Category: Dental Career

Your Path to a Dental Hygiene Career: From High School to Graduation

By. Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

If you’re excited by the idea of helping people improve their oral health, working closely with patients, and entering a respected healthcare profession, dental hygiene could be a great fit for you. Dental hygienists play a key role in preventive dental care—cleaning teeth, assessing oral health, educating patients, and working side-by-side with dentists in offices, clinics, and community health settings. To become a licensed dental hygienist in Minnesota, you’ll go through a structured educational process that includes foundational coursework, competitive program applications, and hands-on clinical training.

Start in High School: Courses and Skills That Set You Up for Success

Even before you graduate high school, you can begin preparing for dental hygiene programs. Taking strong science courses like biology with lab, chemistry, anatomy/physiology, and health sciences will give you a solid academic foundation for the biology and clinical coursework you’ll encounter later. Classes in English/communication, math, and psychology also help, since dental hygiene programs often include writing, patient communication, and statistics requirements at the college level. Although high school classes alone won’t let you enter most dental hygiene programs directly, they help you build the grades and study skills you’ll need for college prerequisites and competitive applications. Additionally, developing manual dexterity, attention to detail, and strong interpersonal communication skills now will serve you well once you begin clinical training and begin working with patients.

Choosing Between Degree Options: Associate vs. Bachelor’s

When you’re ready to enroll in a dental hygiene program, you’ll generally see two types of degrees available:

  • Associate’s Degree (AAS or AS) – This is the most common pathway. It typically takes about two years of professional coursework after you complete prerequisite classes and leads directly to eligibility for licensure as a dental hygienist. These programs focus on clinical skills like assessments, cleanings, radiography, local anesthesia, and patient education. Century College+1
  • Bachelor’s Degree (BSDH) – A bachelor’s degree usually involves a longer program with broader coursework, including general education and possibly research, leadership, or community health classes. A bachelor’s degree can expand your opportunities beyond clinical care, such as roles in education, public health, management, research, or advanced practice. Metropolitan State University+1  dentistry.umn.edu

Programs like Century College offer an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene with a dual admission track that connects you to a Bachelor of Science pathway with Metropolitan State University so you can plan ahead if you want the bachelor’s credential.

Applying to Programs Near Minneapolis–St. Paul

There are several reputable dental hygiene programs in or near the Twin Cities where you can begin your journey:

  • Century College (White Bear Lake/St. Paul area) – Offers an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene that prepares you for licensure and includes clinical experience. They also partner with Metropolitan State for bachelor’s options. Century College
  • Normandale Community College (Bloomington area) – Provides an Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene with an option to transition into a bachelor’s degree through collaboration with Metropolitan State University. normandale-prod.azurewebsites.net
  • Herzing University (Minneapolis) – Offers a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene program on campus in Minneapolis that includes hands-on labs, clinical experience, and preparation for licensure. Herzing University
  • University of Minnesota School of Dentistry – Delivers a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (accelerated 3-year format) with a competitive admission process and an annual cohort of students. dentistry.umn.edu

To apply, you’ll typically submit a general college application first, then a program-specific application with prerequisites completed (often anatomy, biology, chemistry, communication, and social sciences) and, at some schools, additional materials like essays or interviews.

Advantages of a Dental Hygiene Career and What It Takes

Becoming a dental hygienist offers many advantages. You’ll enter a growing healthcare field with strong job demand, frequent opportunities in private practices and community settings, meaningful patient interaction, and competitive wages. Dental hygienists have the chance to make a direct impact on patients’ oral and overall health while working in a profession that values professional autonomy, education, and preventive care.

To thrive in this career, you’ll want to be detail-oriented, compassionate, and comfortable working closely with patients. Strong communication skills, the ability to work as part of a healthcare team, and manual dexterity for clinical tasks are all attributes that help dental hygienists succeed. With the right preparation and a commitment to your education, you can move from high school aspirations to a rewarding career in oral health.

Considering a Career in Dentistry? Here’s What You Need to Know

By: Dr. Elizabeth Eggert

Considering a career in dentistry? We at Eggert Family Dentistry want to encourage others to share in this amazing career. Let’s go through an overview of the education, training, and skills necessary for a dental career, as well as some of the benefits of working in this field.

Why Choose a Career in Dentistry?

A career in dentistry offers a wide array of benefits and rewarding experiences. Dentistry is a unique blend of science, art, and meticulous hands-on care, requiring dentists to master techniques unique to their profession.

Dental professionals improve the lives of their patients, helping them smile with confidence. In each visit, a dentist can experience the satisfaction of positively impacting a patient’s life, whether that’s through preventative care, restorative procedures, pain reduction, or esthetic correction.

As a dentist, you have the opportunity to build long-term relationships with your patients—many dentists have the privilege of serving multiple generations within a single family! You also help contribute to the overall public health of your community.

In addition to these rewarding experiences, a dental career offers career stability, flexibility, and independence. In fact, dental careers have consistently appeared on U.S. News & World Report’s “100 Best Jobs” rankings.

Most dental school graduates choose to go into private practice, which offers independence and the ability to set and reach individual business and career goals.

Beyond private practice, the field of dentistry offers a wide range of clinical, research, and academic opportunities as well. For example, by engaging in dental education, you have the chance to help shape the future direction of oral healthcare. And in dental research, your work to discover new techniques and technologies can help advance the profession and create better oral health outcomes for millions of patients.

No matter which area of dentistry you choose, you will find a rewarding, challenging career that helps to make the world a better place.

Available Career Paths in Dentistry

The field of dentistry offers a variety of career paths, allowing you to choose a career that best suits your individual skills and interests. Each role in a dental office—whether you’re the dentist, dental hygienist, dental assistant, administrative team member, office manager, or lab technician—helps contribute to patient care in its own way.

  • Dentist: As the primary dental care provider, dentists care for and manage a patient’s overall oral health and often play a vital role in running the business of the dental office. Dentists help patients with preventative education, as well as restorative procedures like fillings, crowns, bridges, veneers, dentures and surgical procedures like root canals, extractions, implants. In addition, they routinely check patients for signs of oral, cranial, lymph, and neck-related health issues, such as cancer or gum disease.
  • Dental Hygienist: A dental hygienist is able to have a lot of one-on-one time with patients. They work closely with dentists to provide important aspects of oral care, such as cleanings and periodontal treatments as well as educating patients on maintaining good oral health.
  • Dental Assistant: Dental assistants support dentists in a variety of tasks, including preparing patients for and walking them through procedures, sterilizing instruments, taking x-rays and tooth impressions. Dental assistants work closely with the dentist during dental procedures and occasionally do help the dental office with administrative tasks.
  • Dental Lab Technician: Working behind the scenes, dental lab technicians are the ones who design and fabricate dental prosthetics like crowns, bridges, dentures, mouth guards, and other dental appliances according to the dentist’s specifications. Most dental lab technicians work outside of the dental office, often at a dental laboratory.
  • Dental Administrative Team Member: No dental office is complete without capable and friendly administrative team members. These workers keep the office running smoothly by helping patients schedule, coordinating payments and with insurance companies, and maintaining relationships with each patient.

In addition to these roles, there are several specialized areas of dentistry that require additional education and certification. These specialists include orthodontists, periodontists, endodontists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, pediatric dentists, facial pain specialists, and oral radiologists.

Education and Training Requirements to Be a Dentist

Becoming a dentist involves rigorous academic requirements as well as several years of practical education. Anyone interested in a dental career must first obtain a bachelor’s degree. It can be in any field, but most aspiring dentists opt for fields that help them complete the prerequisite courses they’ll need for dental school, such as biology or chemistry.

In addition, you must also complete the Dental Admissions Test (DAT) to be accepted into dental school. It’s generally recommended for students to take the DAT at least a year before applying to dental school. In addition, you’ll need to have a good GPA, some experience shadowing a dentist, and excellent recommendation letters.

Dental school is typically a four-year program, with the first two years consisting of basic instruction and lab work, and the final two years focusing on clinical studies.

Once you’ve completed dental school and receive either your Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) degree, you’ll need to pass the accepted licensing board examinations accepted by the state where you want to practice. There are both requirements for knowledge based written board examinations and clinical skill examinations like the CRDTS exam. Depending on the state you plan to practice in, there may be additional licensure requirements as well and you may even have to go before the Licensing Board of the state.

From there, you can either begin practicing dentistry or go on for additional schooling to become a specialist. To enter a specialty program, you’ll need to complete a residency after dental school, which can take anywhere from two to six years, depending on the specialty area you choose.

Continuing Education: Staying Current in a Changing Field

If you choose to enter the dental field, be prepared for a lifetime of learning. Even once you’ve completed your initial schooling, your dental education is not complete. The field of dentistry is constantly growing and changing, so there is always more to learn.

  • Taking regular workshops and CE courses (online or in-person)
  • Joining professional dental associations
  • Attending conferences
  • Participating in mentorship opportunities
  • Pursuing certification programs

These are all great ways to stay current on dental advancements, industry trends, and best practices. Through continuing education, you’ll gain valuable insights to better serve your patients, including learning the latest techniques and technologies available to you. Most states have a continuing education requirement each year to maintain a dental license. In Minnesota, dentists are required to log at least 50 hours every 2 years. Did you know, your dentists, Dr. Jeff Eggert and Dr. Elizabeth Eggert in North Oaks, MN log more than double that amount?

You’ll also have important networking opportunities that help you understand the broader dental landscape so you can make informed decisions for your practice and stay up-to-date on regulatory and licensing requirements. Being part of a strong network of other dental professionals can bring new opportunities and offer invaluable advice to inform your career path.

Building the Right Skill Set

Working in the dental field requires a unique skill set consisting of a blend of technical skills and “soft” person-based skills.

Dental professionals need to be skilled in precision, dexterity, and attention to detail to properly care for their patients’ teeth. Whether you’re cleaning in between a patient’s teeth, filling a cavity, removing stains, or fixing bigger oral issues with bridges, crowns, or surgery, these skills are crucial in helping patients maintain good dental health.

In addition to these technical skills, soft skills like communication, compassion, and creativity are vital to ensure happy patients and a well-run dental office. Effective communication is necessary to deliver your expertise to patients in a way they can understand and apply it to their dental health. Clear communication also helps ensure effective collaboration with your dental team.

Treating patients with compassion is an important element as well. The dental office is often an anxiety-inducing place for patients of all ages, and your job is to reassure them, building trust and rapport so they feel comfortable seeking dental treatment. Listen actively, explain procedures clearly, and show empathy for their fears. Building positive patient relationships like this leads to better treatment outcomes for the patient and increased patient loyalty for your practice.

Finally, a creative mindset is useful in a dental practice, as you will often need to come up with creative solutions to a patient’s dental concerns. This may involve adapting a treatment plan to suit a patient’s lifestyle, designing dental appliances, or finding creative ways to make treatment more comfortable for the patient. No two patients are the same; your approach to their problems needs to follow suit.

Ready to Explore a Career in Dentistry?

If a career in dentistry sounds like something you’d like to pursue, spending some time with others in that field is a great first step.

Look for opportunities to intern, volunteer, or shadow a local dentist. This will give you an opportunity to explore the field further and determine if it’s something you’d like to pursue long-term. Plus, dental schools like to see applicants with experiences like these, because it shows they understand what is involved in practicing dentistry.

If you’re interested in mentorship or observation opportunities with Dr. Elizabeth Eggert, Dr. Jeff Eggert, or another member of the Eggert Family Dentistry team, please feel free to reach out.