cfberger

Dental hygienists are basically assigned to examine patients for dental problems, clean teeth, and provide preventive oral care procedures. They are different from dental assistants as they focus more on preventive and maintenance oral care methods. Patients may come to them for cleaning and diagnosis, especially at times when a dentist is not available.

Dental hygienists work in a dental clinic or office, and they are available during regular office hours. They are not usually exposed to stress and pressure, as they perform only light dental care tasks.

As of May 2010, average dental hygienists salary is $68,250 or $32.81 per hour. There are different indicators that have to be considered in order to determine favorable compensation packages for people in this position, and these include educational background, type of work environment, and geographic location.

Payment Terms for Dental Hygienists

Unlike other health-care related jobs, dental hygienists work and get paid by the number of hours they render. The lowest 10% of people working in this position earn around $45,000 per year, while the highest 10% earn somewhere around $93,820.

Dental hygienists may work fulltime or part-time depending on the office or clinic they are employed in. There are establishments that employ dental hygienists only on a part-time basis, depending on their need.

How to Become a Dental Hygienist

There are two ways to become a dental hygienist, and one of them is by taking an associate course in dental hygiene. This course lasts for up to two years, depending on the institution that offers the said program. In this course students are taught about the different methods and procedures of oral care, and they are also subject to complete a practical training program in a clinic or dental office.

Meanwhile, aspiring dentists may also work as dental hygienists before stepping into their chosen profession. Most graduates of dentistry work first as dental hygienists while they are not yet licensed. They usually assume the post as part of their training, especially when they are planning to work in establishments that require a few years of experience in the oral care environment.

Best Establishments to Work as a Dental Hygienist

The best establishments to work as a dental hygienist include that of dental clinics, nursing homes, schools and offices. While indeed there are hospitals that have dental departments, usually only dentists and their assistants are required to perform in the said office.

Dental clinics are among the best places for hygienists to work for, as their services will be used on almost every patient that will come during the day. They take on both pre-dental and preventive oral care procedures as prescribed by the supervising dentist, and as well assist in certain specified tasks.

There are also establishments in which a dental office is present, but not dentist can be found. These include schools, fitness centers and offices. Since they do administer serious dental issues, they require dental hygienists instead to perform maintenance cleaning duties on students, customers or employees.

There is a strong demand for dental hygienists in the United States, but there are certain states that offer the most favorable conditions for persons in the said post. Among these states are Alaska, Nevada, California, Florida and Alabama.

There are highly favorable opportunities for dental hygienists in Alaska due to the increasing number of health care establishments and facilities in the said state. With the ongoing hiring of health care professionals and workers, dental hygienists are likewise tagged in the bandwagon and may expect good compensation packages in establishments there.

Other states such as Nevada, California, Florida and Alabama have equally high demands for dental hygienists because of the continuous population growth, particularly due to migration and of the increase of the elderly generation.

Dental hygienists are among the fastest growing jobs in the health care industry at present. There is an expected 38% growth in demand for the said job until 2020, due to a number of factors. Aside from continuous population growth and rise in the elderly generation, technological advancements also give more room for role expansion-dental hygienists will be given more technical tasks to focus on, aside from the basic oral care procedures assigned to them at present.

Physician assistants are doctors who work under the supervision of physicians and surgeons. This job is usually regarded to be a stepping stone for more advanced positions in the medical industry, as it covers tasks such as examining patients, diagnosing illnesses and injuries, and providing the necessary treatment.

The main requirement in becoming a physician assistant is to hold a bachelor’s degree in medicine. This course takes up to 8 years to complete, from pre-med to the medicine proper. There are also courses intended for physician assistants, and these meanwhile may take up to 6 years. Graduates of other health care courses meanwhile may assume this position after completing a master’s degree that focuses in the said field.

There are also licensure examinations that have to be taken in order to work legally as a physician assistant. Licensed physician assistants are able to work fulltime in hospitals and other health care facilities, or conduct their own private practice.

The average salary of a physician assistant is relatively higher than other related jobs in the medical profession. As of May 2010, the median salary of a fulltime physician assistant is $86,410 per year or around $41.54 per hour. Salary figures depend on a number of factors though, such as the working environment, geographic location and years of experience.

Among the best places to work in as a physician assistant is that in hospitals. Fulltime employment in a hospital can garner one up to $89,500 per year. Salary figures do not include overtime pay, night differential and other benefits.

The second best place to work in for physician assistants is in outpatient clinics and centers. These are hospital departments that are likewise open 24 hours in order to attend to emergency situations. Physician assistants earn around $88,160 in these establishments, depending on the number of hours they have rendered during the day.

Other establishments where physician assistants may get good compensation are that in academic institutions, gyms and fitness centers, physician offices and the government.

As mentioned earlier, geographic location also plays a big role in providing a favorable salary. Individuals aspiring to work in this position may find good opportunities in states such as Alaska, Nevada, Connecticut, Washington and New Jersey. In these states, physician assistants may expect salaries ranging between $70,860 and $90,000 annually.

source: physician assistant salary

Aside from factors such as type of establishment and geographic location, it is likewise important to consider the years of experience of the individual aspiring to become a physician assistant. This position may be the middle ground towards becoming a fulltime physician or surgeon, but most establishments also require a few years of experience from applicants who want to work in this job.

Persons who wish to work as physician assistants may find it a need to provide work experience as interns, residents or trainees from other medical establishments to prove that they are indeed qualified to work in the said position.

There is a continuously increasing demand for physician assistants both at present and in the next five years to come. The demand rate for physician assistants is at 30%, which is higher than other health care jobs in the United States.

There are many reasons why the job outlook for people in this position continues to rise. For one, current physician assistants usually leave the position after a few years via promotion or in search for greener pastures, as within 3-5 years they already become qualified for residential posts in the health care establishments they work for. Also, because of the equally fast increase of persons entering the retirement age, a lot of medical establishments that cater to this clientele have likewise been built to serve their needs. As more hospitals and nursing homes being established, more hospital staff, including that of physician assistants, have become in demand.

Lastly, there is a continuous shift in the roles of health care providers due to expanding technologies and advancements in both medical methods and procedures. Physician assistants are then expected to take over the tasks once held by their superiors, or they may be required to focus at a particular specialization depending on the medical field they are assigned in.

Psychologists are among the most common clinical specializations present in various industries today. Persons who work as psychologists continue to be in demand practically because their services are used in different types of industry fields. They are also among the most flexible clinical workers, as they can provide services not just in hospitals and health care facilities, but just about in every kind of work and business establishment.

The average salary of psychologists is $82,672, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10% may earn as much as $64,201 per year, while the highest 10% may receive up to $102,284 per year. There are number of factors that have to be considered when looking for satisfactory salary and benefits packages for psychologists, and these include the type of work environment, educational attainment, and geographic location.

Psychologists work in an occupational setting different from that of psychiatrists, even if they have delved on the same field of study. Psychologists are usually part of human resource teams, and they have a big role in evaluating the mental, emotional and psychological qualities of both applicants and current company employees. They also come up with programs and strategies that help in building a psychologically secure environment in the workplace promote the overall wellbeing of the employees involved in the organization.

Psychologists are usually bound in office work, but there are also times when they can provide field training and evaluation on their subjects. Aside from offices, they are also hired in academic institutions as guidance counselors or peer advisors, in which their main task is to help students bring out the best in themselves.

Image from Payscale.com

There are also psychologists who are found in hospitals and health care facilities, not as practicing specialists but as researchers. They work in research labs and assist psychiatrists in their cases and theoretical studies. Other areas in which psychologists are usually hired are in the government, sports and fitness clubs, and nursing homes, in which they provide counseling and assistance to the elderly-particularly those suffering from depression and other emotional problems.

Good compensation packages for psychologists may likewise be attained through education. Most industrial and occupational psychologists have completed a degree in psychology, whereas those in higher positions have as well attained a master’s degree in the said field. Clinical psychologists meanwhile have used their degree as a pre-med study, and later they proceeded with a medical proper so they can practice with a license. Industrial and occupational psychologists are usually employed by companies and firms, while clinical psychologists become in demand in medical research facilities.

Geographical location may also be considered when looking for favorable psychologist salary packages. In the United States, the best places to work in are that of California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, and Texas.

Among the reasons that make these places the best to work for include the continuous rise of various industries and the growth the employment sector. With new companies being established on an everyday basis, more psychologists are needed to take over the operations of the human resource department.

These are also the states in which medical research facilities are found; psychologists, particularly those that specialize in clinical studies may find not only competitive salary packages in these establishments, but as well as stable employment.

The demand for psychologists is expected to grow by 22% by the year 2020, faster than all other occupations. This growth in demand is primarily due to development of industries that focus on mental health, education, and social services.

Industrial and occupational psychologists are among the most in demand types of psychologists today, as they are needed in just about every sector of the employment industry. They are hired for human resource development positions, and may as well work as consultants for offices and businesses. They may also take on jobs in the world of advertising, tackling market research.

The demand for psychologists in the health care industry is also expected to rise, as they become more relevant in working with other medical professionals, such as doctors, nurses, social workers and psychologists. In this perspective, psychologists are hired to provide patients with comprehensive and interdisciplinary treatments, as well as conduct preventive care and maintenance wellness programs.