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Choosing Careers: 5 Benefits of Becoming a Dental Hygienist

Posted in Articles, Dental Hygienist.

Have you ever thought of becoming a dental hygienist?

If you haven’t considered it, you seriously should!

On average, a dental hygienist salary is around $74,820 per year. That’s a big number!

There are plenty of benefits to becoming a dental hygienist which you might not know. Read on to learn the five benefits of working in the dental hygiene field.

Becoming a Dental Hygienist

Deciding what to do with your future can be difficult. Use these helpful tips about becoming a dental hygienist to help you make your decision

1. Job Security

If you’ve heard anything about the job market, you might be concerned about the future career you’re interested in. Fortunately, there’s good news for the field of dental hygiene.

If you’re looking to improve your job security, look no further. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, careers in dental hygiene will rise 11% from 2018 to 2028. That’s a pretty steady increase and shows the demand for improving dental health.

Job security also means a chance to build your expertise in the industry. You can specialize in a field of dental hygiene and capitalize on the field’s growth.

2. Pay

Not only is a dental hygienist salary a great incentive for entering the field, but the longer you work in the field, the more your pay will increase. The best part is that you won’t have to work for years to make this happen.

Instead, the predicted job demand for dental hygienists means competitive pay. This means that the likelihood of accelerating your salary increase is pretty high.

3. Flexibility

Working with patients as a dental hygienist means you only need to work in the times they’re available. Unless you specialize in an emergency dental office, which might have on-call hours or a 24/7 schedule, you’ll have a very predictable schedule. This is great for stability and flexibility.

If you work in a large enough office, your options for vacation should be as often as you need and your hours should be able to fit into your routine for a healthy work/life balance, no matter your stage of life.

4. Patients

Speaking of patients, working as a dental hygienist means building a rapport with them. Dental hygiene is a people-oriented job. Your role is to make patients feel comfortable and relaxed, as well as teaching them basic dental care.

Depending on how long you work in a certain office, you have the opportunity of becoming part of a community. Not every profession gets that chance!

5. Schooling

Even before you consider the flexible scheduling of the field, think of the short training required as schooling for dental hygienists. Most programs only take two years!

Where to Learn Dental Hygiene

If you’re interested in reaping these benefits and more in becoming a dental hygienist, you should consider Southern Ontario Dental College.

Our program can certainly meet your needs for schooling dental hygiene. We offer courses for hygienists, dental assistants, and continuing education for professionals who wish to capitalize on the competitive pay of this field. Make sure to check out our site for more information!

SODC is NOW accepting Dental Hygiene & Dental Assisting applications for 2025. View Programs