Is it possible to earn a dental hygienist associate degree online?
Asked by chathovan
I live 3 hours from Minneapolis/St. Paul and want to know if its possible to earn an associate degree online or if there is somewhere closer to get the classes necessary to become a dental hygienist.

Best Answer:
The key is to make sure the college/university is accredited. I have three basic recommendations for everyone looking into online/distance education. They all have to do with exploring; after all, you have to defend your assets. 1. Make certain that you have triple checked their accreditation. First, they tell you what it is, then you go to that accrediting body’s website (not through the link provided by the school), and thirdly you would visit the department of education to see what they have to say. Do your diligent research into the institutions once you have narrowed down to a couple. You can look at the Better Business Bureau for more information on the college. 2. You must have extreme self motivation and be able to teach yourself per say. This means that you will not have someone telling you verbally, so it is up to you to get the information from the course room, text, and other resources. The best way to look at it is like a guided independent study course. 3. Review your goals, personal and professional. Make sure that the school that you are going to offers the programs that match your goals. Do not settle. There are many programs that are similar, but you have to make the ultimate decision. Do not let it be based on finances and length of program, but the fact that when you are finished or near finished you will be able to assume your proper place in the career field sought. You should market yourself and not the degree or university. There are many traditional universities offering degrees that can be earned through online methods. Distance Learning Alliance has a list of these traditional online schools. Look at that if you are truly concerned with the name of the school. Good luck on your search!
http://www.distancelearningalliance.com http://www.ed.gov http://www.chea.org/directories/index.asp http://www.bbb.org
Answered by RC

You do need clinical experience to get your dental hygienist degree. You could probably take a lot of the non science classes online, but you need to go somewhere with a lab for chemistry, cell bio and micro bio. Almost all the actual classes for the d.h. certificate are hands on. If you live near a community college, they usually offer associate of applied science degrees in many careers. Ours offers dental Hygiene, nursing, respiratory therapy and a few others. If there is one of those close enough, that's a great option. It's way cheaper than a regular university and faster, too.
Answered by CHRIS R

Anything is possible, just make sure the place is accredited. It's imperative you talk to people who have completed the program to make sure it's legit, and that the program is not just after your money. These programs tend to be very expensive and hard to complete. Please don't just jump into it without thoroughly researching the particular program you're interested in.
Answered by XOXO

You have to get your general dental hygenist certificate at a college, as there is a lot of hands on components that you cannot learn over the line. I hope that this helps.
Answered by mtwaites