8. They continue their education
Dental hygienists need to take continuing education credits to keep their licenses valid. Apart from this, education never stops because new research and new protocols are constantly emerging. They need to stay current so that they can serve their patients to the best of their ability. The field of dental hygiene is more expansive than many people realize.
Becoming a practicing dental hygienist can take less than four years. However, for those who want to advance their careers, more studying is required. Dental hygienists can’t afford to become complacent about learning if they want to advance their careers. They need to work toward improving their level of education, whether this is getting a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree.
There are such a wide variety of options for career advancement it can be tricky to determine which area to pursue. Understanding how much time and energy they need to invest and what opportunities they want to pursue can help with selection. Further degrees may open up doors for conducting research, teaching dental hygienic at a community college or working for a public health organization. It may even involve performing a leadership role in a government department related to dentistry.
Dental hygienists are in high demand. However, many people pursue entry-level dental hygiene careers. There are often more job openings in positions that require further education. Those with further education are permitted to perform more functions. These expanded functions are becoming more important due to a lack of dentists and the need for preventative dentistry. They need to perform at the top of the level they are trained for and work at training further if they are serious about career advancement.