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Dental Hygienists

What they 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.

Recommended education
Recommended education
For this career, most jobs require this level of education. It may be possible to qualify for some jobs without this level of education. Recommendation provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Vocational training or associate degree
Explore programs for this career
Career cluster
Projected growth
Projected growth

This is the expected change in employment for this career in the selected county or state. For example, if a career is expected to double from 100 jobs to 200 jobs, this would show 100%. Due to how projected growth is reported, similar careers may show the same percentage.

These numbers represent the latest 10-year projection period (2018-2028). Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.

N/AN/A

Expected pay range

Expected pay range

This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.

About dental hygienists

Other titles

Dental Hygienist, Hygienist, Licensed Dental Hygienist, Pediatric Dental Hygienist, Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH)

Tasks they perform

  • 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.

Skills they need

  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Licenses and Certifications

How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.

Certifications

Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications

Similar careers

View careers in the same field as dental hygienists.

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In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.

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Better pay

Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.

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Additional career information and resources

Learn more about dental hygienists with these helpful sites.