The accredited two-year associate in science dental hygiene degree program at Miami-Dade Community College prepares graduates to become practicing members of a dental health team, including hands-on practice at the 49-chair Dental Hygiene clinic on campus. A pre-dental program boasting a 100 percent first-time acceptance rate to dental schools is available at Miami Shore's Barry University. The pre-dental program at Miami's Florida International University supports an active club for those interested in the dental profession. FIU is a participating university with the University of Florida College of Dentistry's BS/DMD program, which allows students to complete a BS and DMD degree in seven instead of eight years.
Miami-Dade County job growth for dental professions is expected to be stable through 2012, according to Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation Labor Market Statistics. Dentist positions are expected have flat growth of 0.09 percent from 1,623 jobs in 2004 to 1,635 in 2012. Dental hygienist jobs are expected to grow 3.71 percent (from 879 jobs to 1,140), while dental assistant career growth is projected at 3.68 percent (from 1,914 jobs to 2,477). Dental laboratory technician positions are projected to grow 1.25 percent (from 540 jobs to 594).
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