•	Dental Careers, Jobs & Salaries
•	Dental Career Specialties
•	Dental Career Statistics
•	Choosing a Dental School
•	Dental School Accreditation
•	Degrees in Dentistry
•	Degrees in Dental Hygiene & Assisting
•	Dental School Continuing Education
•	Top 10 Qualities of a Great Dentist
•	Dental Organizations
•	Other Dental Resources

Guide to an Online Dental Education. Learn what options you have for online education and training in the dental professions in this informative article.

Suzanne Hubbard, Dental Hygiene Student. Learn about going to school in an accelerated dental hygiene program first-hand from Suzanne who is currently earning her degree.

Shannon Layton, Dental Assisting Student. As a soon-to-be grad, Shannon Layton offers her take on her education for dental assisting and offers advice to future students. Read about her dental education experience in this interview.

Dental Post-Grad Residency Student, Amanda Dohar. A future in public dentristry is beginning for Amanda Dohar, who has recently completed her DDS. Learn more about her career goals and what choices she made in her dental education that will help her achieve them.

Vickie Nardello, Dental Hygienist and State Legislator. Careers in dental hygiene can lead to places outside the dental office. Vickie Nardello's path has led her to participate in activities promoting dental health at the federal level. Read more about her experiences in this interesting interview.

Registered Dental Hygienist, Tammi Byrd. Experience in pediatric and family dentristy has led to a unique and prestigious dental career for Tammi Byrd, RDH. In this article she talks about her career path and tells students "Don't ever settle for average..."

Dental Educator, Christine Nielsen Nathe. A passion to promote the field of dental hygiene is a driving force behind Christine Nielsen Nathe's career. As an educator for the field she's been involved in nationally-based programs and published articles promoting dental health. Learn more about her and check out her advice for dental hygiene students.

James Starkey, Dental Hygiene Student. Future dental hygienist James Starkey has big career goals. "I hope use my degree to educate the community – especially those with special needs.." Find out more about Starkey, his education, and his plans in this interview.

Dental Hygiene Student, Kimberly McCreedy. Raising a family and the need for a flexible career has Kimberly McCreedy pursuing a degree in dental hygiene. In this interview she talks about her current education and her goals for her future.

Evidence of humans caring for their teeth can be traced back 5000 BC, when tooth decay was written about and thought to have been caused by tooth worms. Evidence of people fashioning primitive toothbrushes out of tree branches has also been discovered from around this time. The earliest known dentist was Hesy-Re, who died in 2600 BC. From 500-300 BC, Hippocrates and Aristotle wrote about dentistry and treating tooth decay and gum disease, as well as the treating loose teeth and jaw problems with wires. From 500-1000, monks performed dental operations, and in the 1100s, papal edicts forbade monks from continuing this practice, so barbers took over the work. Barber-surgeons, as they were known, performed everything from tooth extractions to bloodletting, and this continued for several centuries.

The modernization of dentistry as we know it today began in the 19th century. The first dental school was founded in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1840, and is now part of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. The 1890s brought about worldwide promotion of tooth brushing and flossing and general dental care. Vast strides were made in the dental industry through the 20th century, and today, more people than ever before have healthy teeth and gums.

In 2002, there were 153,000 dentists practicing in the United States, and the median salary for these dentists was $123,210. Dental hygienists and assistants, both forecasted to be some of the fastest-growing occupations through 2012, work closely with dentists. In 2002, there were 148,000 hygienists and 166,000 assistants. Hygienists boasted a median hourly wage of $26.59, while assistants reported $13.10 as a median hourly wage.

Dentists are required to attend four years of post-baccalaureate dental training, and even more depending on whether one is interested in pursuing a specialty, such as orthodontics or periodontics. Hygienists and assistants are generally required to have an associate's degree, though many programs offer certificates, bachelor degrees, and even master degrees. DentalSchools.com is a great resource for sorting through the many different programs available to those aspiring to work in the dental field.