What should I major in college to become a dental hygienist?

More than likely you can go right into this field. A lot of junior colleges (aka community colleges) offer this program and you can graduate with your Associates degree after about 2 years and begin applying for jobs in dental hygiene.

Look at the course listings and majors at your area community college as a way to get started and hopefully you will be able to move forward from there!

<span style="background-color: transparent;">Collegeboard.org is a great resource for this! I poured through the pages of universities all over the U.S. when I was a senior in high school. Collegeboard was my go-to site! They put all of the information in one place and it is very easy to use. They even have various filters you can apply to see only colleges that have programs you are interested. To determine academic rigor, look at the admissions requirements, G.P.A. of past admitted applicants, SAT/ACT scores, class rank etc. This will give you an idea of what scores and grades you need to be accepted. However, don't be discouraged your application will be reviewed based on the full picture! College-board will help you get an idea of what is most important to the specific school you are applying to.</span>

This professional recommends the following next steps:

• <span style="background-color: transparent;">Chat with your Guidance Counselor</span>
• <span style="background-color: transparent;">Create a Collegeboard.org account</span>
• <span style="background-color: transparent;">Start using CollegeBoard as a resource to look up schools.</span>

She's right! You can go study for 2 years and get your hygienist license, you don't need a college degree! You do need to work under a licensed dentist, whether in a hospital, a clinic or a private practice once you graduate. If you want to be a dental assistant, there are schools among community colleges, some affiliated with dental schools, and some dentists still do on the job training. Later, you submit your qualified hours to take a test to be a licensed dental assistant. But a hygienist has to go to school to be called a hygienist. See if you can find volunteer work in a dental clinic to learn the differences in the job functions. Maybe if you are going to college, you should be looking into dental schools and becoming a dentist!

There are 2 and 4 year programs available. The 2 year programs offered are Associate degree in the field. After you take your boards and pass them, then you can practice as a dental hygienist in you state. The 4 year program is a BS in Dental Hygiene. As my previous colleagues have said, check into the schools you are interested in and see what program they offer.
There is no difference in salary if you have an AS or BS in dental hygiene. It just really depends on what you want to do thereafter with your degree.
If you go into the AS program there are prerequisites before you enter the program. The BS 4 yr, it depends on the school itself of the prerequisites prior to you starting the program.
Best to you!