Dental Hygienist
Quick Facts
Median Salary$77,909
Most Common EducationAssociate's degree
Projected 10-Year Growth+59.48%
Assessment MatchTake the Assessment
What They Do
A Dental Hygienist performs routine dental care, including cleaning teeth and examining patients for signs of oral diseases, and educates patients about good oral health practices. Assists dentists in more complex dental procedures. Works in dental offices under the supervision of dentists and other dental health specialists.
Core Tasks:
- Record and review patient medical histories.
- Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.
- Feel and visually examine gums for sores and signs of disease.
- 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.
- Maintain dental equipment and sharpen and sterilize dental instruments.
- Attend continuing education courses to maintain or update skills.
- Apply fluorides or other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay.
- 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.
What to expect as a Dental Hygienist
1Earn a Associate's degree
36% of people achieve this level of education.
2Gain skills and experience
See Dental Hygienist related courses on Tallo
3Land a job
4887 openings for Dental Hygienists
Career Progression
in United States (Nation)
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