Dental Hygienists

Also Called: Dental Hygienist, Dental Hygienist, Mobile Coordinator, Hygienist, Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH)

What Dental Hygienists do

Administer oral hygiene care to patients. Assess patient oral hygiene problems or needs and maintain health records. Advise patients on oral health maintenance and disease prevention. May provide advanced care such as providing fluoride treatment or administering topical anesthesia.

  • Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.
  • Record and review patient medical histories.
  • Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.
Industry Areas:

Health Care

Expand For Additional Details

Work Context

  • Contact With Others
  • Exposed to Disease or Infections
  • Physical Proximity
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Tools

  • Dental scalers or accessories
  • Teeth cleaning devices or accessories
  • Dental probes
  • Dental x ray units
  • Dental lasers

Technology

Medical software
Henry Schein Dentrix
Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Electronic mail software
Email software

The Education & Training You Need

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Active Listening
  • Critical Thinking
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Monitoring

Knowledge

Health
medicine and dentistry
Business
customer service
sales and marketing
Arts and Humanities
English language
Math and Science
psychology

Education

  • 79% Associate's degree
  • 21% Bachelor's degree
  • 1% Post-baccalaureate certificate

Experience

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

What are your training options on the pathway to this occupation?

Are You a Good Fit?

Occupation Traits

  • Conventional (Organizer)
  • Realistic (Doer)
  • Social (Helper)

Work Styles

  • Dependability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Concern for Others
  • Integrity
  • Cooperation
  • Self Control

Values

  • Relationships
  • Support
  • Independence

Abilities

  • Verbal
  • Hand and Finger Use
  • Attention
  • Ideas and Logic

This is what Dental Hygienists across the country typically make.

$31.30 / hour
$65,110 /year

Entry Level

$42.08 / hour
$87,530 /year

Median Level

$56.92 / hour
$118,400 /year

Experienced Level

Income information reflects a regional average.
Income information reflects a national average.

This career’s National Job Outlook is

Bright

Please be sure to verify the outlook of this occupation with your instructor.

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