Did you ever have a career day as a kid in elementary school? What did you want to be when you grew up? For me, I had chosen to be a stewardess because I loved to travel. But nowadays I run a dental hygienist guide blog! LOL! No, I never became a stewardess but nonetheless I am happy with my decision to become a dental hygienist (and I still get to travel 🙂
Among the many questions I asked myself on my journey to choosing a career were comparison questions. One of the answers I wanted to know was, what is the main difference between dentists and dental hygienists?
As a general rule the main difference between dentists and dental hygienists is that dentists focus on treating and fixing conditions in the mouth while dental hygienists focus on the prevention of disease conditions in the mouth.
These are fascinating professions that each carry their own unique advantages and characteristics. They also work in unison. Here is a more detailed chart comparing a dentist and a dental hygienist:
Education
There are significant differences between the education requirements of dentists and dental hygienists. Dentists stay in school at at least 2-8 years longer than dental hygienists (depending on whether the dentist goes into a specialty or not).
Dental hygienists also have the option to study to get their Bachelors or Masters in Dental Hygiene if they so wish. A dental hygienist can practice with an Associate’s in dental hygiene but may need a master’s if they wish to work as a professor in a dental hygiene program.
Because of their extended schooling, dentists incur more debt than dental hygienists, not to mention the additional costs of setting up or purchasing a dental practice after graduation. Factors that influence the expense of an education program are if you are studying at a community college or a traditional university, if you are a resident of the state/county or if you are out-of-state.
I experienced these factors first-hand in my family. Both my younger brother and I studied to become dental hygienists. I went to a community college for an AS while he went to a university for a BS. His total tuition came out to be about $20,000 more than mine.
Interestingly enough, both of our schooling took the same amount of time but his schooling was more intense because of the Bachelors aspect of his degree.
School Debt/Wages
Earning an average of $77,810 per year as of 2022 dental hygienists will pay for the cost of their education a few times over in their first year of working.
Conversely, at an average of $167,160 per year for general dentists it may take a few years to begin earning a profit from their practice due to the large costs incurred in their schooling and the startup of their business. Some dentists may choose not to open or buy a business but instead work as an employee at another dentist’s office. In the long run, dentists will out earn dental hygienists.
Work Place
As the saying goes, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” Along with higher wages, come more responsibilities. Most dentists will take on the responsibility of running a business whether they do it themselves or hire an office manager. They also have to deal with the hiring and firing of employees and all the other details that come with owning a private practice.
Dental hygienists, on the other hand, usually have less responsibilities working as an employee. Some may take on the role as the dental hygiene department manager. Other possibilities include organizing a public health program, etc.
I personally enjoy working as an independent contractor and legally filing as a small business. Working as a substitute (temp) dental hygienist gives me a lot of flexibility and allows me to keep more of the money I earn as compared to filing as an employee. I will be writing a separate post on how I accomplish this successfully.
“Treatment without prevention is simply unsustainable.”
-BILL GATES
How Dentists and Dental Hygienists Complement Each Other
At first glance, it may seem as if dental hygienists (prevention specialists) are trying to undercut dentists’ work (treatment specialists). But the reality is that there will always be a need to repair teeth.
Even if dental hygienists were successful in preventing all gum disease and all cavities through prevention strategies, there will always be people that need to straighten, whiten, or strengthen teeth with crowns or fix teeth broken through other means (accidents, genetic disorders, etc).
A dental hygienist is a valuable asset to any dentist. While dental hygienists care for routine preventive procedures such as cleanings and x-rays, the dentist has more time for higher-producing procedures like crowns and bridges. Basically, a dental hygienist helps a dentist make more money.
A dental hygienist can also serve as a second pair of eyes for any disease formation in a patient’s mouth. Kind of like a pointer dog in the hunt for cavities and other dental defects.
Both dentists and dental hygienists work together to serve the countless members of society reach higher levels of dental health. Will you join one of these ranks?
