualified dental hygienists. However, the private sector appears to offer the highest number of job opportunities for dental hygienists in the US (Goldie, 2012). Dental hygienists receive a reasonable wage or salary in exchange for their services. In most adverts, the entry level salary offered to dental hygienists is $32.63 per hour for 40 hour weeks. With regard to the salary offered to dental hygienists, remuneration occurs on hourly, daily, weekly or annual basis. In addition to standard wages and salaries, various dental hygienists enjoy additional benefits such as sick leave, vacation and contributions into their retirement funds. On average, the annual salary paid to dental hygienists is $68,000. The lowest 10% paid dental hygienists; earn salaries of approximately $45,000 while the highest 10% earn approximately $94,000. Some of the highest-paying states include Alaska, Washington and California, averaging at $43.25 per hour (BLS, 2012). Most job adverts called for applicants to have at least one year’s experience in the dental hygiene profession. Professional Activities Students willing to join professional dental hygienist organizations such as the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) need to pay a small membership fee of approximately $30 per annum. Students who are presently enrolled in a credited program are can receive student membership into the organization. The organization also allows for students to progress to professional membership after starting their careers as dental hygienists. Continuing education is readily available for dental hygienists. This provision offers continuing education necessary for the maintenance of licensure as registered dental hygienists and the enhancement of awareness of innovative technologies, skills and tools applicable in the profession (Wile, 2011). The need for continuing education varies from one state to another; however, most states require dental hygienists to take continuing education courses for varied durations. Continuing education is offered through programs such as online courses and conferences in which universities and colleges provide rigorous, short-term educational retreats to enable dental hygienists maintain their licensure. Community colleges and state institutions also provide continuing education for dental hygienists in order to maintain standards of care in the profession. Conclusion/ Reflection I see myself fitting into the dental hygiene profession because I am immensely interested in oral hygiene and the attainment of optimal standards of oral health through the use of proper and evidence-based oral protocols. I am also an effective communicator with viable communication skills, which are paramount in the dental hygiene profession, which calls for constant communication with dentists and patients regarding oral health. This profession is also appropriate for me on account of my exceptional technical skills, which are necessary for the operation of equipment used by dental hygienists (Noble, 2012). I fit perfectly into the profession because I am capable of and comfortable to make independent, as well as interdependent decisions, for the benefit of patients and the health care institution. During my exploration of this healthcare field, I realized that dental hygienist need more than specialized skills in order to perform effectively. I found the present and future trends of this profession exceedingly important. This is because these trends indicate the importance of the profession and its overall growth potential. References Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). (2012). U.S. Department of Labor, occupational outlook handbook, 2012-13 edition, dental hygienists. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-hygienists.htm Dental Hygienist Career (2012). Dental hygienist career. Retrieved from http://dentalhygienists.yolasite.com Goldie, M. P. (2012). The future of the dental hygiene profession. International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 10(1), 1–2. Mueller-Joseph, L., & Petersen, M. (1995). Dental hygiene process: Diagnosis and care planning. New York: Delmar. Noble, S. (2012). Clinical textbook of dental hygiene and therapy. California: Wiley-Blackwell. Wile, I. S. (2011). 20 get certificates in dental hygiene: Dr. Ira S.Wile addresses graduating class of the Guggenheim Clinic School. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0913FF355D167A93CBA8178DD85F418385F9 Read More