The cost of education is a major concern for students choosing a career in dental hygiene. Going to college is very expensive. And if you haven’t set up an education fund, you may find yourself in a tough position. Dental hygiene students may choose to enroll into a 2-year Associate’s or a 4-year Bachelor’s Degree program. The graduates holding one of these degrees will be able to pursue their practice in private dental offices or public clinics.
The question of dental hygienist education cost is a key one. It majorly influences your decision on a degree you want to pursue. If you feel you can’t afford it, don’t loose your heart. Try to find ways to lower your college education costs. Applying for a dental hygienist scholarship or grant makes a great deal of sense. Do whatever it takes to make your education cost-effective. The training you get in college should benefit you in future. So compare what you’re going to pay now with what you’ll be making in future. To clarify this vague situation let’s refer to the numbers provided by the American Association of Community Colleges.
Education Costs
An Associate’s Degree in dental hygiene can be obtained through the community college. The curriculum of this program comprises a classroom study followed by one year of clinical practice. The whole 2-year program will cost you around $ 4,600 if you’re an in-state student. If you’re an incoming student, the education fees will be way higher – $10,000 -$21,600.
When it comes to the Bachelor’s Degree program, it will take you 4 years to complete it. This program comprises theoretical classes followed by 2 years of practice in the healthcare institutions. The total dental hygienist education cost in the public college or university is in the scale of $20,000 -$27,200 for the in-state students. The others will have to pay $36,000 -$99,200. In private colleges students pay around $80,000.
Additional expenses comprise:
• Studying materials $ 1,200 per year for all the books and all necessary supplies to be used throughout the theoretical part of studying. Plus, $750 and $250 for the two subsequent years of clinical work.
• Medical attire and equipment for the clinical practice $1,400 for the first year of studying and $1,700 for the second one.
• Graduation exam fee of $950 for the Clinical Board Exam
Now that you know how much dental hygienist education costs you’d probably like to know what an average salary for dental hygienists is. Read our research on dental hygienist salary and figure out whether becoming a dental hygienist is worth it.
