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Oral health is crucial to overall physical well- being but until recently, this was not a very well accepted fact. For students who are interested in this line, this recently growing awareness can be good news. Once they have the right credentials, they will be highly sought after by the best employers worldwide because of the growing demand for qualified, trained professionals. For those intending to make their career in India after a stint abroad, this ensures they are among the few dental health professionals who are highly trained. That means, you are right in place to garner the best jobs and the best pay packages in this medical field. One of the most preferred post- graduate tracks with dental health is dental hygiene. Studying dental hygiene abroad at a reputed university helps you stand head and shoulders above your peers when you enter the employment market.
4 benefits of studying postgraduate dental hygiene courses
If you have just completed your Bachelor’s dental health program, here are four reasons why you should consider adding a postgraduate credential to your CV:
- A post- graduation lets you enhance your knowledge of the field and gives you better grounding for challenges you will face when you enter practice. Alongside, it validates your expertise in the field to peers, employers and, most importantly, patients.
- With a post- graduate degree, you have far more impressive credentials as a dental health specialist. This is an advantage in getting you the best openings when you complete your post- graduation and also critical for professional growth in the future.
- A post- graduation can help you upgrade your skills and knowledge if it has been a while since you graduated. It can help you gain focused training in your chosen area of specialization or even switch to a different path mid-career.
- Post- graduation can give you many more career options such as research, business, entrepreneurship or education.
What topics are taught as part of dental hygiene courses?
The dental hygiene focus may seem to narrow down your coursework choices but even within this parameter, you can have some options. For example, the University of Manchester offers a Master of Public health (Dental Hygiene) program. At Queen Mary University of London, you can enrol in a dental hygiene related course that has heavy focus on dental materials. In short, the coursework that you will have depends on the university that you choose for your post- graduation and the specific program that you opt for. If you pick a specialization, your coursework will change so that you have a deeper understanding of that aspect of dental hygiene.
However, here is a general overview of the subjects that you may cover in post- graduate dental hygiene courses. A deep dive into dental science with a clinical context is likely to be one of the earliest courses you have in your post- graduation. You will be exposed to the latest developments in the niche and in oral health overall. Apart from this, you will study:
- Dental anatomy
- Nutrition and dental health
- Introduction to nano- dentistry
- Exhaustive coverage of dental materials and modern therapeutic methods
- Preventive medical techniques for dental ailments and dental health
- A quick look into research methodologies is quite common too even if the post- graduation is not expressly tweaked towards research careers. You will be taught interdisciplinary research skills, but not as intensely as a research- oriented course does
- Oral biology- biology of oral tissues, dental tissues, oral pathology
- Oral health promotion and prevention of dental ailments
- Periodontology
- Paediatric dentistry basics
- Dental restorations
- Evaluating oral health and treatment planning
- Dental public health evaluation, management, strategies
There are also programs that are specifically slanted towards research. The Michigan University Master of Dental hygiene sciences is one such program that teaches you all about course development, training, assessment in various environments as well as administration and leadership. Apart from this, you learn the nuances of health care policies. This program gives you a good step up into the world of further research in dental health areas.
Popular colleges/universities to study Dental Hygiene courses
Some of the popular dental hygiene colleges include:
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS)
- Queen Mary University of London
- University of Alberta
- University of Michigan
- University of Washington
- University College London
- University of Manchester
There are many reputed colleges where you can get your dental hygiene credentials but when it comes to a Master’s, the choices are fewer.
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS)
Over 100 programs, world-class faculty and cutting-edge infrastructure are not the only reasons why this is a great place for you to explore dental hygiene abroad. A study ranks the institution at 3rd place in the USA for economic value to students while Money Magazine ranked it at 4th place for graduation rates, earnings and other metrics in 2020.
The college offers three courses for graduates:
- Master of Science in Dental Hygiene: An online course that is conducted part- time, this program incorporates original research and possible publication. It equips you for roles as educator, dental health practitioner, administrator or as a researcher. You can choose the Education or Public health concentration in this MS program. This course requires a one- year experience as a dental health professional.
- Dental Hygiene Bridge (AS to MS): This is a unique bridge MS program for those who do not yet have their Bachelor’s. This online course is for practicing hygienists who wish to fast- track their education to earn their MS by completing a coursework equivalent to a degree. It combines the coursework of a PG course.
- Graduate Certificate in Oral Health Professions Education: This certification is for dental professionals, who have a bachelor’s degree in this area or others and want to build on those credentials. You can move on to the MS program on completion of this.
Queen Mary University of London
A truly global, highly diverse campus that has alumni and staff from 170 countries, Queen Mary ranks 19th globally for international outlook and 16th in the UK according to THE 2023 rankings. 41% of the students at the London campus are international and that makes the student population a good mix of ethnicities.
This university has a handful of dentistry courses that will fit a dental health professional profile well. Two of these may fit a dental hygiene career choice:
- MSc Dental materials: The course covers a deep dive into existing dental materials and development of new ones and a research project is a critical part of the degree. Some of the core modules covered are dental materials/ processing, oral pathology, oral microbiome minimally invasive dentistry. Preference is given to Bachelor’s in medicine, chemistry, biology, dentistry.
- MSc Oral Biology: Covers advanced medical techniques, latest developments in oral health, therapeutic dentistry, nano- dentistry and more. You gain interdisciplinary research skills and a focussed biomedical skillset that is useful for research careers.
University of Alberta
Ranked 7th in the world and 2nd in Canada in THE Impact rankings, the University of Alberta is also one of the most beautiful sustainable campuses you will see. 38,000 students are spread across five campus locations and the university also has research stations apart from these off- campus.
The university’s dentistry department offers several dental health programs. Of these, the following is for those interested in dental hygiene:
- Masters (MSc) Dental Hygiene: This is a research- based coursework that incorporates original supervised report and thesis submission. A four- year duration is maximum for the program and completion takes about three years on average.
Apart from this, the university offers several Master’s courses like:
- Masters (MSc) Dentistry
- Masters (MSc) Oral Biology
- Masters (MSc) Oral Medicine
- Masters (MSc) Orthodontics
- Masters (MSc) Periodontology
University of Michigan
Home of the Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry, this University’s School of Dentistry is well known for a number of reasons. It has recently been renovated to bring in fresh infrastructure and newly expanded facilities. Students enjoy state- of- the- art tools at their disposal making it easy for them to lay foundation for research, academics or professional careers. Under the Global Initiatives program, the university’s dental students visit places around the globe to gain exposure to local doctors and patients.
The dental hygiene course offered here at post- graduate level is:
- MS Dental Hygiene Graduate Program: The program is offered in both online and on-campus formats. The program trains you to integrate into a multidisciplinary health care team seamlessly. Health care, policy and advocacy is also part of the coursework here apart from the more conventional topics.
University of Washington
The University of Washington is a globally leading public health research institution. More than 60,000 students get admission to the university every year. It gets the highest federal research dollars among U.S. public universities and has been the alma mater to 7 Nobel prize winners. This University was ranked 17th globally and 3rd among U.S. public universities in the Academic Ranking of World Universities, year 2022. In 2019, it was 5th in the Reuters Top 100: The World’s Most Innovative Universities.
The dental hygiene course here:
- MS in OHS (Dental Hygiene): A two- year program that trains you to enter academics, research or the professional arena, this MS includes a capstone research project but no thesis. A unique aspect is the hands- on training with special needs patients. Some of the topics covered include human physiology, oral microbiology, oral histology & embryology, immunologic aspects of oral disease, and biostatistics in dentistry.
University College London
Named University of the Year in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 and 9th in the QS World University Rankings 2024, University College London also boasts 30 Nobel laureates among alumni and staff. A progressive approach to teaching, a diverse student population and excellent faculty make a post- graduate dental hygiene degree here a good move.
The college offers many dental health graduate degrees, of which the following may align with a dental hygiene career choice:
- Dental Hygiene MSc: This is a three- year specialist post- graduate degree for practicing dental hygienists. It combines theory lessons with lab work and group exercises in a part- time, part- online format. Work practice is a part of the course.
- Advanced Aesthetic Dentistry PG Cert: The course covers aesthetic dentistry aspects including clinical applications, treatment planning, modern dental materials, and clinical procedures. This is a part- time course with a one- year duration that is offered both on campus and online. Hands- on training sessions are a significant part of the program.
- Special Care Dentistry MSc and PG Cert: Prevention and management of common oral diseases for special needs patients is the core of the program. This is offered as a full- time MSc and a certification program. Both are one- year programs.
University of Manchester
At 38th place in the Academic Ranking of World Universities in 2022 and at 28th place in the QS World University Rankings, University of Manchester aims to be among the top 5 in the UK for research excellence by the year 2025. Superlative faculty and infrastructure, diverse student population and great campus life make this university a good choice for you.
Programs that are close to dental hygiene courses are:
- MSc (Clin) Endodontics: This full- time program covers basics of modern endodontics and training in the interdisciplinary approach to diagnostic, clinical care and patient care. Treatment of dental pulp, prevention of pathology are main aspects covered. You will be exposed to specialists and learn first- hand from them. The course also aims at equipping you for a research career.
- MSc Endodontics (Dental Specialties): This one- year full time course is aimed at training you with in- depth understanding of the endodontics- orthodontics connection, implants, periodontics, dentitions and patient care across ages. This program too serves as a good base for a research career.
Eligibility criteria for studying Dental Hygiene abroad
There are some general requirements that universities have for admission in their dental hygiene courses. This is what you should have ready when you apply for post- graduate programs in this niche:
- An undergraduate course from a recognised university/ college. Many universities also have a minimum percentage needed on your Bachelor’s degree to qualify for admission in post- graduation in dental hygiene. Typically, this would be equivalent to a 3.0 GPA on the 4 point scale.
- Some universities (e.g.: Michigan University) require a dental hygiene license as well.
- Clinical experience is also mandatory for some programs/ universities. A minimum of one to three years experience is common. Even with universities that do not insist on this, clinical experience can give you better chances of getting accepted for the program.
- English language proficiency requirements are another common requirement. The general requirements are a 6.5 to 7.0 overall score in IELTS test, or 90 plus in TOEFL. The university will also generally have minimum score requirements in each section of the English proficiency test you take. This can differ by country or by university so do check the university website to know the minimum scores you need depending on the test you take.
- Oral, written assessments and an interview are also part of the admission process in many universities
Apart from these, keep the following ready and at hand when you apply:
- Letters of recommendation and statement of purpose
- Updated CV
- Proof of financials
You will need to attach transcripts of your academic qualifications, certifications, diplomas and score cards for your other tests.
Career opportunities
A post- graduation in dental hygiene opens up employment opportunities in both preventive and therapeutic medicine. You can make a career in a hospital or clinic, set up your own dental clinic, join a government health department or a college as a professor. Openings are also easy to find in educational institutions and in the industry. Research is another option you can pick. Some of the roles that you will fit with a post- graduation are:
- Medical researcher/ research assistant
- Dental hygiene educator
- Dental hygienist for senior or children
- Special needs dental hygienist
- Home consultant
- Dental therapist
- Clinical dental hygiene instructor
- Dental hygiene program director
- State/ Local dental health officer
Conclusion
A dental hygienist’s job includes identifying and treating common problems like periodontal disease, educating the patient about good dental health habits, carrying out screening tests and offering the dental care prescribed. As a dental hygiene professional with a post- graduate credential from a reputed college, you pave the way for a lucrative career in the field. If this is where your passion lies, this article should help you with the information you need to set the right foot forward.
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