Dental Hygienist

The facts, and nothing but!

www.adha.org

Who are we? Licensed oral health professionals Focus on preventing and treating oral

conditions Protecting teeth and gums Protecting patients’ total health

What do we do? Will vary state to state. Some services we provide:

• Perform oral health care assessment • Patient health history• Dental history• Oral cancer screening• Blood pressure

What do we do?• Expose, process and

interpret dental x-rays• Remove soft and hard

deposits from the teeth• Apply cavity

preventive agents such as:• Fluorides• Sealants

What do we do?• Teach proper oral hygiene techniques

• Counsel patients about plaque control and help developing individualized home care

• Counsel patients about good nutrition for maintaining good oral health

Where do we work? Private dental offices Schools Hospitals Correctional institutions Nursing homes Education institutions Research facilities

Where do we work? Health administration Preventive product development Consumer advocacy groups Sales and marketing Publishing Consulting firms

An educator at Darton College

Susan Kapp AndersonRegistered Dental HygienistBachelor of Science in EducationMaster of Education

RDH – What’s that? RDH means Registered Dental Hygienist A dental health professional

Licensed by the state in which you are practicing

Graduate of an accredited education program

RDH – What’s that? Passed a National Board written exam

Passed a Regional Clinical exam

Passed a state law test

Paid a fee to obtain the license

How do I become one? Admission will vary

from College to College, but will include the following:• High school diploma or

GED• At least 18 years old• HS courses in math,

chemistry, biology and English

How do I become one?• Minimum “C” average

in high school• College entrance test

scores• There may be pre-

requisites of college credits like Chemistry or Human Anatomy

How long is the program? 2 years for a diploma, certificate or

associate degree

4 years for a baccalaureate degree

Master’s level programs prepare those interested in education, research or administration

Dental Hygiene Darton College

What courses would I take? English, speech, psychology, sociology Chemistry, anatomy, physiology,

microbiology, nutrition, pharmacology Dental anatomy, oral histology, oral

pathology, radiology, pain control and dental materials

What courses would I take? Dental science classes in:

• oral health education, • preventive maintenance, • clinical procedures, • community dental health, • medical and dental emergencies, • cardiac life support, • legal and ethical aspects of dental hygiene

practice

What courses would I take? Supervised pre-clinic and clinical

practice• Practice on manikins and classmates• Experience with patients of all ages

Licensure

Licensure Licensure is a means

of protecting the public

Includes graduation and testing, and continuing education

How do you get a license? Graduate Pass National written board exams Pass regional and/or state clinical exams Pass a state law test CPR certification High school and College transcripts

Dental Hygiene Darton College

For more information Darton College Dental Hygiene Department Dr. Stacey B. Marshall, Director 2400 Gillionville Road Albany, GA 31707 229-430-6840