Dental hygienists remove soft and hard deposits from teeth, teach patients how to practice good oral hygiene, and provide other preventive dental care. They examine patients' teeth and gums, recording the presence of diseases or abnormalities.
Dental hygienists use an assortment of tools to complete their tasks. Hand and rotary instruments and ultrasonic devices are used to clean and polish teeth, which includes removing tartar, stains, and plaque. Hygienists use x-ray machines to take dental pictures, and sometimes develop the film. They may use models of teeth to explain oral hygiene, perform root planning as a periodontal therapy, or apply cavity-preventative agents such as fluorides and pit and fissure sealants.
Other tasks hygienists may perform vary by State. In some States, hygienists are allowed to administer anesthetics, while in others they administer local anesthetics using syringes. Some States also allow hygienists to place and carve filling materials, temporary fillings, and periodontal dressings; remove sutures; and smooth and polish metal restorations.
Dental hygienists also help patients develop and maintain good oral health. For example, they may explain the relationship between diet and oral health or inform patients how to select toothbrushes and show them how to brush and floss their teeth.
Hygienists sometimes make a diagnosis and other times prepare clinical and laboratory diagnostic tests for the dentist to interpret. Hygienists sometimes work chair-side with the dentist during treatment.
Work Environment
Dental hygienists held about 206,100 jobs in 2020. The largest employers of dental hygienists were as follows:
- Offices of dentists - 94%
- Offices of physicians - 1%
- Government - 1%
Dental hygienists wear safety glasses, surgical masks, and gloves to protect themselves and patients from infectious diseases. When taking x-rays, they follow procedures to protect themselves and patients from radiation.
Work Schedules
Many dental hygienists work part-time. Dentists may hire hygienists to work only a few days a week, so some hygienists work for more than one dentist.
Education & Training Required
A high school diploma and college entrance test scores are usually required for admission to a dental hygiene program. High school students interested in becoming dental hygienists should take courses in biology, chemistry, and mathematics. Some dental hygiene programs also require applicants to have completed at least one year of college. Specific entrance requirements typically vary from one school to another.
In 2008, there were 301 dental hygiene programs accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Most dental hygiene programs grant an associate degree, although some also offer a certificate, a bachelor's degree, or a master's degree. A minimum of an associate degree or certificate in dental hygiene is generally required for practice in a private dental office. A bachelor's or master's degree usually is required for research, teaching, or clinical practice in public or school health programs.
Schools offer laboratory, clinical, and classroom instruction in subjects such as anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, nutrition, radiography, histology (the study of tissue structure), periodontology (the study of gum diseases), pathology, dental materials, clinical dental hygiene, and social and behavioral sciences.
Certifications Needed
Dental hygienists must be licensed by the State in which they practice. Nearly all States require candidates to graduate from an accredited dental hygiene school and pass both a written and clinical examination. The American Dental Association's (ADA) Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations administers the written examination, which is accepted by all States and the District of Columbia. State or regional testing agencies administer the clinical examination. In addition, most States require an examination on the legal aspects of dental hygiene practice. Alabama is the only State that does not require candidates to take the ADA written exam. Instead, they require that candidates meet the requirements of the Alabama Dental Hygiene Program, which mandates taking courses, completing on-the-job training at a dentist’s office, and passing a separate State administered licensing examination.
Other Skills Required
Dental hygienists should work well with others because they work closely with dentists and dental assistants, as well as dealing directly with patients. Hygienists also need good manual dexterity, because they use dental instruments within patients’ mouths, with little room for error.
How to Advance
Advancement opportunities usually come from working outside a typical dentist's office, and usually require a bachelor's or master's degree in dental hygiene. Some dental hygienists may choose to pursue a career teaching at a dental hygiene program, working in public health, or working in a corporate setting.
Job Outlook
Employment of dental hygienists is projected to grow 11 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.
About 15,600 openings for dental hygienists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Some of the projected employment growth in this occupation is due to recovery from the COVID-19 recession that began in 2020.
Demand for dental services will increase as the large baby-boom population ages and as people keep more of their original teeth than in previous generations.
Studies linking oral health and general health, along with efforts to expand access to oral hygiene services, will continue to drive demand for preventive dental services, including those performed by hygienists. In addition, demand for dental hygienists is expected to grow as state laws increasingly allow dental hygienists to work at the top of their training.
Earnings
The median annual wage for dental hygienists was $77,810 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $60,100, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $100,200.
In May 2021, the median annual wages for dental hygienists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
- Offices of dentists - $77,810
- Offices of physicians - $77,290
- Government - $64,110
Benefits, such as vacation, sick leave, and retirement contributions, vary by employer and may be available only to full-time workers.
Many dental hygienists work part-time. Dentists may hire hygienists to work only a few days a week, so some hygienists work for more than one dentist.
