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.
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Also called: |
Dental Hygienist, Hygienist, Licensed Dental Hygienist, Pediatric Dental Hygienist, Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH)
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Wages
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Vermont - 2023 |
Percentile1 | Hourly | Yearly |
10% |
$ 39.64 |
$82,440 |
25% |
$ 43.18 |
$89,820 |
Median |
$ 45.61 |
$94,880 |
75% |
$ 46.10 |
$95,890 |
90% |
$ 47.24 |
$98,260 |
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Average |
$ 44.38 |
$92,310 |
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More at CareerOneStop |
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Industries of Employment
United States - 2020 |
Industry | Percent of total |
- Ambulatory healthcare services
| 96% |
- Administrative and support services
| 2% |
- Federal government, excluding postal service
| 1% |
- Educational services; state, local, and private
| 0% |
- Hospitals; state, local, and private
| 0% |
More at BLS |
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Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about: |
- Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
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- Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
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More at O*NET |
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Skills
People in this career often have these skills: |
- 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.
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- Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
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- Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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- Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
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- Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
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More at O*NET |
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Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments: |
- Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
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- Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
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- Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
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What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler |
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Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need: |
- Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
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- Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
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- Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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- Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
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- Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
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More at O*NET |
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Tasks
On the job, you would: |
- Record and review patient medical histories.
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- Feel and visually examine gums for sores and signs of disease.
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- Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.
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- Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.
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- Provide clinical services or health education to improve and maintain the oral health of patients or the general public.
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More at O*NET |
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Related Occupations
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Career Video
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Projected Employment
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Vermont |
2020 employment |
542 |
2030 employment |
592 |
Annual percent change (compounded) |
0.9% |
Annual projected job openings (due to change and separations) |
39 |
More at Occupational Projections |
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Education and Experience:
- Typical education needed for entry
Associate's degree
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- Work experience in a related occupation
None
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- Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
None
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Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications |
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Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. |
- Physical activity is Important
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- Level of activity is Moderate
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Low | | High |
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Compare Occupations at O*NET |
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Job Zone
Medium Preparation Needed |
- Specific Vocational Preparation Range
(6.0 to < 7.0) - A typical worker will require
over 1 year up to and including 2 years
of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
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Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP |
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Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have? |
Education level | | Percent of U.S. Workers |
Doctoral or professional degree or post-MA certificate | | 13% |
Master's degree or post-BA certificate | | 9% |
Bachelor's degree | | 3% |
Associate's degree | | 75% |
Certificate or some college, no degree | | 0% |
High school diploma or equivalent | | 0% |
Less than high school diploma | | 0% |
More at O*NET |
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Licensing
Vermont may require an occupational license: |
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Select a license for details |
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Abilities
People in this career often have talent in: |
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
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- Finger Dexterity
The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
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- Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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- Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
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- Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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More at O*NET |
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Work Activities
In general, what you might do: |
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
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- Assisting and Caring for Others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
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- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
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- Documenting/Recording Information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
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More at O*NET |
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Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day: |
- Record patient medical histories.
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- Examine mouth, teeth, gums, or related facial structures.
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- Treat dental problems or diseases.
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- Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.
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- Provide health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers.
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More at O*NET |
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Other Resources
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- CareerOneStop
resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
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- O*NET Online
nation's primary source of occupational information
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