Have you considered becoming a dental hygienist? With competitive pay, excellent job growth, flexible scheduling, and opportunities to specialize your interests and skills over time, dental hygiene is a stable yet dynamic career choice worth exploring. This high demand field needs qualified professionals who are passionate about advancing oral healthcare through preventative care and patient education.
To enter this rapidly growing profession, earning an accredited certificate or degree from reputable dental hygiene academic programs is essential. Here we outline everything you need to know about launching a dental hygiene career, from accredited education options to licensure, specializations, salary insights and more – with an emphasis on top programs in and around Colorado Springs, CO.
An In-Demand Career Improving Community Oral Health
Dental hygienists play a critical role in providing essential preventative oral care, especially to underserved groups. Working under dentists’ supervision in private, public health, school and correctional settings, they thoroughly clean teeth above and below the gum line, screen for disease indicators, and educate patients on proper home care and diet for optimal oral health.
With over 200,000 current dental hygienist positions nationwide and an above average 11% growth rate anticipated through 2028 as dentist offices expand and emphasis on preventative services increases, dental hygiene presents stable yet abundant career opportunities. Median pay reaches $76,220 with experienced hygienists earning over $100k in many regions. Meanwhile over 80% of dental hygienists report being satisfied in their roles citing the positive impact they have through patient education and preventative interventions.
Especially as access to regular preventative dental care remains out of reach for many vulnerable groups and rural regions grapple with dentist shortages, dental hygienists help fill a vital niche improving community oral health through education, assessment, cleaning and basic restorative services. With 75 million Americans lacking dental benefits and over 60% of seniors having untreated tooth decay, the need for skilled dental hygiene professionals committed to public health continues rising significantly.
Why Seek CODA-Accredited Dental Hygiene Education
To gain licensure as a registered dental hygienist, candidates must graduate from academic programs accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), widely recognized as the industry gold standard. CODA establishes strict criteria these specialized dental hygiene programs must meet covering curriculum, faculty qualifications, facilities/technology access and student achievement benchmarks.
CODA-accredited programs provide robust educational foundations including:
- Scientifically-grounded understanding of oral anatomy, physiology, microbiology and disease
- Radiology, periodontics, pain management principles
- Preventative treatment protocols
- Infection control and occupational safety
- Patient psychology and communication
- Professional ethics
Extensive hands-on clinical experience allows students to build proficiency providing oral assessments, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, basic restorations and local anesthesia under dentist supervision. By developing not only clinical capabilities but also the judgment needed to determine appropriate interventions, CODA-accredited programs comprehensively prepare students for the rigors of dental hygiene practice and certification.
Top CODA-Accredited Dental Hygiene Programs in Colorado Springs Region
Dedicated students in search of a supportive pathway into professional dental hygiene have quality options through reputable local community college and trade school programs.
Here we outline essential details on top Colorado Springs area picks:
Pikes Peak Community College
- Established, Well-Regarded Program: Offering Associate Degree & Certificate pathways
- Comprehensive Hands-on Training: CODA-accredited providing 500+ hours of clinical experience
- Excellent Reputation & Outcomes: Graduates consistently rate high satisfaction with in-depth preparation for licensing exams & practice
- State-of-the-Art Campus Clinic: Public receives quality discounted dental hygiene services from students
With small classes led by credentialed faculty, students gain extensive patient assessment, instrumentation, radiography and intervention experience preparing to pass board exams and excel as licensed hygienists. Both degree and certificate tracks meet certification eligibility.
Pima Medical Institute
- Career-Focused Curriculum: Associated of Occupational Studies Degree in Dental Hygiene
- Accelerated 21-Month Program: Fast-paced immersive training minimizes student loan burdens
- Cutting-Edge Facilities & Technology: Modern clinic settings mirror professional environments using latest tools
- Strong Industry Relationships: Robust externship & job placement connections upon graduation
Backed by a 40+-year history providing career and technical education, PMI students benefit from seasoned instructors and a dialed-in program maximizing practical dental hygiene skills. Graduates consistently rate satisfaction with career preparation highly.
IntelliTec College
Streamlined 9-Month Certificate: Quickly gain essential knowledge & proficiencies for patient care roles through immersed training
Practice-Focused Teaching Approach: Led by working dental professionals emphasizing core competencies
Close Community Ties: Volunteer service learning reinforces skills while giving back locally
Dedicated Graduate Placement Support: Connections with regional oral health employers & guidance tailoring your job search
For motivated students seeking accelerated entry into oral health fields, IntelliTec College offers concentrated dental hygiene foundations plus resume/interview coaching to launch your career.
With any of these CODA-vetted Colorado Springs area options, students gain specialized expertise and clinical acumen to pass licensing exams and meet community dental care access needs.
Keys to Researching the Right Program Fit
Of course, finding an accredited dental hygiene program matching your individual interests, location needs and career aspirations takes research. Reach out to those offering free consultations and campus visits to get a personalized feel for culture and offerings.
Key aspects to weigh in your decision include:
- Program Cost & Timeline: How do total expenses and program length compare? How might this impact your career entry speed and longer-term earnings potential?
- Funding & Assistance: What federal financial aid, institutional scholarships or military/employer education benefits apply?
- Gainful Employment Outcomes: What percent of graduates pass board exams and find related employment within 12 months? What types of jobs and salary ranges are typical?
- Graduate & Employer Reviews: Feedback from actual alumni and those hiring graduates carries significant weight.
- Faculty Qualifications: Seasoned faculty with relevant industry work histories and continued connections instill insider perspectives.
- Hands-on Focus: Extensive patient-based clinical training readies you for practice realities and builds skill proficiency.
- Licensure Exam Prep: Focused test prep interventions can help boost confidence and first-time pass rates.
- Career Support: Robust graduate job placement services offer insider leads to local openings.
By prioritizing evidence-based metrics like these over marketing claims, you can determine programs offering the comprehensive experience dental hygiene demands.
Earning Your Licensure as a Registered Dental Hygienist
Upon completing your accredited dental hygiene program and conferring certification of holding at least an associate degree, certificate or diploma, graduates must pass both a national theory test and regional clinical skills exam to practice as licensed hygienists. In Colorado, the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam (NBDHE) and the hands-on Central Regional Dental Testing Service (CRDTS) assessments are required for registering your RDH license.
Many graduates first take the computer-based NBDHE to demonstrate foundational dental hygiene knowledge across major categories like scientific bases, provision of clinical dental hygiene services and community health/research principles. A score of 75 represents the national passing benchmark.
The CRDTS clinical exam then gauges your competency actually providing common dental hygiene interventions over two days of intensive skills assessments including digital imaging, periodontal probing, charting, anesthesia, sealants and more. You’ll work one-on-one with examiners playing patient roles with detailed grading rubrics. Your state board reviews your CRDTS scores alongside credential documentation to finalize registration granting you authority to practice.
For the best first-time pass likelihoods, reputable programs provide focused exam preparation interventions. Pikes Peak Community College reports 84% of recent dental hygiene graduates pass both assessments on their initial attempts – a useful benchmark for comparing programs’ outcomes.
Salaries & Career Pathways for Licensed Dental Hygienists
Your specialized expertise as a registered dental hygienist is highly valued. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average national salary for dental hygienists is $76,220 per year with top earners making over $102k annually. Those working in Colorado see median pay of $82,840. Beyond competitive wages, nearly all dental hygienists have full-time schedule options if desired plus health/retirement benefits.
While most establish their careers in private dental offices, your licensure opens doors to oral health roles in varied settings like public health clinics, hospitals, K-12 schools and universities, correctional facilities, nursing homes and even mobile dental outreach programs. Or you may provide temp support across multiple offices. Some graduates open their own practices providing direct preventative services permitted within their regional scope.
And by specializing your expertise over the long-term, seasoned dental hygienists see expanding leadership opportunities for example as clinic health directors, policy consultants, sales liaisons, technology trainers, and dental educators or researchers. Advanced master’s programs also now exist supporting roles in public health supervision, education and business administration. So while launching your dental hygiene journey with an accredited certificate or associate degree, know that this field offers diverse specialization pathways to advance your career impact over time.
Start Your Rewarding Career in Dental Hygiene Today!
With excellent employment prospects, competitive salaries, and meaningful patient interactions improving community oral health, dental hygiene offers dynamic career options. And by establishing your initial expertise through a reputable, CODA-accredited program in Colorado Springs like Pikes Peak CC, Pima Medical Institute’s or IntelliTec College, you gain specialized patient care and preventative disease intervention capabilities that set you up for certification and licensure success.
If you’re eager to kickstart your health services career in a vital support role expanding dental access, one of these local programs can put you firmly on the registered dental hygienist path. Reach out today to learn more and get started!