Fuller 1

Savannah Fuller
Mrs. DeBock
English 4 Honors
18 February 2016
Essential Question: How does one utilize education in the dental hygienist field?
Working Thesis: Dental hygienist have to go through a program and earn a degree, learn about
life in the field, and associate the education in the workplace.
Refined Thesis: In order to become a dental hygienist, one must go through the dental hygienist
program, learn about the job itself, and incorporate the education in the actual labor.
Annotated Bibliography
"Become a Dental Hygienist | Dental Hygienist Careers." Learn How to Become. 2016. Web. 17
Feb. 2016.
The article Become a Dental Hygienist | Dental Hygienist Careers exhibits everything
one needs to know if they decide to pursue dental hygiene as a career. It is a guide for those who
are looking how to become a dental hygienist and breaks down the dental hygienist career itself
and the available paths one can take in order to enter the field. Dental hygienists do much more
than clean teeth and this source explains what exactly they do and the skills that are required to
partake in this particular job. Becoming a dental hygienist requires more than a high school
diploma and the article explains the degree programs one must go through and shows schools
that offer these programs. Facts about the salary and job growth are also offered to show what

Fuller 2
life in the field can be like. This article was relevant to the research because it laid out the basics
to becoming a dental hygienist.

"Degree: Associate in Applied Science Major: Dental Hygiene (DHG3)." Program Requirements.
Horry Georgetown Technical College, 2015. Web. 17 Feb. 2106.
The article "Degree: Associate in Applied Science Major: Dental Hygiene (DHG3)"
comes straight from Horry Georgetown Technical Colleges website. It explains to students what
exactly the program is and how it prepares students to provide direct patient care. Most programs
for dental hygiene are competitive and one must have high scores in order to be admitted. The
article goes on to tell the requirements needed in order for acceptance and what students are
expected to do while in the program. In the article, Horry Georgetown Technical College lists the
credits one will need in order to obtain a degree in dental hygiene. This article is beneficial due
to the facts provided about the requirements for the program and about the program itself offered
at HGTC.

"Dental Hygienist." Dental Hygienist. American Dental Association, 2016. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.
The American Dental Association wrote several facts in the article Dental Hygienist
that are beneficial to those whom are aspiring dental hygiene as a career. This article describes
what a dental hygienist actually is and what they do. Dental hygienists and dentists have to work
together to meet the needs of patients and the article explains how exactly a hygienist can help.
The article also states the career advantages that dental hygiene offers such as the challenges and

Fuller 3
rewards one might receive. Dental hygienist have major opportunities due to the demand for
general practices. This article is beneficial to the research because it gives a job description on
dental hygiene and the advantages this career has to offer. This article backs up the essential
question of how one can make use of the education in the workplace.

"Dental Hygienists." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational
Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition. Web. 17 Feb. 2016
The article Dental Hygienists analyzes how one pursues dental hygiene as a career
because becoming one takes more than a high school diploma. Typically an associate degree is
needed to become a hygienist and one must do so through furthering his/her education. The
article explains how someone can do so and the type of programs offered. The article also states
the important qualities one must execute if he decides to pursue dental hygiene as a career. The
article then goes on to talk about the different licenses, certifications, and registrations that dental
hygienists are required to have depending on the state. This article helps to benefit the research
because it develops an overall reasoning to the reader of how education is and what one must go
through to obtain a degree.

Flynn, Simone Isadora. "Dental Hygienist." Salem Press Encyclopedia (2013): Research Starters.
Web. 17 Feb. 2016.
The article Dental Hygienist gives an overview of Dental Hygiene as a whole. The job
has multiple different aspects and the article allows the reader to see the sphere of work in the

Fuller 4
actual profession. The article also mentions the duties and responsibilities that hygienists are
accountable for completing. Dental hygienists typically spend their workday in a dental office,
hospital or facility and during that time they are exposed to different work environments. In this
source, Flynn explains the different environments that hygienists deal with every day. The article
also discusses the education and training involved in pursuing this career. This credible source is
appropriate for the research because it connects the education one has learned to the career in
which the education is used.

Kendall, Bonnie L. Opportunities in Dental Care Careers. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006. Print.
Kendall explains the possibilities available for hygienists in the book Opportunities in
Dental Care Careers. Dental Hygienist play a huge role in the dentist office and the book goes
on to tell their importance with helping the dentist perform properly. This source explains how
life is in the office and the tasks that hygienists are responsible for preforming. Dental hygienist
have to be able to operate certain instruments and one is able to see exactly what hygienist are
supposed to be able to operate in this book. Kendall discusses the work settings and hours for
hygienist, which are in the reading seems to be flexible schedules. Another advantage, aside from
the flexible schedule is the salary and benefits this career has to offer and the book goes into
some detail about that. This book was relevant to research because it explained the role of dental
hygienists in the field and how education played a role in the office with hygienists.