January 2009 | Modern Hygienist
career: Exclusive Salary Survey

Finding that educational fit

Seeking out a mix of hands-on and online continuing education can help you meet CE mandates and prepare for the next stage of your career, even in these tough economic times.

by Noah Levine

An overwhelming majority—more than 80% of you who responded to the 2008 Modern Hygienist Salary Survey—are “glad (you) chose dental hygiene as a career” and very or somewhat satisfied with how that career is going. Still, being happy with where you are doesn’t mean you’re not interested in advancing that career in one way or another.

Continuing education is both a mandated fact of life in the dental hygiene world and a key to taking those next career steps. You recognize the advantages of being trained in new skills and becoming comfortable with new technologies with 56% of you indicating “product and technology information” and 47% noting “additional training regarding techniques and procedures” as keys to career advancement.

Lifelong Pursuit

With the economy in recession and a large majority of you on your own when it comes to funding a good portion of your continuing education and training, making smart choices about how to go about this is more critical than ever. But regardless of your educational desires and career goals, you should consider learning to be a lifelong pursuit and an important aspect of your career, says Colleen Schmidt, RDH, MS, director of education for the American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

“There are a lot of great resources out there and people need to understand that it doesn’t have to feel daunting,” she adds.

The first step is really knowing both what you want to learn and the ways you best absorb new information. While some people get a lot out of listening to a lecture, Schmidt notes that others learn more effectively through the type of independent study offered by online CE providers. With the economy in recession, demand these courses that can cost less than $10 is likely to increase.

Online’s an option

Online courses covering a wide range of subjects are available from a number of providers. Much of the online content covers informational topics, but these CE courses can also explain the workings of high tech diagnostic equipment or local anesthetics. Jon Dunn, founder of Dental Didactics Continuing Education (dentaldidacticsce.com) said his site offers Academy of General Dentistry PACE courses on KaVo Dental’s DIAGNOdent caries detection laser (kavousa.com) and Septodont USA’s Septocaine™ (septodontusa.com), among others in an effort to meet the demand for educational opportunities on technologies and techniques.

“Immediate and affordable access to information regarding emerging dental technologies is essential to both professional development and ideal patient care,” Dunn says. “In this economic environment, online education will play an ever-increasing role in continuing professional development.”

A certain amount of continuing education is required every year with most states allowing a portion of that to be completed via online or home study courses. Some hygienists can match up those credits with subjects that can lead to desired career advancements. However, for hygienists looking for additional professional opportunities, Schmidt says they will really benefit from pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

Staying up to date

Regardless of whether you’re seeking new skills to expand the services you perform or want the educational credentials to expand your career, she believes every dental health professional should make following the latest science in the field an educational priority. Knowing the latest and greatest from the research side of things can help you find new areas to pursue with your educational efforts.

“There’s so much science out there that I think hygienists and health care professionals are perhaps overwhelmed with information, ” Schmidt says. “I think that as a profession it’s helpful if we provide tools hygienists can use so they feel more comfortable navigating through some of the science themselves, so that they can make more informed decisions.”

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