Students who want to become dentists in a general practice or in any number of dental specialties should be aware that the University of Texas offers advanced dentistry programs in eight departments, including endodontics, orthodontics and pediatric dentistry. The branch also has a two-tiered program for dental hygienists, which offers students a choice of obtaining a certificate in dental hygiene or earning a bachelor of science degree. Students interested in a dental assisting certificate can look to the Houston Community College System's Coleman College of Health Sciences. For students on the fast track to becoming a dental assistant, the accelerated program at the Astrodome Dental Career Center is worth reviewing, as is the certificate program offered by the National Institute of Technology.
Big opportunities for dental professionals in Houston and the greater Gulf Coast region of Texas come in the form of new jobs. The Texas Workforce Commission projects that through 2012, 100 new jobs will be created for dentists (general practitioners), an increase of 5%. In the same six-year period, 450 new jobs for dental hygienists will be created, an increase of 23% over current levels, as will 875 new jobs for dental assistants, an increase of 22% over current levels. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the average annual earnings of dental assistants to be more than $29,000 and earnings of dental hygienists to be more than $64,000 in the Houston metropolitan area. Practitioners of general dentistry in Houston will earn an average salary of more than $136,000.
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