Dental Hygienists — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$98,100
United States, 2025
Employment
222,740
United States, 2025
Typical education
Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree
Job Zone 3
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
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.
- O*NET code
- 29-1292.00
- Job zone
- 3
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Expose and develop x-ray film.
- Attend continuing education courses to maintain or update skills.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$74,880
25th percentile
$83,570
75th percentile
$108,480
90th percentile
$126,050
Most important skills
- Active Listening3.8
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Speaking3.5
- Service Orientation3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Writing3.1
- Active Learning3.0
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Instructing3.0
- Time Management3.0
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 14 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
14
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.8 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.5 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Writing | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
How salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $146,760 | 3,780 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $139,990 | 1,620 | 2025 |
| DC | $137,220 | 320 | 2025 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $136,210 | 310 | 2025 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $135,990 | 260 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $133,740 | 3,500 | 2025 |
| Anchorage, AK | $132,740 | 490 | 2025 |
| AK | $132,690 | 790 | 2025 |
| Fairbanks, AK | $131,860 | 70 | 2025 |
| Napa, CA | $131,370 | 100 | 2025 |
| WA | $131,160 | 6,330 | 2025 |
| Bremerton, WA | $131,040 | 190 | 2025 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $130,600 | 220 | 2025 |
| Boulder, CO | $130,000 | 300 | 2025 |
| Vallejo, CA | $128,570 | 270 | 2025 |
| Mount Vernon, WA | $127,470 | 130 | 2025 |
| Oxnard, CA | $126,530 | 500 | 2025 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $125,670 | 220 | 2025 |
| Stockton, CA | $125,130 | 480 | 2025 |
| CA | $124,930 | 24,500 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Dental Hygienists to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.