Getting your dental hygiene license is a big accomplishment. You’ve put in long hours, studied hard, and prepared for rigorous tests. However, continuing to learn and keeping up with advancements in the field don’t stop once you’ve earned your license. In reality, many states require hygienists to earn a certain number of continuing education credits to maintain their licenses.
This blog will explore why continuing education is essential for dental hygienists and how to choose the best courses to reach your goals.
Why Continuing Education is Important for Dental Hygienists
Not only is gaining continuing education (CE) credits important for keeping your license active, but there are also many additional benefits, including:
- Keeping up to date with advancements: The dental industry is constantly changing thanks to new technology, procedures, and research. CE ensures that hygienists stay updated with new trends and advancements to work efficiently and effectively, providing the best patient care possible.
- Improving patient care: CE for dental hygienists equips you with advanced skills and knowledge. This translates directly to improved patient care, allowing you to offer better treatments and a higher standard of care.
- Staying engaged in the industry: Regularly engaging in CE courses allows dental professionals to continuously learn and reignite their passion for the industry, which can help prevent burnout.
- Gaining confidence in your skills: When you invest in your personal development, you can gain confidence in your abilities and, in turn, be a better dental hygienist.
How to Choose Dental Hygienist Continuing Education Courses
When choosing CE courses as a dental hygienist, you should consider several factors to ensure relevance, quality, and alignment with your professional goals. Here are some things to consider when choosing dental hygiene CE courses:
- Relevance: Identify areas where you want to enhance your skills or learn new techniques. It can be in specialization areas like periodontics, orthodontics, or cosmetic dentistry.
- Accreditation: Check that courses are accredited by relevant dental associations that meet the requirements set by your state’s licensing board.
- Expertise: Consider the qualifications and experience of the instructors. Seasoned professionals can provide practical knowledge and key insights into the field.
- Reviews and Recommendations: Talk to your peers who also take CE courses and ask for reviews and recommendations to see which courses would be the best fit.
- Cost: Most CE courses cost money, so consider the cost in relation to the benefits.
- CE Requirements: Ensure that the courses you choose fulfill the requirements set by the state you work in and keep track of your credits.
Continuing education is an investment in yourself. Plan and select courses that fulfill your mandatory requirements and expand your knowledge and skills in areas that interest you the most.
Continuing Education Courses for Dental Hygienists
If you are looking for continuing education courses, here are some free and paid options to earn CE credits.
- Crest + Oral B: Access more than 150 free CE courses.
- CE Zoom: Organize, track, and earn your CE credits in one platform.
- Today’s RDH: Browse peer-reviewed self-study CE courses. Prices vary by course and you can sometimes save money by purchasing a bundle.
- NetCE: Filter CE courses by occupation and state to see the most relevant courses.
Remember, continuing education is an investment in yourself and the quality of care you provide. By actively engaging in relevant courses, you can uphold your professional standards and grow your ever-evolving career as a dental hygienist.
