Career Colleges » Maryland » Health, Medical, and Nursing » Dental Hygienist
Looking for accredited career colleges, technical schools, and universities in Maryland offering Dental Hygienist degrees. Ready to enter the dental hygiene profession? Academic programs provided by community colleges, technical colleges, dental schools or universities
Going to college in the friendly Tidewater state of Maryland means being just a hop, skip and jump from Washington D.C., one of the nation's most interesting cities. You are also a short drive from the Chesapeake Bay, our country's largest inland waterway and estuary, with its abundant birdlife, delicious clams, oysters and crabs, and outstanding opportunities for boating, waterskiing and kayaking.Dental hygienists are oral health professionals who work under the supervision of licensed dentists. Along with teaching patients proper oral hygiene, they may conduct patient assessments, oral inspections and teeth cleanings. Hygienists often work in general and specialty dental clinics but may also find employment in hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities.
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. Upon completion of this degree, a hygienist will have to take the license 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. Additionally, these programs include courses in liberal arts (eg, English, speech, sociology and psychology); basic sciences (eg, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, immunology, chemistry, microbiology and pathology); and clinical sciences (eg, 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.