Dental Hygiene Education in Virginia
There were 6,060 Dental Hygienists working in the State of Virginia as of May 2020, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The outlook for professionals in this field is promising, with total jobs expected to grow by 12% between 2018 and 2028, according to the Virginia Employment Commission. [Seguir leyendo en español]
Moreover, MoneyRates.com cites Virginia as the tenth best state to make a living. [Get data for Dental Assisting schools and careers in Virginia here.]
Requirements for Dental Hygienist in Virginia
To become a dental hygienist in Virginia, you must have completed a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program, passed the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam and a clinical exam (SRTA, CRDTS, WREB, NERB, ADEX, or CITA)
Dental Hygienist Salaries in Virginia
The average salary for Dental Hygienists in Virginia in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, was $83,540, or $40.16 per hour. Dental hygienist jobs in Virginia are concentrated in the Washington, Arlington and Alexandria area in the border area of DC, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia.
| Area | Total Employed | Mean Hourly Wage | Mean Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | 80 | $33.98 | $70,680 |
| Charlottesville, VA | 170 | $37.84 | $78,720 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | 70 | $33.03 | $68,700 |
| Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 170 | $27.36 | $56,910 |
| Lynchburg, VA | 80 | $36.59 | $76,110 |
| Richmond, VA | 840 | $36.99 | $76,950 |
| Roanoke, VA | 180 | $36.14 | $75,160 |
| Staunton-Waynesboro, VA | ** | $36.95 | $76,850 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 1,200 | $34.17 | $71,070 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 3,470 | $43.57 | $90,620 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | 70 | $34.57 | $71,900 |
Dental Hygienist Schools in Virginia
There are 18 educational programs/majors in the state of Virginia. Of those, 12 dental hygiene programs (and 7 dental assistant programs) are accredited by the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). Some of those institutions naturally provide both types of dental programs.
Springfield, VA
Northern Virginia Community College: NOVA’s dental hygiene program provides clinical, therapeutic, and educational services at the Medical Education Campus at 6699 Springfield Center Drive, Springfield, VA 22150 (tel. 703-323-3000). To qualify for their CODA-accredited 2-year AAS program, applicants must have passed ENG 111 College Composition I and SDV 101 Orientation to Health Care with a “C” or higher, AND NAS 161-162 Health Science I-II with a grade of “B” or higher (72 total credits include 12 prerequisite credits). Federal financial aid requires you to be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, asylee, or refugee, while state aid requires that you be a VA resident (financial aid info here)
Norfolk, VA
Old Dominion University offer B.S. and M.S. dental hygiene degrees both online as well as at their campus at 5115 Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, VA 23529 (Registrar at [email protected] or 757-683-4425). The way the courses are structured, you can earn both degrees, BS to MS, in accelerated time and with less money using a common 12-hour credit core toward each degree. To be eligible to enroll in graduate courses, students must have a 3.2 grade point average, senior standing, and permission of your Program Advisor. Qualifying is not easy: a 3.25 or better average in all high school work, rank in the top 25% of your class, and achieve an SAT score of 1100+.
Hampton, VA
Thomas Nelson Community College offer a 5-semester, 2-year AAS Degree program at their campus at 99 Thomas Nelson Dr., Hampton, VA 23666, tel. 757-825-2700 (registration info here). Thomas Nelson’s Educational Foundation awards scholarships throughout the year. A minimum 2.0 GPA is required to receive and maintain scholarship funds which can be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and other expenses, while Federal and state aid funds can be used to pay remaining expenses.
Other public schools in Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth University, with 2 main campuses in Richmond, VA, offers a Bachelor’s Degree in dental hygiene with prerequisites that include 60 semester hours of course credits (admissions information here). Virginia Western Community College, in Roanoke, VA, has an AS Degree program with articulation agreements with several 4-year colleges with the possibility of transferring to BS programs. Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown, VA, offers a five-semester AAS Degree in dental hygiene. LFCC’s program is small, with about 18 students only selected every 2 years. The school boasts a 100% employment accomplishment for those who graduated in the class of 2012-2014.