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Dental hygienists work to prevent tooth decay and gum disease, and give customers advice on how to improve their oral health.
You could work: between 8am and 6pm; on a rota
As a dental hygienist, you could:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work at a dental practice, in an NHS or private hospital or at a health centre.
You can get into this job through:
You'll need to complete a higher education diploma or degree approved by the General Dental Council.
Subjects include:
When you apply for a university course, it might help to have some experience in a dental or healthcare setting, for example, shadowing a dental nurse or dental hygienist.
You might be able to get extra support with student finance, as a dental student, through the NHS Learning Support Fund.
You'll usually need:
If you're a qualified dental nurse, you may be able to do a part-time training course with a dental school to become a dental hygienist.
You'll need to:
You can get more details about a career as a dental hygienist and other roles in a dental team from Health Careers and the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy.
With experience and more training, you could:specialise in a particular area, like children's teeth; become a manager of a dental practice; teach dental hygienist students; move into a related job, such as a dental therapist or health promotion specialist; become a dental hygienist in the Royal Navy, if you're already registered with the General Dental Council