From dental hygienist to Dentist?

Hi,


Right now i am begining my prereqs to become a dental hygieniest. I have began to volunteer at a dentist office and have taken an intrest in becoming a dentist. Should i become a dental hygienist and then become a dentist? Is it even possible? Has anyone done that before? I would think a hygieniest would not have the time to go back to school and support him or herself. I am a little confused at the moment so please help! Thanks

From dental hygienist to Dentist?
High kudos to you for wanting to pursue higher education. To become a dentist it is a total of 8 years, 4 years getting your bachelor's degree and then another 4 years at a dental school. My husband worked in a lab after he completed his degree, just to get him started and the experience was so well worth the time, as yours will be getting into hygiene first and then pursuing dental school. Getting a full scope of the field will only benefit you and the office/job you decide to settle into. Learning the ropes through hygiene also gives you a better understanding of how the staff is affected by you and your interpersonal skills. Being the dentist is being the boss and sometimes it is a tough role with a lot of responsibility and very few perks for yourself. People perceive dentists as rich, and I can tell you, they are not. If you decide to get into the dental field as a dentist do it because you love what you are doing, not because of the money, cuz there ain't much :o)
Reply:You need a 4 year degree and must apply to dental college/school to be a dentist. Being a hygienist has really nothing to do with being a dentist. If you want to be a dentist, be one - don't waste your time or money on the hygienist schooling.
Reply:If being a dentist is something you really want i would go for it now. Just remember going to be a dentist takes almost 7 years or plus. If you need money now i would go to hygien school first , and then maybe later you will end up going to Dental school. Just remeber its what you are going to do for the most part of your life.
Reply:A lot of the determination as to how to pursue your vocation depends on your age, ambition, and monetary position. If you are really pretty young [which I assume you are] and don't have the $$ [which are very substantial] needed for dental school then you may think about becoming a hygienist and then working to support your dental school career. However, if there is any way to avoid going this route it would be better to go ahead and pursue your dental degree rather than waste your time in a field which you really don't need. As a previous person replied though, it is not all fun and games being the boss and although the profession is very rewarding, there is a lot of stress that needs to be reckoned with. You don't face this as a hygienist. There are many advantages to being a hygienist but....do you really want to only do that one procedure all day long? Even though the salary is very substantial for the education, there is high burn out in the hygienist profession so that is something you must consider. It all boils down to what you feel in your gut...be the boss and face the assorted problems or be an employee. A lot of females become hygienists as it's easy to leave to have children and then come back to work. Good luck with your decision!
Reply:No, doesnt work like that.
Reply:You will have to get a 4 year degree to be a dentist and a lot of hygiene programs are only associate programs. However, for the most part, dental hygiene is a flexible job and you could go to hygiene school, then start working as a RDH and continue going to school. Most dental offices do not employ a hygienist 5 days a week. Now, once you enter dental school, I am not sure how much time that takes up. But, there is always the student loan! It depends on how much you need to start working right away. Sure it has happened, lots of times.
Reply:I am glad you asked this question. that is what i am planning to be, a dental hygienist . so the answers really helped me and made a alot of things clear.


thank you.
Reply:If you want to be a dentist, than be one!





You can certainly start your dental career as a hygienist. You may even prefer to stop there, since you'll be an independant employee and can pick and choose when you want to work, and for whom.





Like someone else pointed out, would you be happy doing the same thing every day, over and over again? That's one thing to consider....





Age has nothing to do with it. I know a few dentists that received their degree at almost 40... two were paramedics first, one was actually a dental assistant, and another was a stay-at-home-Dad...





Whatever road you decide to take, just make sure you'll be happy with it and stay focused to achieve your goals!





Best of Luck!