What Is The Current Demand For Dental Hygienists?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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PRO: Growing employment

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of dental hygienists is expected to increase by 38 percent between 2010 and 2020 – considerably faster than average. Plus, dental hygienists will always be in demand

because people will always need their teeth to be cleaned!

What is the reason for the 38% increase in demand for dental hygienists over the next ten years?

PRO: Growing employment

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of dental hygienists is expected to increase by 38 percent between 2010 and 2020 – considerably faster than average. Plus, dental hygienists will always be in demand

because people will always need their teeth to be cleaned!

Which educational paths can lead to becoming a dental hygienist?

Dental hygienists require an

associate degree in dental hygiene and state licensure

. Those who want to advance in their career should consider a bachelor’s or master’s degree in dental hygiene.

Do hygienists get benefits?

Dental hygienists may receive a range of benefits through their employers, including paid vacations, sick leave,

insurance coverage

, dues for professional memberships, and tuition support for continued education.

Why you shouldn’t be a dental hygienist?

The monotony can take a toll and is one of the top disadvantages of being a dental hygienist. It can lead to burnout as hygienists find that the repetitive work becomes dull, unchallenging and uninteresting. The job also lacks variety.

Hygienists perform the same tasks at every clinic

.

Is being a hygienist worth it?

Yes,

dental hygiene is a good career

, and this article focuses on what makes it tick. A dental hygienist, as you might be aware, helps dentists in performing various procedures such as cleaning and polishing teeth, making dental casts, and educating patients on how to maintain good oral health.

Do dental hygienists make good money?

How Much Does a Dental Hygienist Make? Dental Hygienists made a median salary of $76,220 in 2019. The

best-paid 25 percent made $91,560

that year, while the lowest-paid 25 percent made $64,260.

Why do dental hygienist make so much?

Dental hygienists are paid so much

because they are licensed professionals working in the dental care industry

. Oral health is important, and failure to take good care of the teeth and gums can lead not only to dental issues but other serious health problems, too, such as diabetes and heart disease.

What is the highest paid dental hygienist?

The states and districts that pay Dental Hygienists the highest mean salary are

Alaska ($114,790)

, California ($106,240), District of Columbia ($102,380), Washington ($93,200), and Oregon ($87,270).

Is dental hygienist happy?


Dental hygienists are below average when it

comes to happiness. At CareerExplorer, we conduct an ongoing survey with millions of people and ask them how satisfied they are with their careers. As it turns out, dental hygienists rate their career happiness 3.1 out of 5 stars which puts them in the bottom 39% of careers.

Is 40 too old to become a dental hygienist?

Dental hygienist.

When you’re an over-40 worker looking for a career with flexibility for balancing work and family, health care is usually a good field to consider, according to Seattle Pi. One particularly solid choice: dental hygienist, where you clean teeth and educate patients about oral hygiene.

Is it gross being a dental hygienist?

It should be no secret that dental hygienists see

and smell very gross things

. … The point is, while a dental hygienist’s job may seem gross to many, it’s all to keep our patients healthy. Our goal is to prevent disease or stop disease if it’s already started.

Why are dental hygienists quitting?

In a 2019 survey of dental hygienists,

43% cited not feeling valued or respected

as one of the primary reasons they would seek a new job within the next year. “Burnout” and feelings of frustration due to overly restrictive state practice acts were other reasons hygienists cited for deciding to leave the field.

Who makes more dental hygienist or nurse?


Registered nurses

and dental hygienists both earn promising salaries. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses earn an average salary of $75,330 per year. Meanwhile, dental hygienists earn a median annual salary of $77,090 in the United States.

Are dental hygienists respected?

US News and Report recently ranked

dental hygiene seventeenth on

its 2018 list of the 100 Best Jobs. It achieved an overall score of 7.4/10 and the prestigious ranking of first on the Best Health Care Support Jobs of 2018.

What GPA do you need for dental hygiene?

You’ll likely need to meet prerequisites and have a GPA of

2.5 or higher

. High school graduates should have taken the same courses that are needed to enter an associate’s program, while those who already have an associate’s degree should have knowledge in areas such as anatomy, radiology, and dental lab materials.

Can a dental hygienist make six figures?

The median salary for a dental hygienist is $73,000 a year, according to the U.S. Labor Department. That’s higher than the median salary of $69,000 for a registered nurse. In big cities, dental hygienists can earn

six figures

.

How long should a hygiene appointment be?

How long does a hygienist appointment take? This depends on each individual patient. However, on average it should take

between 30 to 60 minutes

to receive a thorough and effective clean.

How do dental hygienists stay on time?

  1. Greet and seat the patient.
  2. Update medical history.
  3. Take blood pressure reading.
  4. Do a tour of the mouth.
  5. Take any necessary radiographs.
  6. Perform any necessary chartings.
  7. Summon the doctor.

How much time do you need for hygiene?

Notice the time needed ranges from 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 43 minutes, with

an average of 1 hour and 24 minutes needed

. Some doctors may think squeezing another patient into the day increases production.

Where do dental hygienist get paid the most 2021?

  • 8) Colorado. …
  • 7) Maryland. …
  • 6) New Jersey. …
  • 5) Oregon. Average RDH Salary: $87,270. …
  • 4) Washington. Average RDH Salary: $93,200. …
  • 3) Washington DC. Average RDH Salary: $102,380. …
  • 2) California. Average RDH Salary: $106,240. …
  • 1) Alaska. Average RDH Salary: $114,790.

Do dental hygienists love their job?

Overall,

dental hygienists are “satisfied” with their career decision

. According to a January 2015 RDH eVillage survey, 84% indicated they made the right choice about entering the profession.

Is Dental Hygiene School Hard?

Studying commitment

Dental hygiene classes require a high level of commitment. You will need to learn a great deal of course material in a short period. Being a dental hygienist is a gratifying job, but it

can be a bit difficult

. It’s nothing that you can’t handle with the proper degree of motivation, and patience.

Why do dental hygienists make more than dental assistants?


Dental hygienists generally undergo more education than dental assistants

and also have a much wider scope of practice. Dental hygienists also earn considerably higher wages, with an average annual salary of ​$76,220​ in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which country has a shortage of dentists?

The dentist shortage in

the Netherlands

has been well documented, but did you know there are also large regional differences?

What tools do hygienists use?

  • Mirror. The mirror is the most important tool the hygienist uses because it allows them to see your teeth at multiple angles. …
  • Probe. Probes look like hooks and are used to check gum health and measure pocket depths around a tooth. …
  • Scaler. …
  • Curette. …
  • Polisher. …
  • Suction.

How many dental hygienists are male?

This might be your first encounter with a male hygienist, because only

5.6% of all hygiene students are male

. According to the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA), 98% of the nation’s practicing dental hygienists are female.

James Park
Author
James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.