Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting Major: What It Includes, Classes and Careers

A Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting major prepares you to clean teeth, take X-rays and support dentists in patient care. Dental assisting programs are usually certificates, while dental hygiene programs are typically associate degrees, with bachelor's options.

A Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting major includes coursework in oral anatomy, dental radiography, periodontology, infection control, and dental materials and more. You build skills such as preventive dental care, taking dental X-rays, infection control, and patient education. Programs often include clinical rotations. Typical degrees: certificate (assisting), associate and bachelor's degrees (hygiene).

Typical courses include oral anatomy, dental radiography, periodontology, infection control, dental materials, and clinical practice. Exact course names and requirements vary by college, and most degrees also include general education courses.

It depends on the level. Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting is offered as certificate, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s awards at U.S. colleges; certificates take from a few months to about two years, an associate degree usually takes about two years of full-time study, a bachelor’s degree usually takes about four years of full-time study, and a master’s degree usually takes one to two years after a bachelor’s. Part-time study takes longer.

Certificate (assisting), associate and bachelor's degrees (hygiene). In the latest federal data, 382 colleges reported certificate awards, 333 colleges reported associate awards, 91 colleges reported bachelor’s awards, and 11 colleges reported master’s awards.

Career paths connected to dental hygiene and dental assisting include dental hygienist, dental assistant, dental lab technician, and dentist. Some roles need additional training, experience, certification or a license.

Examples include dental hygienist (typical training: About 3 years), dental assistant (typical training: 9–12 months), dental lab technician (typical training: 1–2 years), and dentist (typical training: 8 years after high school).

Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting majors build skills such as preventive dental care, taking dental X-rays, infection control, patient education, and manual dexterity.

Good pairings include Public Health (fits community and school dental health programs), Spanish (helps you educate Spanish-speaking patients), and Business (useful for office management or practice ownership later).

Often, yes. Programs commonly include clinical rotations. Ask each college how its program arranges hands-on work.

It can be a good fit if you are interested in the work it leads to, such as dental hygienist, dental assistant, and dental lab technician, and enjoy subjects like oral anatomy and dental radiography. No major guarantees a job, so compare the coursework, the careers and the education each career requires before deciding.

How hard it feels depends on your strengths. Core coursework includes oral anatomy, dental radiography, and periodontology; if those subjects interest you, the major is likely to feel more manageable. Reviewing a college’s course list and talking to current students helps you judge.

571 U.S. colleges reported awarding degrees or certificates in this field in the latest federal (IPEDS) data. Programs can have different names at different schools.

California (64), Texas (44), Florida (31), Georgia (23), and North Carolina (23), based on the colleges that reported awards in this field.

423 of the colleges that offer dental hygiene and dental assisting also report offering at least one program entirely online, though not necessarily this one. Use the college search with this major and “Offers fully online programs”, then confirm with the school.

Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting prepares you to clean teeth, take X-rays and support dentists in patient care. Nursing prepares you to assess, treat and educate patients as part of a healthcare team. Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting leads to careers such as dental hygienist and dental assistant, while Nursing leads to careers such as registered nurse and licensed practical nurse.

Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting prepares you to clean teeth, take X-rays and support dentists in patient care. Healthcare Administration teaches you to manage the business side of hospitals, clinics and health systems. Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting leads to careers such as dental hygienist and dental assistant, while Healthcare Administration leads to careers such as medical and health services manager and medical administrative assistant.

Yes. Short online career training can help you understand a specific job and build practical knowledge alongside your classes. It does not replace your degree or any required license.

No. Career Education Institute is not a college and does not award degrees. It offers short, non-credit online trainings about jobs connected to dental hygiene and dental assisting, such as Dental Hygienist Training.