The reality of getting into dental hygiene school in Utah

Although dental hygienists are in high demand, the process of getting into hygiene school can be quite daunting.

Many prospective students find themselves asking questions like, Which prerequisites do I need to complete? How can I become a competitive applicant? Should I work as a dental assistant before applying?

Before tackling these questions, it's important to first understand which dental hygiene programs are available in Utah.

The schools include Weber State University (WSU), Utah College of Dental Hygiene (UCDH), Utah Valley University (UVU), Salt Lake Community College (SLCC), Utah Tech University and Fortis College.

For an applicant, it is important to consider which schools they are interested in ahead of time. This is because the prerequisite courses differ from program to program.

Aleia Braithwaite from the UCDH applications office shared that science classes typically weigh more heavily in the application process. She also shared what GPA standard a student should aim for.

So this last class, we had a competitive GPA of 3.59, Braithwaite said.

Jayla Anderson, a student currently working toward a degree in hygiene school, also shared the advice she has received.

You have to get an A in chemistry, anatomy and physiology, Anderson said.

She said it is important to take grades seriously.

However, UCDH graduate Londyn Bean said grades are only a small portion of what makes an applicant competitive.

I think that they look at the experience more than the grades that youre getting, Bean said. So I wouldnt worry as much about your GPA that you had before and focus more on writing a really good essay so that they can see what kind of person you are and what your passion is and your personality.

With so many applicants and limited space available, it is necessary to make oneself stand out from the crowd.

Another point to consider is that one may not be accepted on their first try.

Its very common to have to apply multiple times, Bean said.

She explained not all prerequisites need to be finished before the time of application. For Bean, she applied an entire year before she started hygiene school.

It is also a plus to have experience working as a dental assistant before trying to become a hygienist.

Jayla Anderson talked about how one can go to Mountainland Technical College (MTEC) during high school if they want to become an assistant. However, she said she would not necessarily recommend that.

You can go to an orthodontist or a dentist, and they can train you on the job, Anderson said. You dont even need to pay for schooling. You can just do it.

Hazel Neville, another aspiring hygiene student, said she has gained valuable experience by choosing to first work as a dental assistant.

When I did those hours of observation just at my dental office back home, I don't think that prepped me as much as just working did just sitting there watching, Neville said. It definitely helps, but I don't think it was as helpful as actually working.

She explained it has allowed her to understand what she is getting into for the rest of her life.

Bean also shared what hygiene school was like for her.

She explained it was more educationally demanding because the classes are smaller, so it pushes everyone to perform better. She said that if someone doesn't want to work during their time in school, they will need to find something that works with a demanding schedule.

If people were assistants before, some of them would assist on Fridays, but most people didn't work at all during hygiene school because you have to have a job that's pretty flexible and understands that you have a lot going on, Bean said.

She explained that some semesters will be heavier than others.

I think everyone tells you before you start hygiene school that hygiene school is going to be very demanding and stressful and difficult, Bean said. And it definitely was all of those things, but also, nobody prepared me for how much fun it would be and how many great friends I would get to know.

She also shared that after completing her schooling, she felt completely ready to work in the field.

I realized almost as soon as I saw my first patient outside of school that I had a very good understanding of what was going on and a very good skill set for what I needed to be able to do to help each of my patients, Bean said.

Bean also shared that she would be willing to go through it again for the opportunities now available to her.

Now that I'm done with it, I'm like, 'Oh, school was totally worth it.' Like, I would do it again for the career that I get to have. Bean said.