Being a dental hygienist is an important profession, helping to look after people’s teeth and giving them the tools and education necessary to do it themselves. However, like any other job, it requires the constant need to be up-to-date on all aspects.
For this reason, taking dental hygiene continuing education courses as a dental hygienist is necessary and below are the long-term goals that can be achieved by doing so.
1. Other opportunities
Just because you are content and comfortable in your position as a dental hygienist now does not mean you always will be. Your goals may one day change and with the dental industry offering an array of different opportunities, achieving them is definitely possible.
Attending continuing education courses in the dental industry will provide you with the opportunity to gain the skills necessary to pursue other opportunities that can include dental assistant or technician. Not only will the material that you learn put you in the best position possible to obtain the position you strive for, courses will put you into contact with others in the industry who may be able to help you.
2. Learn about new procedures
You may be confident in your abilities as a dental hygienist, able to use all necessary procedures and in turn proving stellar customer service to clients. However, like any industry, practices, procedures, and regulations are ever-changing in the dental industry and you need to be up-to-date on them.
Continuing education course will allow you to learn about all advances that have occurred in the dental industry. This includes any new hygiene methods, best practices, and innovative trends. Attending courses will provide an opportunity to be current on all preventive and treatment methods. In doing so, you will be able to provide the best possible service to clients.
3. Learn about new equipment
When you first started your job you may have been current on all technology involved. However, with technology changing frequently, there is a good chance that you will require additional education at various times throughout your career.
As technology changes or new equipment is introduced, which happens often, continuing education courses can offer the opportunity to see it up close and gain some hands-on experience. In doing so, you will know how to use it in the future, making you a more essential and knowledgeable employee. Being able to operate new and innovative equipment will put you in a better position to obtain other positions, be promoted, or earn a higher salary.
4. Be a mentor
If you have been a dental hygienist for quite a few years, chances are you have a lot of skills and experience to pass along to newer employees. Not only is this rewarding for you in itself, it is a great team-building initiative that can positively benefit your office as a whole.
Attending continuing education courses will allow you to be an effective mentor because you will have accurate, up-to-date information to pass along to newer employees that you work with. That way, you will not be transmitting information or using hygiene methods that may be outdated.
5. Personal gains
Taking continuing education courses will not only help you professionally, they will also help you on a personal level as well.
Learning new material will allow you to fight the boredom that is commonly experiences after years in a profession. Attending courses will allow you to break the monotony of your routine and boost your career in the process. It is a proven fact that learning new things will help you be a quicker and more efficient learner overall. This will be transferable to other aspects of your life, allowing you to be sharper and pick things up faster than usual.
