Getting the education you need for a stable career is a snap with one of the best online master’s in dental hygiene programs.
These flexible online degree programs are just as good as on-campus options. They also enable you to fulfill any in-person requirements at your own practice or other locations close to where you live.
Even better, the flexibility of asynchronous distance learning options means you’ll be able to continue working while completing your education. Let’s dive deeper to see exactly what a master’s in dental hygiene is and what it can do for you.
What Is a Master’s in Dental Hygiene Degree?
A master’s degree in dental hygiene is a continuation of the same studies you would find in a bachelor’s degree of the same specialization. A dental hygienist is not the same thing as a typical dentist, which requires a doctorate. Dental hygienists are responsible for most cleaning appointments, however, and several of them may work in one dental office.
Master’s degrees in this field prepare dental hygienists to enter research or administrative roles in the dental hygiene sphere. Those who attain this degree can eventually become teachers of other dental hygienists or become managers of their peers.
How Much Can You Earn With a Master’s in Dental Hygiene Degree?
A master’s degree in dental hygiene will enable you to enjoy the profession’s solid annual salary, which is around $74,820 per year. This is quite a reasonable wage for many, and there are opportunities for higher salaries of around $101,000 as you enter a managerial position.
Furthermore, dental hygienists will enjoy an 11% job growth rate over the next ten years. This means that there will be lots of new positions for future dental hygienists and managers. It’s an incredibly stable and potentially lucrative career.
What Is Required for a Master’s in Dental Hygiene Degree?
A dental hygiene degree at the master’s level requires extensive coursework in several subjects, including biostatistics, oral pathology, and dental radiology. For the most part, students dive deeper into the concepts they learn during a bachelor’s degree program in the same field.
Most master’s degrees in dental hygiene require that you have a bachelor’s degree in at least a related field, as well as some work experience in dental environments. They typically require excellent grades and at least two letters of recommendation.
The majority of programs will also require that you have a dental hygienist certification to qualify for admission.
What Are the Best Master’s in Dental Hygiene Degrees?
OSR uses six data points: three school-wide and three program-specific. For school-wide, OSR uses Student Satisfaction, Admission Rates, and the number of programs the school offers online. For program-specific, OSR checks the Median Debt of graduates from that program, how many degrees are offered within that program’s umbrella department, and what percentage of students at that school graduated from that department.
The six statistics are displayed by each school. The sliding bar under each statistic represents how that school compares to other US institutions. “Not reported” means a school did not release that information to the US Department of Education. A more detailed description of the OSR process can be found on the methodology page.
Now let’s check out the 5 best online Master’s in Dental Hygiene degrees!
