Occupation · SOC 29-1292
Dental Hygienists
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.
Median wage
$94,260
$66,470–$120,060
Projected growth
+7.0%
Faster than average
Annual openings
1,550
per year
Employed (US)
219,070
Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
128 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningSpeakingCritical ThinkingService OrientationWritingMonitoringSocial PerceptivenessReading Comprehension
Knowledge areas
Medicine and DentistryCustomer and Personal Service
Technology & tools
Billing and invoicing softwareMedical softwareElectronic mail softwareInventory management softwareSpreadsheet software
Representative tasks
Record and review patient medical histories.Feel and visually examine gums for sores and signs of disease.Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.Provide clinical services or health education to improve and maintain the oral health of patients or the general public.Chart conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentist.Expose and develop x-ray film.Attend continuing education courses to maintain or update skills.Apply fluorides or other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay.Maintain dental equipment and sharpen and sterilize dental instruments.Maintain patient recall system.Feel lymph nodes under patient's chin to detect swelling or tenderness that could indicate presence of oral cancer.Administer local anesthetic agents.Remove excess cement from coronal surfaces of teeth.Conduct dental health clinics for community groups to augment services of dentist.Make impressions for study casts.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Patient medical histories — collect and review under direct supervision in a clinical dental setting.Gum tissue and oral structures — visually examine for sores and signs of disease with guidance from a licensed dentist.Periodontal probes — use under supervision to locate recession and early signs of gum disease during patient assessments.Hand scalers and curettes — apply basic scaling techniques to remove visible calculus deposits under direct clinical oversight.Dental radiographs — expose and develop x-ray film following established protocols under supervisory review in a dental office.Dental charting software — enter decay and disease conditions as directed to support dentist diagnosis in a clinical environment.Oral health education materials — deliver basic brushing and flossing instructions to patients under the direction of senior staff.Appointment scheduling and calendar software — manage patient bookings accurately in a dental practice setting.Continuing education courses — attend required sessions to build foundational clinical knowledge within the first year of practice.Infection control and sterilization protocols — follow established procedures consistently to maintain safety standards in the operatory.
developing
Patient medical and dental histories — independently review and flag contraindications or health changes prior to routine hygiene appointments.Gum tissue assessment — conduct systematic visual and tactile examinations to identify periodontal disease signs with minimal oversight.Periodontal charting — probe and document pocket depths, bleeding points, and recession across a full patient caseload in a general dental practice.Supragingival and subgingival deposits — scale and debride teeth and gum margins efficiently using hand and ultrasonic instruments during routine appointments.Digital radiography systems — capture and process diagnostic-quality x-ray images, adjusting exposure settings for varied patient anatomy.Dental charting and medical software — record clinical findings accurately and transmit completed charts for dentist review and treatment planning.Oral health education — tailor home-care instruction to individual patient needs, including diet counseling and product recommendations.Time management across a patient schedule — prioritize clinical tasks and documentation to maintain appointment flow in a busy dental office.Billing and invoicing software — enter procedure codes and verify insurance information accurately to support administrative operations.Active listening and social perceptiveness — recognize patient anxiety or comprehension barriers and adapt communication style accordingly during appointments.
proficient
Complex medical histories — analyze systemic conditions and medications for oral health implications and communicate findings independently to the supervising dentist.Advanced periodontal assessments — perform comprehensive probing, mobility testing, and furcation classification to support full treatment planning without routine oversight.Non-routine periodontal cases — perform thorough root planing and debridement on patients with moderate-to-severe periodontitis, managing discomfort and clinical complexity autonomously.Radiographic interpretation — evaluate x-ray images for bone loss, calculus, and pathology, documenting findings clearly for dentist diagnosis.Patient-centered health education — design and deliver individualized oral health programs for patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease.Critical thinking in clinical decision-making — recognize emergent oral conditions, apply clinical judgment, and escalate appropriately within a multidisciplinary healthcare team.Nitrous oxide and local anesthesia administration — deliver pain management procedures safely where permitted by state regulation, adjusting technique to patient response.Electronic health record management — maintain complete, legally compliant patient records across a full caseload using dental medical software platforms.Inventory and supply management — monitor clinical supply levels using inventory management software to ensure uninterrupted patient care.Continuing education and skill updating — independently pursue advanced coursework in periodontics, nutrition, or emerging technologies to stay current with evidence-based practice.
advanced
Clinical protocols and quality standards — develop and implement evidence-based hygiene procedures that govern practice-wide patient care across all hygienists.Periodontal program design — create comprehensive periodontal maintenance and early intervention programs that reduce disease prevalence across a patient population.Staff development and mentorship — supervise, train, and evaluate junior dental hygienists and assistants, fostering clinical competence and professional growth.Oral health education initiatives — lead community outreach and public health education campaigns to improve oral health literacy across diverse populations.Cross-functional care coordination — collaborate with dentists, physicians, and specialists to integrate oral health considerations into holistic patient treatment planning.Practice technology adoption — evaluate, select, and implement new clinical software, digital imaging systems, and instrumentation to advance practice capabilities.Regulatory compliance and risk management — interpret and enforce OSHA, HIPAA, and state dental board requirements across all clinical and administrative operations.Data-driven performance improvement — analyze patient outcome data, scheduling metrics, and recall compliance rates using spreadsheet and reporting tools to drive practice improvement.Persuasion and patient advocacy — influence organizational leadership and patient communities to prioritize preventive care, driving measurable changes in care delivery models.Professional leadership and continuing education strategy — set a practice-level continuing education agenda aligned with emerging evidence, guiding the professional development direction of the entire dental hygiene team.
Also known as
152 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Periodontist (Army 63D)Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Temporomandibular Joint (Air Force 47S1A)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, Aeromedical Education Technician (Air Force 4N051G)Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Facial Esthetics (Air Force 47S3B)Oral HygienistAerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Independent Duty Medical Technician (Air Force 4N031C)Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH)Prosthodontist, Dental Materials (Air Force 47P4C)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Neurodiagnostic Medical Technician (Air Force 4N011B)Periodontist (Air Force 47H3)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, National Registry Paramedic (Air Force 4N011H)Dental Superintendent (Air Force 4Y090)Dentist, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (OMR) (Air Force 47G1F)Dental Assistant Helper (Air Force 4Y011)Dental Manager (Air Force 4Y000)Prosthodontist (Army 63F)Endodontist (Air Force 47E4)Prosthodontist (Air Force 47P1)Dentist, Dental Materials Science (Air Force 47G1E)Dentist, Hospital Dentistry (Air Force 47G3H)Prosthodontist, Area Dental Laboratory (Air Force 47P3B)Dental Technician, Basic (Navy 001155)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, National Registry Paramedic (Air Force 4N071H)Periodontist (Air Force 47HX)Health Services Management Helper (Air Force 4A011)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, Neurodiagnostic Medical Technician (Air Force 4N051B)Field Medical Service Technician (Navy 001260)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Independent Duty Medical Technician (Air Force 4N011C)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Aeromedical Education Technician (Air Force 4N031G)Dentist, Hospital Dentistry (Air Force 47G1H)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, Aeromedical Education Technician (Air Force 4N071G)Pediatric Dentist (Air Force 47K3)Dentist, Public Health (Air Force 47G4D)Health Services Management Journeyman (Air Force 4A051)Periodontist (Navy 0560)Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon (Air Force 47S3)Endodontist (Air Force 47E3)Dentist, Public Health (Air Force 47G3D)Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Maxillofacial Reconstruction (Air Force 47S3C)Advanced Dental Assistant (Navy 002669)