Hygienists are in demand in general dental practices and in specialty practices such as periodontics or pediatric dentistry. They also may be employed to provide dental hygiene services for patients in hospitals, nursing homes and public health clinics.
UA's mascot is an elephant called Big Al.. The name was chosen in the late 1970s in a campus-wide contest. The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. On October 8, a sportswriter wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game.
The most distinctive of Alabama's traditions are almost always associated with football. The nickname Crimson Tide originated with the 1907 Iron Bowl, which occurred during or shortly after a particularly rainy day. Auburn, heavily favored to win, was forced to accept a tie with Alabama after a hard-fought game.