{"id":5140,"date":"2018-04-05T19:01:09","date_gmt":"2018-04-05T19:01:09","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2018-04-05T19:01:09","modified_gmt":"2018-04-05T19:01:09","slug":"portland-me-04101","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oralpreventionedu.info\/dental-hygienist-schools-near-me\/maine\/portland-me-04101","title":{"rendered":"Dental Hygienist Schools Near Me in Portland ME 04101"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to Pick a Dental Hygienist College near Portland Maine<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"PortlandChoosing the right dental hygienist college near Portland ME<\/strong> is an essential initial step toward starting your new career in dentistry. But before you can make your selection, you must analyze and compare your school options. There is much more to doing your due diligence than choosing the program with the most affordable tuition or enrolling in the program that is closest to your home. There are other important factors to consider also, such as the college’s reputation and accreditation. Dental hygienists usually earn an Associate Degree, as compared to a certificate usually earned by assistants, and can take anywhere from two to three years to complete. Obviously with the longer training of a hygienist comes more cost. We will explore all of these considerations and additional questions that you should be asking the dental hygienist schools you are assessing<\/a> later in this article. But first, let’s look at the duties of dental hygienists and the training programs offered<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The Role of Dental Hygienists<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"PortlandWhen contrasting the duties of a dental hygienist to that of an assistant, the main difference is undoubtedly that the hygienist works more on their own. Dental assistants work with and assists the Portland ME dentists and the practice. Hygienists, while also assisting the practice, work with the patients more on a one-to-one basis. They are typically the first person a patient encounters when called from the waiting area. They examine every patient’s teeth and gums and report their results to the dentists. They also may perform basic procedures. Depending on state law, a hygienist’s duties may include:<\/p>\n