Florida residents who are thinking about becoming a dental hygienist should know that they are first required to complete a Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) training program approved by the American Dental Association (ADA).
The Florida Board of Dentistry – which is within the state's Department of Health – is the official organization responsible for granting licensure to qualified Florida Dental Hygienist candidates who successfully complete an ADA-approved Florida dentistry program.
This article shows prospective students how to find the top FL Dental Hygienist schools and explains the state's rigorous licensing requirements.
Florida Dental Hygienist Licensing Guidelines
Individuals who are at least 18 years of age, and who do not have any formal dental training in their background, are required to complete the following sequential steps before gaining the credentials to work as a FL Dental Hygienist:
- graduate from an approved Florida dentistry program
- pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination
- pass a Florida written examination covering the state's laws and regulations
- pass a Florida clinical examination composed of both computer-simulated patient interactions as well as one live patient interaction
Those who have already been licensed to practice in another state and would like to learn more about how to transfer their licensure to Florida can visit the Board of Dentistry's licensing information page.
FL Dental Hygienist Classes
Typically, the best post-secondary schools in Florida offering dental hygiene programs present students with the opportunity to earn two-year, associate-level degrees. While such colleges and universities are given a certain amount of flexibility in creating its own course schedules and curricular structures, all ADA-approved Florida Dental hygienist programs are required to offer:
- an academic, classroom-based portion consisting of both general education and medical courses
- a clinical training component that is supervised by medical professionals
Florida dentistry students enrolled in approved collegiate programs learn many important subject areas in the classroom, including:
- Radiology
- Pathology
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Dental practice
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Physiology
- Dental hygiene
- Pharmacology
- Chemistry
- Anatomy
- English
In the clinical training portion of approved FL Dental Hygienist schools, students work directly with patients in a supervised setting, gaining valuable experiential training.
Florida Dental Hygienist Programs and Training
The top Florida dentistry schools that are approved by the ADA can be found mainly in community colleges, four-year institutions and universities across the state.
To find the best local program, see the ADA's dental program page and use the search function to find those in the State of Florida.
Advantage of Approved FL Dental Hygienist Schools
Students who complete an approved program and go on to pass the numerous licensing examinations (both state and national) are allowed to seek employment in Florida as a Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH).
To find more health care training options in Florida and elsewhere, see also:
The Best Online Nursing Programs
Florida Medical Assistant Training
David Harris-Gershon - David Harris-Gershon – a blogger for Tikkun magazine and a freelance writer on Israel, the Middle East and America’s role in ...
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