Graduation from a dental hygienist school in Alaska with an associate’s degree or higher is vital towards obtaining a well compensated job in this profession. Dental hygienist curriculum usually focus on both general education courses as well as a broad variety of courses that are linked solely to the dental hygiene profession.
To find accredited Alaska dental hygienist schools, browse the list below.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Dental Hygienist
Dental hygienists are essential to dentists in assisting with numerous procedures on a given day. Some of the procedures that you would find a dental hygienist performing would be minor teeth cleanings, intense deep root cleaning for those with periodontal disease, running examinations with both x-ray and sound machines and playing an essential role of educating patients on the health of their own teeth.
Education
Algebra, biology and chemistry are just a few of the general electives you will find needed to fill out your course schedule at first. Outside of the normal general education, courses that focus more on the dental hygiene side of things would need to be attended as well, such as periodontology and oral anatomy. More often than naught, a dental hygienist will find that an associate’s degree will be sufficient in obtaining a well paying job within the profession but some may decide to venture to new heights and continue attending alternate classes to obtain a bachelor’s or Masters degree in their respected field. These further advancements may take them past being a dental hygienist and lead to jobs as a dentist and or oral surgeon somewhere in the future. Once any form of degree has been achieved, a dental hygienist to be must apply for a license in the state they wish to practice. This license is obtained through providing documentation of the school achievements as well as passing a select group of exams set by the governing board for each state.
Salary Outlook
Salaries for dental hygienists vary based upon knowledge and location within the United States. A dental hygienist will find that the average income will be in the $30.00 and above per hour range. The average annual income for an Alaskan dental hygienist can be anywhere in the $86,000 range.
Figures courtesy of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Employment & Wages database.