As the third most populous state in the country, Florida is home to many young, ambitious professionals as well as retired senior citizens flocking to the south for a peak of the sunshine. With several major cities, including Tallahassee, Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa, Florida has several ideal options for settling into ‘The Sunshine State’.
With climate ranging from sub-tropical in the north to tropical in the south, you can begin to understand why so many people move to Florida for the weather. The majority of the state is at or near sea level, with the entire southern, western and eastern regions serving as coastlines to the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean.
While Florida does boast several major cities, they tend to have a much different atmosphere to the more fast paced and busy lifestyles on the east and west coasts of the country. Florida has a much more casual and relaxed atmosphere, making it one of the top destinations in the country.
Florida Dental Hygiene Programs
To meet the requirements for licensure in Florida, you must graduate from a dental hygiene program. Florida has many colleges and educational centers that offer dental hygiene programs that fulfill this requirement and below are several of the options available to you.
| Institute | Address | Website | Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broward College | 3501 Southwest Davie Road, Bldg. 8, Room 132 Davie, FL 33314 | www.broward.edu | AS |
| Daytona State College | 1155 County Road 4139 DeLand, FL 32724 | www.daytonastate.edu | AS |
| Eastern Florida State College | 1519 Clearlake Rd. Cocoa, FL 32922 | www.easternflorida.edu | AS |
| Florida SouthWestern State College | 8099 College Parkway S.W. Ft. Myers, FL 33919 | www.fsw.edu | AS |
| Florida State College at Jacksonville | 4501 Capper Road Jacksonville, FL 32218 | www.fscj.edu | AS |
| Gulf Coast State College | 5230 West US Highway 98 Panama City, FL 32401 | www.gulfcoast.edu | AS |
| Hillsborough Community College | 4001 Tampa Bay Blvd. Tampa, FL 33614 | www.hccfl.edu | AS |
| Indian River State College | 3209 Virginia Avenue Ft. Pierce, FL 34981 | www.irsc.edu | AS |
| Miami Dade College | 950 NW 20 Street Miami, FL 33127 | www.mdc.edu | AS |
| Palm Beach State College | 4200 Congress Avenue, Dental Health Services #32 Lake Worth, FL 33461 | www.palmbeachstate.edu | AS |
| Pasco-Hernando State College | 10230 Ridge Rd. New Port Richey, FL 34654 | www.phsc.edu | AS |
| Pensacola State College | 5555 Highway 98 West Pensacola, FL 32507 | www.pensacolastate.edu | AS |
| Santa Fe College | 3000 N.W. 83rd Street, W81E Gainesville, FL 32606 | www.sfcollege.edu | AS |
| South Florida State College | 600 West College Drive Avon Park, FL 33825 | www.southflorida.edu | AS |
| St. Petersburg College | 7200 66th Street N Pinellas Park, FL 33781 | www.spcollege.edu | AS |
| State College of Florida, Manatee - Sarasota | 5840 26th Street, West Bradenton, FL 34207 | www.scf.edu | AS |
| Tallahassee Community College | 444 Appleyard Dr. Tallahassee, FL 32304 | www.tcc.fl.edu | AS |
| Valencia College | 1800 S. Kirkman Rd. Orlando, FL 32811 | valenciacollege.edu | AS |
License Requirements
To be considered for a dental hygienist license in Florida, you must submit an application and meet the following requirements:
- Must be at least 18 years old.
- Graduation from a dental hygiene college or school approved by the board or accredited by the American Dental Associated or its successor agency; or graduation from an unaccredited dental college or school, and completion of a minimum of four years of postsecondary dental education with acquisition of a dental school diploma, which is comparable to a D.D.S. or D.M.D.
- Final transcripts of graduation are required as verification of graduation from aforementioned universities and should indicate matriculation date, graduation date, degree earned and be embossed with school seal.
- Successful completion of the Dental Hygiene National Board Examination. National Board Dental Hygiene Examination scores must be mailed to the Board office directly from the American Dental Association.
- Successful completion of ADEX Dental Hygiene Licensing Examination administered in Florida or in another jurisdiction other than Florida. ADEX scores are valid if taken on or after June 1, 2010.
- Successful completion of Florida Laws and Rules Examination.
- Verification of dental hygiene clinical examination (state or regional).
- Must submit fingerprints along with application for examination
- Current proof of training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the basic support level, including one – rescuer and two rescuer CPR for adults, children and infants; the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED) and the use of ambu-bags. All such training should be sufficient for and shall result in current certification or recertification by the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross or an entity with equivalent requirements
- Verification of licensure in all other states in which licensed (previously or currently), regardless of the status of the license. The certificate should state that your license is in good standing; appropriate signatures and embossed seal of the certifying Board are needed for validation.
Dental Hygienist Salary in Florida
The dental hygienists career field is ever growing and constantly in demand. There have been links between oral health and overall health, which has increased the need for dental hygienists throughout the country. The career field has an estimated projection of 20% growth rate, throughout the following seven years, far exceeding the average of other career fields.
With slightly over 10,000 dental hygienists in the state, Florida is a great place for opportunity and career growth as a dental hygienist. The average annual salary in 2018 for dental hygienists in Florida was $64,070, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This salary ranges, depending on the location in the state, with the salary rising alongside the cost of living. You will find higher salaries in the major cities, while the lower salaries are found in the smaller towns and less populated areas.
It is important to note that salaries are often calculated into hourly rates, because more than half of dental hygienists work as part time professionals. The average hourly rate for a dental hygienist was $30.80, in the state of Florida in 2018. In addition to the salary packages, most dental hygienist professionals also receive benefit packages that include healthcare, retirement plan, pension, disability and time off options.
| Area Name | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral, Fort Myers | 340 | $37.11 | $77,200 |
| Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, Destin | 170 | $33.83 | $70,360 |
| Deltona, Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach | - | $28.60 | $59,480 |
| Gainesville | 180 | $30.66 | $63,780 |
| Homosassa Springs | 70 | $29.51 | $61,380 |
| Jacksonville | 840 | $30.33 | $63,090 |
| Lakeland, Winter Haven | 220 | $32.10 | $6,6780 |
| Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach | 3350 | $26.49 | $55,100 |
| Naples, Immokalee, Marco Island | 250 | $35.41 | $73,660 |