This Week's Topic - Dental Degrees

How can I make a living doing something fulfilling? This is one of those questions that we all ask ourselves at one point or the next. The answer to this question lies in finding a market for your talents. Sometimes, you won't know what your talents are until you've taken a few wrong paths. One way to discover new talents is to go to school. This weekly column explores different college degrees as a way to help you investigate different educational paths which will hopefully lead to fulfilling careers. This week, we're going to take a look at earning a degree in the dental field.

First Question - Dentist or Dental Hygienist?

The first question you should ask yourself before pursuing a dental education is whether or not you want to spend the time necessary in school to become a dentist. Becoming a certified dentist is a major time investment. Most dental schools require a bachelor's degree in some related field prior to admittance. This means that before you receive any specific dental training, you'll have needed to spend approximately four years as an undergraduate taking a number of science courses.


Dental school itself usually takes approximately four years to complete. Throughout your dental training, you'll have to pass a number of national board exams that show that you've acquired the skills will allow you to practice in a certain region of the country.

The educational requirements for a dental hygienist are much less time-consuming. Most dental hygiene degree programs last only 2 years, and can be earned at local technical colleges. Dental hygienist students learn how to use related dental equipment, take basic dental anatomy courses, and are trained to offer basic dental services such as cleanings and x-rays. Dental hygienists can often choose to work part- or full-time, which can be useful to those raising children. Although dental hygienists obviously do not earn as much as dentists, they can often receive great health-care benefits.

Online Dental Hygienist Programs

These days, there are also a number of dental hygienist degree programs offered online. These online programs enable students to better manage the rigors of school while still earning a living. If you think the dental hygienist field is more your speed than dentistry, and need to maintain a job to pay for your education, you may want to look further into the online degree option.