Education and training requirements for Dental hygienistsDental hygienists must be licensed by the State in which they practice. To qualify for licensure, a candidate must graduate from an accredited dental hygiene school and pass both a written and clinical examination. The American Dental Association Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations administers the written examination, which is accepted by all States and the District of Columbia. State or regional testing agencies administer the clinical examination. In addition, most States require an examination on the legal aspects of dental hygiene practice. Alabama allows candidates to take its examinations if they have been trained through a State-regulated on-the-job program in a dentist�s office. In 2002, the Commission on Dental Accreditation accredited about 265 programs in dental hygiene. Most dental hygiene programs grant an associate degree, although some also offer a certificate, a bachelor�s degree, or a master�s degree. A minimum of an associate degree or certificate in dental hygiene is required for practice in a private dental office. A bachelor�s or master�s degree usually is required for research, teaching, or clinical practice in public or school health programs. About half of the dental hygiene programs prefer applicants who have completed at least 1 year of college. However, requirements vary from one school to another. Schools offer laboratory, clinical, and classroom instruction in subjects such as anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, nutrition, radiography, histology (the study of tissue structure), periodontology (the study of gum diseases), pathology, dental materials, clinical dental hygiene, and social and behavioral sciences. Dental hygienists should work well with others and must have good manual dexterity, because they use dental instruments within a patient�s mouth, with little room for error. High school students interested in becoming a dental hygienist should take courses in biology, chemistry, and mathematics. More information on Dental hygienists from The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook Overview of Dental hygienists occupation Number of Dental hygienists in the U.S. Salary and earnings for Dental hygienists Working conditions for Dental hygienists Significant points for Dental hygienists Training requirements for Dental hygienists Labor Information Home | Occupational data by city | Search Rainforests | Madagascar | What's new |