Become a Dental Hygienist in Ohio
Prospects within the healthcare industry are excellent in Ohio and are even better for Dental Hygienists. Expanding coverage by some healthcare insurers, combined with the public’s increasing awareness of the importance of preventative dental care means a promising future for qualified professionals. [Seguir leyendo en español]
While the Ohio State Department of Job and Family Services expects job growth for Health Practitioners and the associated technical occupations to be 8% for the 10 years to 2028, their predictions for Dental Hygienists is less promising. They expect job growth in this profession of 2% during the same period and the number employed to reach 9,240.
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Requirements for Dental Hygienist in Ohio
To become a dental hygienist in Ohio you will need to graduate from an accredited dental hygiene school, pass the National Board Exam, provide proof of immunity to or inoculation against the hepatitis B virus, pass a written jurisprudence examination on the Dental Practice Act, Chapter 4715 of the Ohio Revised Code and pass all parts of a regional board clinical examination. The latter can be North East Regional Board (NERB), Central Regional Dental Testing Service (CRDTS), Southern Regional Testing Agency (SRTA) or Western Regional Examining Board (WREB).
Dental Hygienist Salaries in Ohio
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2016, Dental Hygienists in Ohio earned an average of $69,360 annually or $33.35 per hour.
| Area | Total Employed | Mean Hourly Wage | Mean Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akron, OH | 510 | $32.50 | $67,600 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | 190 | $29.67 | $61,720 |
| Cleveland-Elyria, OH | 1,410 | $30.87 | $64,210 |
| Columbus, OH | 1,280 | $34.60 | $71,970 |
| Dayton, OH | 510 | $34.00 | $70,720 |
| Lima, OH | 120 | $28.49 | $59,250 |
| Mansfield, OH | 80 | $32.05 | $66,670 |
| Springfield, OH | 70 | $32.33 | $67,240 |
| Toledo, OH | 520 | $30.78 | $64,020 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 1,740 | $34.14 | $71,010 |
| Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA | 240 | $27.52 | $57,240 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 170 | $25.27 | $52,550 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 50 | $23.50 | $48,880 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | 170 | $25.05 | $52,110 |
Dental Hygienist Schools in Ohio
All 12 schools offering dental hygiene in Ohio, as recognized by the US Department of Education, are public community or state colleges, or universities. Among the best are four 4-year universities: Ohio State University, Shawnee State University, University of Cincinnati and Youngstown State University. Before applying for any program, confirm the current accreditation status and federal aid eligibility directly with the college. Also, research reviews online to read the opinions of alumni.
Cincinnati
The only dental hygiene program in the Greater Cincinnati area is offered by University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College. The University is located on the northeast side of the city, just off the Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway. Successful completion of their CODA-accredited Dental Hygiene Technology program leads to the award of an Associate of Applied Science degree and the option of continuing studies towards a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Administration. The program has competitive selective admission. The prerequisites include a minimum grade “C” in Biology and Chemistry, an ACT Math test score of 28 or higher (there are alternatives via SAT or the Math Placement Test (MPT)), an ACT English test score of 18 or higher (or equivalents in the English Placement Test or SAT writing score) and an unweighted high school GPA of 3.0.
Cleveland
Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Dental Hygiene at its Metropolitan Campus near downtown Cleveland in the Campus District, next to Cleveland State University. Prerequisites include taking admissions courses in Biological Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, and General Psychology. The required GPA on these admissions courses is a minimum of 3.0. You must also complete 20 hours of observation, four of which must be at the Tri-C Metro Campus Dental Hygiene Clinic.
Columbus
Columbus State Community College offers a five-semester CODA-accredited program in Dental Hygiene, leading to an Associate degree. Admission requirements include a minimum overall 2.95 GPA. Clinical training is completed at the Ohio State University, College of Dentistry facilities in the evenings.
Other locations
Sinclair Community College offers a dental hygiene program in Dayton, Ohio. The program is fully accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation and leads to an Associate in Applied Science degree. To be admitted to this full-time, five-semester program, students must have a GPA of 2.7 with an overall TEAS score of 60 and a score on the sciences portion of the test of 50. Sinclair boasts five locations around Dayton, the lowest tuition fees in Ohio and credits that can be easily transferred to four-year universities.