Dental Hygienists

Work as a dental assistant can be a stepping-stone to a career as a dental hygienist. As a dental assistant, you could closely observe the work of a dental hygienist. You could then assess your personal aptitude for this work, discuss any questions with other hygienists, and enroll in a dental hygiene school where experience as a dental assistant would certainly be helpful.

You may be able to find part-time or summer work in high school as a dental assistant or clerical worker in a dentist's office. You also may be able to arrange to observe a dental hygienist working in a school or a dentist's office or visit an accredited dental hygiene school. The aptitude testing program required by most dental hygiene schools helps students assess their future abilities as dental hygienists.

Attend a summer dental camp offered by a college, university, or other provider. In such a camp, you'll learn about careers in dentistry, get to try out basic dental tools used by hygienists, and tour dental treatment facilities, among other activities. Contact schools in your area to learn what types of opportunities are available. Examples include the High School Pre-Summer Pre-Dental Camps (https://dentistry.tamu.edu/student-development/spep-programs), which are offered by Texas A&M University in Dallas, and the Dental Camp (https://www.pacific.edu/about-pacific/summer/precollege-summer-program/learning/dental-camp) at the University of the Pacific in San Francisco, California.

Participate in competitions that are offered by SkillsUSA (https://www.skillsusa.org) and other organizations to build your skills, meet people with shared interests, compete for scholarships and cash prizes, and meet people with shared interests. SkillsUSA offers a Dental Assisting competition that will be of interest to aspiring dental professionals.