Is going to Dental Hygiene school a better option than doing 4 yrs of pre-dentis

[xxheeraxx]

Hi guys,

I am currently a student who is contemplating whether I should go to dental hygiene school or instead transfer into a four year institution. My mother in law who is a successful dentist has told me it is possible to go from being a dental hygienist to a dentist in less time. However, I cannot find any relevant information confirming that. As of right now I don't have much money and would like to make some ( that the appeal of dental hygiene) However, I know I wont be satisfied with just a dental hygiene degree. I guess I am looking for a short cut around the system. Can anyone give me specific information regarding this and does anyone know of dentistry schools that accept dental hygienists?? (and lets not go off topic and bash careers please and thank you!!)

Best Regards!🙂

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[davidae85]

you probably wont get to dental school in less time, but it will help your application big time cause youll have lots of good dental experience.

If I could do it all over again, I would have gone for a B.S. in Dental Hygiene rather than B.S. in Biology. I would have ended up with a useful degree working in the dental field had I gone for dental hygiene. Then while waiting to get into dental school (considering it takes 2-3 years on average now-a-days), I would have at least had a job as a dental hygeienist, rather than sitting around with a ****ty good-for-nothing Biology major, which seems to be a dime a dozen now.......

 

[Maygyver]

I feel like getting a BS in Biology will show you can do well in the harder science courses. A hygiene degree would be useful if you planned on working before dental school, but I think most schools realize they are going to be teaching you to be a dentist, so the fact of having "lots of good dental experience" really doesn't matter. I think schools look at the degree of your experience just to see that you have put in the time to make sure the career is for you. However, I don't think getting a hygiene degree would save you any time because you still have to do the same process no matter what your degree is.

 

[yappy]

I think for dentistry it would be better to get a degree that is centered around education in science rather than learning a skill; although useful and a great career.
I worked in health care at a technician level. Although I was great at the skills I was doing I was not a professional! I was a technician. The doctors did the doctoring.
This difference between professional vs tech is HUGE and is what sets the dentist apart from others dental health workers.
I think you should find a four year degree that interests you and that will set you up for this high level thinking. You want to focus on problem solving, thinking in abstract, learn to write very well, etc. etc.

In dental school you'll learn to be a dentist - not by getting a head start through a technical program.

To David: My friend majored in bio and is now working @ ~25/hr as a medical scientist. Another has been doing well as pharm rep. Just got to look for the opportunities no matter what your degree.

 

[polkadds]

Hi guys,

I guess I am looking for a short cut around the system. Can anyone give me specific information regarding this and does anyone know of dentistry schools that accept dental hygienists?? (and lets not go off topic and bash careers please and thank you!!)

Best Regards!🙂

Sorry but I couldn't resist. If you're truly looking for a shortcut you can become an advanced dental hygenist practicioner in Minnesota or a dental therapist. Those seem to be pretty clear short cuts.

 

[Seahawk]

I thought about doing the BS in dental hygiene thing...Still an option....very high chance I will end up in academics in dentistry so I guess I was thinking the more knowledge I could get in the field would be a good thing...

 

[SuperTank]

Hi guys,

I am currently a student who is contemplating whether I should go to dental hygiene school or instead transfer into a four year institution. My mother in law who is a successful dentist has told me it is possible to go from being a dental hygienist to a dentist in less time.

There are several students at my school who are former assistants/hygienists. But every single one also has a BS degree. There are several dental schools that will accept you without a BS degree, but I am not aware of a single school in the country that doesn't require a laundry list of pre-reqs, a set amount of undergrad hours (usually 90, with a solid GPA) and an above-average DAT score. If you went to hygiene school first, you'd still have to do all the bio/physics/chem classes that every other student takes. So If you figure 4 years of undergrad versus hygiene school, then work for a little to improve your skills, then pre-reqs... it's going to take you a lot longer.

Long story short, there are no short cuts.

 

[hoylematt]

The real problem is that when you start making money as a hygenist, you will not want to stop long enough to pursue dentistry.

 

[Jenna2010]

👍 i agree

you probably wont get to dental school in less time, but it will help your application big time cause youll have lots of good dental experience.

If I could do it all over again, I would have gone for a B.S. in Dental Hygiene rather than B.S. in Biology. I would have ended up with a useful degree working in the dental field had I gone for dental hygiene. Then while waiting to get into dental school (considering it takes 2-3 years on average now-a-days), I would have at least had a job as a dental hygeienist, rather than sitting around with a ****ty good-for-nothing Biology major, which seems to be a dime a dozen now.......

 

[IdahoDoc]

First off there isn't a short cut by getting your RDH to becoming a DMD or DDS, but if I had to do it all over again I would 100% get a B.S. in dental hygiene!

We have several(7 or 8) who have their RDH not only does it make classes like dental anatomy really easy for them they are also good at the little stuff like patient chair location and just dumb things they expect you to be born knowing. The biggest reason why I would have done it though would be to moonlight. While we don't have a ton of downtime it would be nice to moonlight every now and then.

Those people that said "better to have a science degree to show you can learn and perform well, or it makes you a better applicant to not have a trade degree... blah blah blah" just keep your grades up and nobody cares what degree you have as long as you have the right classes. It just so happens that most of those classes make a biology degree the result. Bottom line get good grades rock the dat and get a degree you can use during dental school!

 

[yappy]

I respect your view Idahodoc; but do you think the extra few years it would take to do DH prior to dental school - given the option to moonlight while in dental school - is worth the lost dentist wages you would be foregoing by delaying your application/graduation?

 

[SeattleRDH]

I sure wish that there was a shortcut into dental school. My dad, a dentist like your mother-in-law, thought this was the case too but it's not.

I had a bachelors degree before I went to hygiene school which is part of the reason why I got in in the first place. Everyone in my hygiene class without a previous bachelors had been a dental assistant for years before applying. It's not a piece of cake getting into a dental hygiene program (at least not in Washington).
Then, after completing 7 quarters of dental hygiene school and working for 3 years (I suppose you could skip the working part but just having a degree doesn't give you experience in dentistry) I am going back to school as a post-bacc to complete the 2 years of prerequisites I need to apply to dental school. Oh yeah, and I have to get good grades or they aren't even going to look at my app.
So, if I get into a four year dental school, I will have spent 12+ years of my adult life as a student. It's NOT a short cut!

If you want to be a dentist, go to dental school. If you want to be a hygienist, go to hygiene school. If you just want to make money, go to business school.


P.S. A dental hygienist is not a "tech." Just as an RN is not a "tech." In order to practice we must pass a national board exam, regional clinical exams, and take on-going CE courses. We are licensed to not only "clean teeth" but administer local anesthetic and in some states place permanent restorations.

 

[hoylematt]

If you want to be a dentist, go to dental school. If you want to be a hygienist, go to hygiene school. If you just want to make money, go to business school.

Objection! Speculation.

Sustained.

 

[SuperTank]

Objection! Speculation.

Sustained.

Law school, then?

 

[yappy]

Sorry to disrespect DH seattle. Didn't mean tech in a bad way; just different than dentist.

 

[tlv6101]

I am also in the same boat as the OP. Only diifference is that I have a BA in Biology. My gpa is not too competitive so I'm contemplating between doing a master's program or do dental hygiene to gain experience and boost up my undergraduate gpa with dental hygiene science classes. I wanted to be able to attain a stable job while pursuing dentistry but don't know if dental schools prefer a master's degree or something similar.

Any advice?

 

[lululime]

To be honest, I don't know what it means to moonlight...

Anyways, I have a friend who is taking the DH route to dental school. She did not complete her BSc first, but has most of the dental prereqs. She tells me lots of students in her class are hoping to get into dental afterwards too, so I don't know if DH makes classes difficult to keep students from leaving for dentistry (I hear that pharmacy is difficult to discourage their students from leaving for professional school).

I am in the third year of my science degree and I think that as long as my friend and I complete the prereqs we would have the same chance of getting into dental school. The only difference I think is that she is more likely to have a job after we graduate, which I think is important to consider if you need money. Either way, if neither of us get into dent after getting our degrees the only way we improve our applications is though higher education.

I don't know what education you can pursue after DH that is related. Research maybe? Another unrelated degree (pharmacy, nursing, science, arts)?

As for those of us with BSc degrees, we can go on to DH or masters. Given you do well in DH and show some leadership during those years, I think it shows you can handle dent. However, I hear schools LOVE grad students because schools also look for researchers to contribute to dental research.

So what I'm saying is that a DH or masters give you the same shot at dentistry. GPA is always something you have to keep up, and if you don't make it you must always keep learning--take more classes, further your education. If you fear the piggy bank is emptying faster than you can get into dent, DH is a useful route. If money is no object or you feel like you will get into dent sooner, then DH or masters doesn't matter---just chose which one you're more likely to excel in! =)

 

[doc toothache]

Anyways, I have a friend who is taking the DH route to dental school. She did not complete her BSc first, but has most of the dental prereqs. She tells me lots of students in her class are hoping to get into dental afterwards too, so I don't know if DH makes classes difficult to keep students from leaving for dentistry (I hear that pharmacy is difficult to discourage their students from leaving for professional school).

You are probably right. Why with just biochemistry, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pathology, biopharmaceutics and pharmacotherapy the deans of pharmacy schools might think more is needed lest their students/graduates start wondering off eyeballing other "professional schools". Oh, and some, apparently erroneously, have been under the impression that pharmacy was considered a professional school.

 

[dentalWorks]

Hi guys,

I am currently a student who is contemplating whether I should go to dental hygiene school or instead transfer into a four year institution. My mother in law who is a successful dentist has told me it is possible to go from being a dental hygienist to a dentist in less time. However, I cannot find any relevant information confirming that. As of right now I don't have much money and would like to make some ( that the appeal of dental hygiene) However, I know I wont be satisfied with just a dental hygiene degree. I guess I am looking for a short cut around the system. Can anyone give me specific information regarding this and does anyone know of dentistry schools that accept dental hygienists?? (and lets not go off topic and bash careers please and thank you!!)

Best Regards!🙂

You can't find any relevant info about the bold statement above because its simply not true.

I understand that money is tight, but, in the long run, if money is your objective, then perhaps its best you try to get into dental school ASAP cause.... once you earn that DDS/DMD, you'll be earning more $$$ than 99.999% of hygienists..... I believe the best and fastest way is to get into dental school is by enrolling into traditional undergrad and work on your bachelors degree.... and....in the summer of your junior year, you apply to dental schools

 

[bevoMBA90]

Two of my classmates were hygienists. They had to take the biochem and physics that was not required in their dental hygiene program. They did very well.

 

[dentalgrrl]

Keep in mind that if you decide to go the hygiene school route, you may be potentially depriving an aspiring hygienist of a spot. I had initially considered doing a hygiene program before applying to dental school, and this is the reason I chose not to. If I were an RDH-hopeful, I would hate to be denied acceptance because a slot was filled by someone who ultimately wants to practice dentistry. Just my two pennies... 🙂

 

[KristopherTruth]

I will play devils advocate and say go the route. Do the B.S. in dental hygiene while taking all the pre-reqs to get into dental school.

1) You will have a working tangible skill once your done with undergrad so if you don't get in to dental school right away you can always enter the job market until you do.
2) You will have access directly to the dental community, and be able to make connections will established practitioners.
3) You will be distinguished amongst other applicants because you have practical knowledge of the dental field, you are a dental professional already which means you have worked with patients and met the needs of patients.
4) When your in dental school you will have the basics down, you know how to hold the tools, you know dental anatomy already, ect and you can work while your in dental school and subsidize your tuition that way.

I met an orthodontist the other day, she used to be a dental hygienist.

At the end of the day, its your choice. Happy thanksgiving. 🙂

 

[xxheeraxx]

Thanks a lot for all the advice guys, I am definitly thinking things through very thuroughly. I dont mean to be lazy and find a way around the system. I suppose these days with the way things are, I just find the quick money aspect appealing. I have been taling to a lot of people and now am leaning towards a four university simply due to the fact that there is not a whole lot of available information on trasition guidelines from dental hygiene to dds. Also, in Chicago where I live, there arent many dental hygiene programs. The only one in the greater chicagoland area is not even taking aplications for the next year or so. And I would definitly hate to take the spot of an aspiring dental hygienist for my convenience. Oh well, I suppose time will tell me what path to take!

 

[blonderdhmph]

.

 

[SDHPreDental]

you probably wont get to dental school in less time, but it will help your application big time cause youll have lots of good dental experience.

If I could do it all over again, I would have gone for a B.S. in Dental Hygiene rather than B.S. in Biology. I would have ended up with a useful degree working in the dental field had I gone for dental hygiene. Then while waiting to get into dental school (considering it takes 2-3 years on average now-a-days), I would have at least had a job as a dental hygeienist, rather than sitting around with a ****ty good-for-nothing Biology major, which seems to be a dime a dozen now.......

Amen to that. After I finish my BS in Dental Hygiene I know it's going to be a bit before I get accepted into DS and then start so it's a great career filler. Also during winter and summer breaks at DS if you know a nice Dentist they would probably let you practice in their...practice lol Heck maybe even one of the instructors might need a good Hygienist and if you have a good relationship with them that may be your in.

Hope that perspective helps! 🙂

 

[SDHPreDental]

I will play devils advocate and say go the route. Do the B.S. in dental hygiene while taking all the pre-reqs to get into dental school.

1) You will have a working tangible skill once your done with undergrad so if you don't get in to dental school right away you can always enter the job market until you do.
2) You will have access directly to the dental community, and be able to make connections will established practitioners.
3) You will be distinguished amongst other applicants because you have practical knowledge of the dental field, you are a dental professional already which means you have worked with patients and met the needs of patients.
4) When your in dental school you will have the basics down, you know how to hold the tools, you know dental anatomy already, ect and you can work while your in dental school and subsidize your tuition that way.

I met an orthodontist the other day, she used to be a dental hygienist.

At the end of the day, its your choice. Happy thanksgiving. 🙂

That was said perfectly! Great explanation! 🙂

 

[Jennlynn10]

I too am going the RDH route to dental school. i didn't plan on this originally but after learning more about oral health i have decided to pursue a career as a dentist. i graduate in may w/ my BSDH and i will have to take 8 pre reqs for dental school. the BSDH is challenging at times with clinic rotations, 18 hours a semester, and national boards. it can give some one a small taste of what dental school might be like. i plan on working part time to gain experience and to also take these classes through the next year. Therefore it will take me 5 years just to get a BSDH and pre-reqs done for dental school. SO it is def not any faster to go this route. There are no real shortcuts in life... expect hard work. would you really want to tell the interviewers you got your RDH because it was faster?? The positive thing about it is you will have an enriched background in oral health and a good job to fall back on if you don't succeed.i feel dental hygiene is a great eye opener for what oral health really involves. I am a little worried about the chem and physics pre-reqs though lol. Hope this helps!