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.
What it pays
Dental Hygienists earn a median of $47.16/hr — about $98,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $36.00/hr; the top 10% earn $60.60/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Dental Hygienists earn a median of $47.16/hr — about $98,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $36.00/hr; the top 10% earn $60.60/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Record and review patient medical histories.
- 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.
- Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.
- 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.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Associate degree. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
The feel of the work
The work is mostly indoors; you're around people constantly. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0.5% of dental hygienists are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are people-focused, hands-on and analytical.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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Quick questions
- How much does a dental hygienist make?
- The median pay is $47.16 per hour — roughly $98,000 a year, with the real range running from about $36.00/hr (10th percentile) to $60.60/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a dental hygienist?
- The typical entry-level education is: Associate degree. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
- What does a dental hygienist actually do all day?
- Record and review patient medical histories. 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.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.