To become a dental hygienist do you go to school or take dentist program in college?

Dental hygienists receive their education through accredited dental hygiene programs. These programs are offered at community colleges, technical colleges, and four-year universities. The length of the program varies, but most are two to three years long.

Dental hygiene programs typically include coursework in the following areas:

* Anatomy and physiology

* Microbiology

* Dental materials

* Dental pharmacology

* Clinical practice

* Nutrition

* Public health

Students in dental hygiene programs also complete a supervised clinical internship, where they work under the supervision of a licensed dental hygienist. This experience allows students to gain hands-on experience in providing dental hygiene care to patients.

Upon graduating from an accredited dental hygiene program, students are eligible to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). The NBDHE is a standardized exam that tests dental hygienists' knowledge of dental hygiene science and practice. Passing the NBDHE is a requirement for licensure as a dental hygienist in all states.

In addition to the NBDHE, some states also require dental hygienists to complete continuing education credits in order to maintain their license. Continuing education credits can be earned by attending conferences, taking online courses, or reading dental hygiene journals.

Dental hygienists are in high demand, and job prospects are expected to remain good for the foreseeable future. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the employment of dental hygienists will grow by 11% from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations.