Dental Hygienist

Salary & Job Openings

Median Salary (Yearly Pay)

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Future Jobs

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How Will Dental Hygienist Jobs Grow by 2034?

Projected % Growth

Rapid growth
(10% or higher)

Much faster than average
(7% - 10%)

Faster than average
(5% - 7%)

About as fast as average
(3% - 5%)

Slower than average
(0% - 3%)

Decreasing

Average of all U.S. jobs (5.3%)

Dental Hygienist jobs (7.00%)

Source: https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm

Steps to Get There: Becoming a Dental Hygienist

High School Subjects to Study

Career Pathway Listen to this section

A degree from an accredited dental hygiene school and a state license are required for this job.

Education- Typical Degree Needed After High School Listen to this section

Typical degree for an entry-level position: Associate's degree ?

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's 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.

Try it Out with an Activity or Project

STEM Activities

STEM activities are fun hands-on explorations that usually take from 10 minutes to one hour and use readily available household or classroom materials while introducing you to STEM concepts common in this career.

We don't have any activities for this career. Check out the Project Ideas below.

Science Project Ideas

Project Ideas are in-depth STEM explorations that have a strong focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data suitable for investigating the scientific method or the engineering design process.

 

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Cinnamon Gum and Mouth Microbes

Long (2-4 weeks) 

 

1 Science Project Idea Result

On the Job

Role Models

In this article, you will meet Sherri Gollins, and learn how she got started in dentistry, as well as what her typical workday and work environment are like.

I chose this career path because I had the opportunity to teach people to be in charge of their own health. 

Sherri Gollins

Nature of the Work

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, as well as ultrasonic devices, are used to clean and polish teeth, including removing tartar, stains, and plaque. Hygienists use x-ray machines to take dental pictures, and sometimes develop the film. They might use models of teeth to explain oral hygiene, perform root planning as a periodontal therapy, or apply cavity-preventive agents, such as fluorides and pit and fissure sealants.

Other tasks hygienists might 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 might explain the relationship between diet and oral health or inform patients about 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 work in clean, well-lit offices. Important health safeguards include strict adherence to proper radiological procedures and the use of appropriate protective devices when administering anesthetic gas. Dental hygienists also wear safety glasses, surgical masks, and gloves to protect themselves and patients from infectious diseases. Dental hygienists also should be careful to avoid possible shoulder and neck injury from sitting for long periods of time while working with patients.

Flexible scheduling is a distinctive feature of this job. Full-time, part-time, evening, and weekend schedules are common. Dentists frequently hire hygienists to work only two or three days a week, so hygienists might hold jobs in more than one dental office. In 2008, about half of all dental hygienists worked part-time—less than 35 hours a week.

More Information

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Additional Resources

• American Dental Hygienists' Association
• Commission on Dental Accreditation, American Dental Association

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS (2024). Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), 2024 Edition, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
• National Center for O*NET Development O*Net Online (2024). National Center for O*Net Development. Retrieved August 25, 2025
• Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health. (n.d.). So You Want to Be a Public Health Dental Hygienist? Working In The Schools. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
• National Institutes of Health. (2006, June 12). Meet a real Dental Hygienist, Sherri Gollins. Retrieved May 20, 2010.