Dental Hygienist (AAS)

at Fox Valley Technical College

Be the one who helps people achieve and maintain a healthy smile. Dental hygienists are licensed oral health professionals who focus on the prevention and treatment of oral diseases. As a dental hygienist, you’ll work as a member of a dental health team, focusing on prevention, assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, implementation, evaluation and documentation of oral disease. In this program, your training will include assessing patients for signs, symptoms and risk factors of oral disease. You’ll get the skills needed to expose x-rays for diagnoses of oral disease and will learn how to administer local anesthesia and nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation. You’ll also get training in counseling patients about nutrition, oral hygiene and dental care, and will gain skills in maintaining patient records. Upon completion, you’ll be eligible to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and the Central Regional Dental Testing Service Practical exam to become a licensed registered dental hygienist.