Dental Hygienists: Career Information

Dental Hygienist Job Description: Dental hygienists provide preventative dental care and teach patients how to maintain good oral health. They generally work under the supervision of a dentist.

Employment Facts for Dental Hygienists: Dental hygienists held about 158,000 jobs in 2004. Since many were multiple jobholders, there were fewer hygienists than jobs. Over half of all dental hygienists worked part-time.^*

Educational Requirements for Dental Hygienists: To work as a dental hygienist one must graduate from an accredited dental hygiene school with either an associates degree (most common), a certificate, a bachelor's degree or a master's degree.

Other Requirements for Dental Hygienists: A dental hygienist, after graduating from an accredited program, must get a license from the state in which he or she wants to practice. In order to get licensed, one must take a written exam and a clinical exam. Dental hygienists must have good manual dexterity and should work well with others.

Job Outlook for Dental Hygienists: The future for dental hygienists looks bright. This field is expected to have greater than average job growth through 2014 and job prospects should be plentiful. It is one of the fastest growing occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.^*

Earnings of Dental Hygienists: Dental hygienists earned a median annual salary of $60,890 and median hourly wages of $29.28 in 2005.^*

Use the Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much dental hygienists currently earn in your city.

A Day in a Dental Hygienist's Life:

On a typical day a dental hygienist may:

• perform dental cleanings, removing hard and soft deposits on teeth;
• examine teeth and gums, noting whether signs of disease or abnormalities are present (they are not allowed to diagnose disease);
• perform some aspects of periodontal therapy;
• apply fluoride treatments or sealants to teeth;
• take and develop x-rays;
• prepare diagnostic tests to be administered by dentists;
• assist the dentist by working chairside;

If the state in which one practices allows, a dental hygienist may:

• administer anesthetics;
• remove sutures;
• apply filling materials, temporary fillings, and periodontal dressings;
• smooth and polish metal restorations;

*This is the most recent year for which this information is available.

Information courtesy of Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Dental Hygienists on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos097.htm and Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2005, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292021.htm (visited on April 26, 2007).