Dental hygiene is the practice of oral maintenance, in order to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
The best online dental hygiene schools should possess either regional or national accreditation from an accrediting body that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
In addition, you can often recognize top online dental hygiene schools based on:
The following levels of dental hygiene degree online programs are available:
The amount of time it takes a student to earn an accredited online dental hygiene degree depends on the level of dental hygiene degree being pursued and the pace of the student.
Typically, the breakdown is as follows:
Coursework to become a professional dental hygienist involves challenging coursework in science and math. Other common classes include:
Professional dental hygienists provide a variety of services within the dental community, so various specializations within a dental practice exist, including:
Graduates from an accredited online degree program in dental hygiene can pursue a variety of interesting jobs with excellent advancement opportunities within the field of dentistry, including:
A dental hygienist is a professional within a dental office or clinic who assists the dentist with patient care.
Professional dental hygienists assist a dentist in all areas of a dental practice, including cleaning teeth, creating treatment plans, assisting with advanced procedures and long-term care. Dental hygienists also work extensively with direct patient care, helping manage pain, taking X-rays, and explaining procedures. In addition, dental hygienists act as educators for patients, instructing them on proper brushing, flossing and taking care of specialty dental appliances, such as dentures.
Graduates of a top online dental hygiene degree program make a solid living with strong advancement and specialization opportunities within the field of dental hygiene. Dental hygienists earn between $44,900 and $79,900 per year. Job growth is expected at a faster than average rate, particularly for geriatric dentistry and specialized pediatric dental hygienists.
Dental hygiene is an excellent field for those with a passion for helping others and the field of medicine. Top online degree programs in dental hygiene provide students with practical skills and a thorough understanding of oral health, giving them the capability of working in a dental practice. Internships and specialization practices create opportunity for advanced skills and knowledge in the field of dental hygiene. Many states require ongoing dental hygiene education credits to remain in the field.
| School | Certificate | Associates | Bachelors | Masters | PhD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Miami Dade College
300 NE 2nd Ave.
Miami, FL, 33132 http://www.mdc.edu/main/
|
X | ||||
|
Ohio State University-Main Campus
190 N. Oval Mall
Columbus, OH, 43210 http://www.osu.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Houston Community College
3100 Main Street
Houston, TX, 77266 http://www.hccs.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
100 Church Street SE
Minneapolis, MN, 55455 http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/index.php
|
X | ||||
|
Northern Virginia Community College
4001 Wakefield Chapel Rd
Annandale, VA, 22003 http://www.nvcc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Lone Star College System
5000 Research Forest Drive
The Woodlands, TX, 77381 http://www.lonestar.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Tarrant County College District
1500 Houston St
Fort Worth, TX, 76102 http://www.tccd.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
New York University
70 Washington Sq South
New York, NY, 10012 http://www.nyu.edu
|
X | X | X | ||
|
College of Southern Nevada
6375 W. Charleston Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV, 89146 http://www.csn.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
440 Church Street
Ann Arbor, MI, 48109 http://www.umich.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Austin Community College District
5930 Middle Fiskville Rd
Austin, TX, 78752 http://www.austincc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Valencia Community College
190 South Orange Avenue
Orlando, FL, 32801 http://valenciacc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Broward College
225 E las Olas Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33301 http://www.broward.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Riverside Community College
4800 Magnolia Avenue
Riverside, CA, 92506 http://www.rcc.edu/
|
X | X | |||
|
Pima Community College
401 North Bonita Avenue
Tucson, AZ, 85709 http://www.pima.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Salt Lake Community College
4600 S Redwood Rd
Salt Lake City, UT, 84123 http://www.slcc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of Southern California
University Park
Los Angeles, CA, 90089 http://www.usc.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
City College of San Francisco
50 Phelan Ave
San Francisco, CA, 94112 http://www.ccsf.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Virginia Commonwealth University
910 W Franklin St
Richmond, VA, 23284 http://www.vcu.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
Boston University
One Silber Way
Boston, MA, 2215 http://www.bu.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis
425 University Blvd
Indianapolis, IN, 46202 http://www.iupui.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Portland Community College
12000 SW 49th Avenue
Portland, OR, 97219 http://www.pcc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
The University of Tennessee
527 Andy Holt Tower
Knoxville, TN, 37996 http://www.tennessee.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Cuyahoga Community College District
700 Carnegie Ave
Cleveland, OH, 44115 http://www.tri-c.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
St Petersburg College
14025 58th Street North
Clearwater, FL, 33760 http://www.spcollege.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
University of Iowa
101 Jessup Hall
Iowa City, IA, 52242 http://www.uiowa.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
103 South Bldg Cb 9100
Chapel Hill, NC, 27599 http://www.unc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
West Virginia University
Stewart Hall University Avenue
Morgantown, WV, 26506 http://www.wvu.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
Florida State College at Jacksonville
501 W State St
Jacksonville, FL, 32202 http://www.fscj.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Utah Valley University
800 W University Parkway
Orem, UT, 84058 http://www.uvu.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Columbus State Community College
550 E Spring St
Columbus, OH, 43215 http://www.cscc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
4200 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA, 15260 http://www.pitt.edu
|
X | ||||
|
El Paso Community College
919 Hunter Drive
El Paso, TX, 79915 http://www.epcc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Oakland Community College
2480 Opdyke Rd
Bloomfield Hills, MI, 48304 http://www.oaklandcc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Palm Beach State College
4200 Congress Ave
Lake Worth, FL, 33461 http://www.palmbeachstate.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
Central New Mexico Community College
525 Buena Vista SE
Albuquerque, NM, 87106 http://www.cnm.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Northeastern University
360 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA, 2115 http://www.northeastern.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Palomar College
1140 W. Mission
San Marcos, CA, 92069 http://WWW.PALOMAR.EDU
|
X | X | |||
|
University of New Mexico-Main Campus
1700 Lomas Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM, 87106 http://www.unm.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Sacramento City College
3835 Freeport Blvd
Sacramento, CA, 95822 http://www.scc.losrios.edu/
|
X | X | |||
|
College of DuPage
425 Fawell Blvd.
Glen Ellyn, IL, 60137 http://www.cod.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Hillsborough Community College
39 Columbia Drive
Tampa, FL, 33606 http://www.hccfl.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Pasadena City College
1570 E Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA, 91106 http://www.pasadena.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Mesa Community College
1833 W Southern Ave
Mesa, AZ, 85202 http://www.mc.maricopa.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Santa Rosa Junior College
1501 Mendocino Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA, 95401 http://www.santarosa.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Fresno City College
1101 E. University Ave
Fresno, CA, 93741 http://www.fresnocitycollege.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Orange Coast College
2701 Fairview Road
Costa Mesa, CA, 92626 http://www.orangecoastcollege.edu/
|
X | X | |||
|
Collin County Community College District
4800 Preston Park Blvd.
Plano, TX, 75093 http://www.collin.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Georgia Perimeter College
3251 Panthersville Rd
Decatur, GA, 30034 http://www.gpc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
San Antonio College
1300 San Pedro Ave
San Antonio, TX, 78212 http://www.alamo.edu/sac/sacmain/sac.htm
|
X | X | |||
|
Old Dominion University
5115 Hampton Blvd
Norfolk, VA, 23529 http://www.odu.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
University of Colorado Denver
1250 14th Street
Denver, CO, 80217 http://www.ucdenver.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
Northern Arizona University
Knoles Drive Babbitt Administrative Center
Flagstaff, AZ, 86011 http://home.nau.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
The Community College of Baltimore County
7201 Rossville Blvd.
Baltimore, MD, 21237 http://www.ccbcmd.edu
|
X | ||||
|
San Diego Mesa College
7250 Mesa College Dr
San Diego, CA, 92111 http://www.sdmesa.edu/
|
X | X | |||
|
Weber State University
3848 Harrison Blvd
Ogden, UT, 84408 http://www.weber.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Owens Community College
30335 Oregon Rd
Perrysburg, OH, 43551 http://www.owens.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Harrisburg Area Community College-Harrisburg
One HACC Dr
Harrisburg, PA, 17110 http://www.hacc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Des Moines Area Community College
2006 Ankeny Blvd
Ankeny, IA, 50023 http://www.dmacc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Diablo Valley College
321 Golf Club Rd
Pleasant Hill, CA, 94523 http://www.dvc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Cerritos College
11110 Alondra Blvd
Norwalk, CA, 90650 http://WWW.CERRITOS.EDU
|
X | X | |||
|
Southwestern College
900 Otay Lakes Rd
Chula Vista, CA, 91910 http://www.swccd.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Sinclair Community College
444 W. Third St.
Dayton, OH, 45402 http://www.sinclair.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Chaffey College
5885 Haven Ave
Rancho Cucamonga, CA, 91737 http://www.chaffey.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Lansing Community College
419 N Capitol Ave
Lansing, MI, 48901 http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us
|
X | ||||
|
University of Louisville
2301 S 3rd St
Louisville, KY, 40292 http://www.louisville.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Rio Salado College
2323 W 14th St
Tempe, AZ, 85281 http://www.rio.maricopa.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Wayne County Community College District
801 W Fort St
Detroit, MI, 48226 http://www.wcccd.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd
Bowling Green, KY, 42101 http://www.wku.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
University of Hawaii at Manoa
2500 Campus Road Hawaii Hall
Honolulu, HI, 96822 http://manoa.hawaii.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd
Overland Park, KS, 66210 http://www.jccc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
900 S Illinois Ave
Carbondale, IL, 62901 http://www.siuc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Milwaukee Area Technical College
700 W State St
Milwaukee, WI, 53233 http://matc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Los Angeles City College
855 N Vermont Ave
Los Angeles, CA, 90029 http://www.lacitycollege.edu/
|
X | X | |||
|
Tulsa Community College
6111 E Skelly Dr
Tulsa, OK, 74135 http://www.tulsacc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Central Piedmont Community College
1201 Elizabeth Avenue
Charlotte, NC, 28204 http://www.cpcc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Community College of Philadelphia
1700 Spring Garden St
Philadelphia, PA, 19130 http://www.ccp.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Monroe Community College
1000 E Henrietta Rd
Rochester, NY, 14623 http://www.monroecc.edu/
|
X | X | |||
|
Front Range Community College
3645 W 112th Ave
Westminster, CO, 80031 http://www.frontrange.edu/FRCCTemplates/FRCC1.aspx?id=47
|
X | ||||
|
Modesto Junior College
435 College Ave
Modesto, CA, 95350 http://mjc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Foothill College
12345 El Monte Rd
Los Altos Hills, CA, 94022 http://www.foothill.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Instituto de Banca y Comercio Inc
1660 Calle Santa Ana
Southington, PR, 909 http://www.ibanca.net
|
X | ||||
|
College of Lake County
19351 W Washington St.
Grayslake, IL, 60030 http://WWW.CLCILLINOIS.EDU
|
X | ||||
|
Brevard Community College
1519 Clearlake Rd
Cocoa, FL, 32922 http://www.brevardcc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Kirkwood Community College
6301 Kirkwood Blvd SW
Cedar Rapids, IA, 52406 http://www.kirkwood.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Community College of Rhode Island
400 East Ave
Warwick, RI, 2886 http://www.ccri.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Daytona State College
1200 W. International Speedway Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL, 32114 http://www.DaytonaState.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of Alaska Anchorage
3211 Providence Drive
Anchorage, AK, 99508 http://www.uaa.alaska.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Blinn College
902 College Ave
Brenham, TX, 77833 http://www.blinn.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Indian River State College
3209 Virginia Ave
Fort Pierce, FL, 34981 http://www.irsc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Metropolitan Community College Area
30 & Fort Street
Omaha, NE, 68111 http://www.mccneb.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Grand Rapids Community College
143 Bostwick Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI, 49503 http://www.grcc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Madison Area Technical College
3550 Anderson St
Madison, WI, 53704 http://matcmadison.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Bergen Community College
400 Paramus Rd
Paramus, NJ, 7652 http://www.bergen.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of Rhode Island
8 Ranger Road
Kingston, RI, 2881 http://www.uri.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
104 University Circle
Lafayette, LA, 70503 http://www.louisiana.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Edison State College
8099 College Pky SW
Fort Myers, FL, 33919 http://www.edison.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Cabrillo College
6500 Soquel Dr
Aptos, CA, 95003 http://www.cabrillo.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Harper College
1200 W Algonquin Rd
Palatine, IL, 60067 http://www.harpercollege.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Camden County College
College Drive
Blackwood, NJ, 8012 http://www.camdencc.edu
|
X | X |