Dental hygienists are an important part of the dental care team. Duties include taking the patient's history, cleaning teeth, taking and developing dental x-rays, placing sealants and fluorides, teaching patients how to brush and floss properly, educating the patient on how nutrition is important to good dental health, and more. There are good job opportunities on a full- or part-time basis in dental hygiene.
Education/Licensing Requirements: Completion of a dental hygiene curriculum, generally offered as part of a two- or four-year full-time curriculum at community colleges, technical schools, universities and/or dental schools. Additional studies are available for higher-level careers in dental hygiene, such as teaching, clinical practice or public health. Dental hygienists are licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry (LSBD). (www.lsbd.org) This license is renewed biennially. Licensed dental hygienists may apply to the LSBD for a special endorsement to administer local anesthesia for dental procedures under the direct supervision of a dentist.
Schools offering accredited dental hygiene programs in Louisiana:
Louisiana State University (LSUSD)
Dental Hygiene Program*
LSU Health Sciences Center School of Dentistry
1100 Florida Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70119
*For information on the LSUSD satellite dental hygiene program in Lafayette, La., call (337) 262-2072.
Southern University at Shreveport
Allied Health/Health Sciences Div. Dental Hygiene Program
3050 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive
Shreveport , LA 71107
(318) 674-3417
University of Louisiana at Monroe
College of Allied Health & Rehab. Professions
Department of Dental Hygiene
700 University Avenue
Monroe , LA 71209-0420
(318) 342-1621