Both dental hygiene science and dentistry are specialized branches of science that focus on the study of gums, teeth and oral care. The basic procedure of studying, working and licensing is the almost the same in all the American states for both these fields. Nevertheless, the roles of a dentist and a dental hygienist differ in terms of training, job duties and salaries.
This article highlights the difference between a dental hygienist and a dentist in Farmingdale.
Education & Licensing
Dentists need to acquire a bachelor’s degree in their field before applying for a master’s program in a specialized dental school. They need to clear the state dental admission examination order to enroll in a dental college for bachelor’s or master’s degree. These exams take into consideration your GPA scored at high school level. Their coursework lasts for 4 years after which, they are awarded the degree of DDS (doctor of dental surgery).
In order to work as a dentist in Farmingdale, you need to acquire your license first. For doing this, dental students have to complete their training, clear the state licensing exams and pass a clinical test. Their examination pattern and training is more rigorous than that of a dental hygienist. Thereafter, they can do private practice.
Contrary to this, the basic education required for a dental hygienist is 2 to 3 years though both bachelors and masters program do exist for it as well. However, most dental hygienists prefer the associate’s degree.
After obtaining their degree, even the hygienists need to clear exams, complete practical work and perform hands on test for acquiring the license.
Work & Salary
Job requirements and work environment is different for dental hygienists and dentists. While dentists are specialized individuals who can do solo practice or establish a big clinic by appointing a trained staff, dental hygienists form a part of this group. They work under a specialized dentist.
Dental hygienists can work on full time or part time basis, depending upon their preferences whereas the dentists work around 35 to 40 hours on weekly basis. Additionally, they get at high salaries as compared to the hygienists.
Duties
Any general dentist in Farmingdale can cater to emergency services if he is experienced in handling unforeseen dental issues. Other than this, he can diagnose oral diseases, treat dental disorders like tooth fracture, oral infection or cavities by performing implantation, filling, root canal therapy, tooth extraction or veneering.
They focus on extensive procedures like extracting rotten teeth, replacing a missing tooth and using braces to straighten or fix misaligned teeth. They may also perform corrective surgeries to control bacterial breeding and to resolve issues in jaws, gums and teeth. Lastly, they prescribe medicines, train new individuals and publish articles and training materials in books and newspapers.
On the other hand, dental hygienists are responsible for providing preventative treatments. They focus more on cosmetic processes such as scaling, teeth whitening, polishing and aim to cure diseases like gingivitis. They may also conduct X-ray examinations and tests on patients.
A dental hygienist can work as a dentist if he obtains a doctorate degree in dentistry.
Dentist Farmingdale – Howell Family Dental clinic provides comprehensive oral care and cosmetic services to keep your teeth white, strong and healthy.
