Is studying dental hygiene difficult?

What can I start studying now to help me when I go back to school to be a dental hygienist?

• I am going back to school next year in 2011 for dental hygiene if I get accepted in the program. The deadline for Fall of 2010 has already been met. I want to know what I can start studying now in my free time to help me when I start next year. I already have all the basic college stuff done. I have a Batchelor's Degree in Elementary Ed. with minor in Math. Now that I have a child of my own I want to go back and do something different with higher pay and no take home work. I know the schooling is full time and hard core so I want to be a little more prepared since I haven't had to study in a while. Any suggestions?

• Answer:

  I don't know about the program you'll be taking, but the one I took didn't really offer an option to take courses before entering the program. There were only 2 courses approved, and they were microbiology and pathophysiology. I recommend checking out what the job opportunities are in your area. I graduated last year, and when I started the program (Sept 2007), the demand for hygienists was HUGE!! As a hygienist, you could basically name your wage and tell them what schedule you wanted. Two years later, there are 4 more dental hygiene schools in my province, and with so many new graduates, the job market is now saturated. I have been out of school for 9 months now, and I'm still only working 2-3 days per week.