Any Dental Assistants out there?

How long would it take to becom a dental hygenist if i started right after high school...any recommended schools to go to for this field of study? how hard is it to become a dental assistant? how much money do they usually make in a year, or hourly .

Any Dental Assistants out there?
On the average it takes about three to four years to become a dental hygienist. Depending on how quickly you are willing to get your core classes out of the way. On the average it takes the dental assistants about one year to complete classes. Dental assistants are just that, they assist the dentist on many tasks, taking x-rays, placing topical, holding suction, passing needed instruments, making and placing temporary restorations (depending on your state) setting up rooms and breaking them down, sterilizing instruments and ordering supplies. On the hygiene side we are more independent workers. We see patients do the necessary x-rays, go over home care and explain gum disease and decay, scale and clean the teeth above and below the gum line, remove stain and plaque as well as tarter, polish and floss teeth. Check periodontal conditions by probing below the gum line, sharpen our instruments etc. In my state hygienists are allowed to give dental injections, so we do this for our patients as well as the doctors patients. We take blood pressure, go over medical history, and a multitude of other things. We have to be lic. by the state we practice in just as the dentist does. We are like a co-contributor when it comes to the patients oral health by making rec'd to the dentist about what a particular patient needs for their treatment plan. The dental hygiene program and the nursing program are almost identical, except when it comes to the clinical portion. As a hygienist I had to take Anatomy 1%26amp;2, head and neck anatomy,biochemistry, microbiology, oral pathology, Advance college algebra, pharmacology, Oral immnology, infective diseases, Periodontology, health and nutrition,radiology,embryology and of course all of the clinical aspects of dental hygiene. This was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. It is very hard to get into hygiene school, many people go through the dental assistant program first while on the waiting list for hygiene. The school where I went for DH has a three year waiting list. You have to have a 3.5 GPA or better to even get looked at. It is a very competitive market as we make excellent money. Assistants make less money, but money isen't everything. Both are excellent careers. I assisted before I went to hygiene school and just found it was not for me, just as hygiene is not for everyone. It depends on your personality. I am a people person and like to work without someone always looking over my shoulder, hence hygiene was for me. Also I did not like being at the dentists beck and call, I am an independent person, so again hygiene was for me. Ask around at your local dental offices and find out from assistants and hygienists what they like and don't like about their jobs. This will help give you some perspective.

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