Career Opportunities

Baccalaureate dental hygienists find employment opportunities in a variety of interdisciplinary settings:

Clinical Practice

Clinicians work in collaboration with dentists as co therapists rendering preventive and therapeutic interventions, and evaluating treatments. Clinical practice settings may extend beyond the private dental office setting to include hospitals, public health clinics, nonprofit community health centers, public school systems, educational institutions and correctional facilities.

Management

As an office manager, the dental hygienist develops office protocol, monitors practice productivity and financial affairs, and coordinates human and material resources.

Acute and Extended Care Facilities

Acute and extended care facilities require dental hygienists to provide clinical and educational services for patients and residents, provide staff training, and serve as client advocates and change agents to ensure that the health care needs of diverse populations are met.

Public Health/School Districts

Hygienists working in public health and school districts provide oral health assessments, referrals, and preventive services, and develop educational strategies to change the oral health behaviors of clients.

Education/Marketing

Dental hygienists serve on the faculties of dental and dental hygiene programs in colleges and universities, in private business and industry, marketing dental technology and products, and in centers that focus on the needs of the physically challenged and elderly.

Research

As researchers, dental hygienists contribute to advancing the knowledge base in dental health care by investigating both basic and applied research problems.