For most people, completing dental hygiene school is one of the most difficult accomplishments in life. If you are currently in dental hygiene school, you may experience some ups and downs. At times you may feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. However, the best thing to remember is that other people have been there before. Remember that every year, many dental hygiene professionals graduate and join the dental field ready to make a difference. You too can join the list of successful dental hygiene graduates. Some strategies that have helped other dental hygiene students succeed include:

Perseverance

For you to survive the rigorous curriculum of the dental hygiene program, you have to persevere. You have to possess an inner drive to stay encouraged and motivated. When things are not going as well as you had expected, you should retain that inner drive. A dental hygiene program is intensive and combines academic courses with clinical experiences.

You may have to take numerous classes, and all may include some clinic courses. It is normal to feel overwhelmed at some point. You have to cope with a wide range of papers, reading, research, projects, and studying. Be ready for intensive semesters characterized by perseverance, organization, and hard work. Just remember that you can conquer all that academic work and come out successful.

Support System

You need a strong support system to help mitigate your outer stressors and the pressure of the program. It’s normal to experience various feelings while in the program. We are always here for you, and can help you integrate into the APLUS Institute community to extend your own support system to classmates and instructors.

Participation

Try to participate as much as you can. Also, try to expand your network by interacting with other dental hygiene professionals. This will help gain valuable interpersonal skills and also may open up job opportunities down the road.

Study Groups

Memorizing your notes will not get you to fully understand the important concepts of dental hygiene education. You will later apply the theoretical knowledge acquired to the real world as you interact with your patients. Therefore, if you are finding it hard to grasp some concepts, consider joining a study group.

APLUS Institute is here to support your journey. Take advantage of all the resources available to you.