It can be hard to know in high school what direction your career will go in after. However, if you are considering a career in dentistry, dental hygienics may be an excellent consideration for you. You may be wondering what the best courses are for you to take not only to reflect well in the application and admissions process but also to prepare you for the future academic and practical work that will come with a dental hygienist’s education.
What is a Dental Hygienist anyway?
A dental hygienist is the person in your dentist’s office who works on your teeth before the dentist does. He or she does your cleanings, removing hard and soft deposits, examines your gums and teeth, and may even diagnose a problem for the dentist to examine further. There are equipment and tools that are involved with the work of a dental hygienist, and you need to be able to perform professionally and effectively, after all, you are a medical practitioner.
The work is harder and more complicated than many people think. You really do need to know what you are doing and be well educated. You need to have a head for science and medicine and enjoy working with people – all types of people. It is because of this that the admissions requirements to become a dental hygienist are rigorous.
High School Classes to Consider
Admission requirements certainly do vary from school to school, but there are general requirements that most schools will want to see, and one of these is a high school diploma or GED. This is one of the requirements that is not optional. You simply cannot get into a dental hygienist program without it.
Any dental hygienist school will also examine your transcripts thoroughly, looking to see if you have achieved adequate grades as well as taking classes that might be relevant to a study of dental hygienics.
Mathematics and English are both necessary for graduation no matter what your future goals, so those definitely need to be present. In addition, science classes are also particularly helpful. Health, biology, chemistry, and even physics are all classes that would be excellent on your high school transcripts.
Also do not underestimate the strength of other, less common, classes that could make an impact in the admissions process. Psychology and speech classes help prepare you for the patient relationships aspect of the job and strong grades in these course can reflect well on your potential to interact well with future patients.
Be Prepared Now
Within these courses, you must also maintain at least a “C” average, or 75 and above. That being said, dental hygiene schools and programs can be very competitive, and any average of a “B” or better is much more suitable for gaining entrance to a program.
If you are considering a career in dental hygiene, it is never too early to prepare yourself. In fact, high school is an excellent place to start because the clearer the path you have, the shorter that path will be. Talk with a guidance counselor at your school for course suggestions. Also don’t hesitate to ask your own dental hygienist his or her opinion, after all, they have been through the entire process and can be a valuable wealth of information. Think in advance which teachers you will want to write you letters of recommendation. It is not a bad idea to have at least one science teacher writing on your behalf to extol your abilities and potential in the medical profession.
If you have begun to consider becoming a dental hygienist in high school, then there is no reason to not begin preparing as well. Any steps that you take now will only strengthen your application, setting you apart from the many others who have also realized what a fulfilling and exceptional career choice it really is.
