Dental Hygiene

Alternative Job Titles for Dental Hygienists

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

Job Tasks and Activities for Dental Hygienists

• Administer anesthetics or sedatives to control pain.
• Administer local anesthetic agents.
• Apply fluorides or other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay.
• Attend continuing education courses to maintain or update skills.
• Attend training sessions or professional meetings to develop or maintain professional knowledge.
• Chart conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentist.
• Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.
• Conduct dental health clinics for community groups to augment services of dentist.
• Direct healthcare delivery programs.
• Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.
• Examine mouth, teeth, gums, or related facial structures.
• Expose and develop x-ray film.
• Fabricate medical devices.
• Feel and visually examine gums for sores and signs of disease.
• Feel lymph nodes under patient's chin to detect swelling or tenderness that could indicate presence of oral cancer.
• Maintain current knowledge related to work activities.
• Maintain dental equipment and sharpen and sterilize dental instruments.
• Maintain medical equipment or instruments.
• Make impressions for study casts.
• Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.
• Process x-rays or other medical images.
• Provide clinical services or health education to improve and maintain the oral health of patients or the general public.
• Provide health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers.
• Record and review patient medical histories.
• Record patient medical histories.
• Remove excess cement from coronal surfaces of teeth.
• Sterilize medical equipment or instruments.
• Treat dental problems or diseases.

Interests for Dental Hygienists

• Social
  Helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others.
• Realistic
  Designing, building, or repairing equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors.
• Investigative
  Studying and researching scientific subjects and human behavior.

Skills for Dental Hygienists

In order of importance

• Active Listening
  Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
  Importance: 69/100
• Speaking
  Talking to others.
  Importance: 63/100
• Critical Thinking
  Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
  Importance: 63/100
• Service Orientation
  Looking for ways to help people.
  Importance: 53/100
• Writing
  Writing things for co-workers or customers.
  Importance: 53/100
• Monitoring
  Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
  Importance: 53/100
• Social Perceptiveness
  Understanding people's reactions.
  Importance: 53/100
• Coordination
  Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
  Importance: 50/100
• Judgment and Decision Making
  Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
  Importance: 50/100
• Reading Comprehension
  Reading work-related information.
  Importance: 50/100
• Time Management
  Managing your time and the time of other people.
  Importance: 50/100
• Persuasion
  Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
  Importance: 50/100
• Instructing
  Teaching people how to do something.
  Importance: 50/100
• Active Learning
  Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
  Importance: 50/100
• Complex Problem Solving
  Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
  Importance: 47/100
• Operations Monitoring
  Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
  Importance: 47/100
• Learning Strategies
  Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
  Importance: 44/100
• Quality Control Analysis
  Testing how well a product or service works.
  Importance: 35/100
• Science
  Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
  Importance: 35/100
• Negotiation
  Bringing people together to solve differences.
  Importance: 35/100
• Management of Personnel Resources
  Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
  Importance: 31/100
• Troubleshooting
  Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
  Importance: 31/100
• Operation and Control
  Using equipment or systems.
  Importance: 31/100
• Systems Evaluation
  Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
  Importance: 28/100
• Equipment Maintenance
  Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
  Importance: 28/100
• Systems Analysis
  Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
  Importance: 25/100
• Mathematics
  Using math to solve problems.
  Importance: 25/100
• Repairing
  Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
  Importance: 22/100
• Management of Material Resources
  Managing equipment and materials.
  Importance: 22/100
• Technology Design
  Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
  Importance: 22/100
• Operations Analysis
  Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
  Importance: 19/100
• Equipment Selection
  Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
  Importance: 16/100
• Management of Financial Resources
  Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
  Importance: 13/100
• Programming
  Writing computer programs.
  Importance: 10/100

Knowledge for Dental Hygienists

In order of importance

• 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.
  Importance: 90/100
• 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.
  Importance: 74/100
• Psychology
  Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  Importance: 50/100
• English Language
  Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  Importance: 45/100
• Education and Training
  Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  Importance: 40/100
• Computers and Electronics
  Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  Importance: 39/100
• Public Safety and Security
  Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  Importance: 37/100
• Chemistry
  Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
  Importance: 36/100
• Law and Government
  Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  Importance: 33/100
• Biology
  Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  Importance: 32/100
• Production and Processing
  Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  Importance: 30/100
• Sociology and Anthropology
  Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
  Importance: 30/100
• Mathematics
  Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  Importance: 29/100
• Sales and Marketing
  Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  Importance: 27/100
• Administration and Management
  Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  Importance: 26/100
• Personnel and Human Resources
  Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
  Importance: 25/100
• Therapy and Counseling
  Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
  Importance: 24/100
• Communications and Media
  Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  Importance: 24/100
• Mechanical
  Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  Importance: 22/100
• Administrative
  Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
  Importance: 20/100
• Foreign Language
  Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
  Importance: 14/100
• Philosophy and Theology
  Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
  Importance: 14/100
• Telecommunications
  Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
  Importance: 13/100
• Physics
  Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
  Importance: 11/100
• Transportation
  Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
  Importance: 11/100
• Engineering and Technology
  Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
  Importance: 6/100
• Geography
  Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
  Importance: 6/100
• Economics and Accounting
  Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  Importance: 6/100
• Design
  Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  Importance: 4/100
• Building and Construction
  Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
  Importance: 3/100
• Food Production
  Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
  Importance: 3/100
• History and Archeology
  Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
  Importance: 2/100

Physical Abilities for Dental Hygienists

In order of importance

• Arm-Hand Steadiness
  Keeping your arm or hand steady.
  Importance: 72/100
• Near Vision
  Seeing details up close.
  Importance: 72/100
• Problem Sensitivity
  Noticing when problems happen.
  Importance: 72/100
• Finger Dexterity
  Putting together small parts with your fingers.
  Importance: 72/100
• Oral Expression
  Communicating by speaking.
  Importance: 69/100
• Oral Comprehension
  Listening and understanding what people say.
  Importance: 69/100
• Manual Dexterity
  Holding or moving items with your hands.
  Importance: 56/100
• Speech Clarity
  Speaking clearly.
  Importance: 56/100
• Speech Recognition
  Recognizing spoken words.
  Importance: 56/100
• Written Comprehension
  Reading and understanding what is written.
  Importance: 53/100
• Inductive Reasoning
  Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
  Importance: 53/100
• Perceptual Speed
  Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
  Importance: 50/100
• Flexibility of Closure
  Seeing hidden patterns.
  Importance: 50/100
• Category Flexibility
  Grouping things in different ways.
  Importance: 50/100
• Deductive Reasoning
  Using rules to solve problems.
  Importance: 50/100
• Written Expression
  Communicating by writing.
  Importance: 50/100
• Time Sharing
  Doing two or more things at the same time.
  Importance: 50/100
• Selective Attention
  Paying attention to something without being distracted.
  Importance: 50/100
• Visual Color Discrimination
  Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
  Importance: 50/100
• Information Ordering
  Ordering or arranging things.
  Importance: 50/100
• Control Precision
  Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
  Importance: 50/100
• Fluency of Ideas
  Coming up with lots of ideas.
  Importance: 47/100
• Visualization
  Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
  Importance: 47/100
• Far Vision
  Seeing details that are far away.
  Importance: 47/100
• Multilimb Coordination
  Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
  Importance: 44/100
• Originality
  Creating new and original ideas.
  Importance: 41/100
• Extent Flexibility
  Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  Importance: 41/100
• Trunk Strength
  Using your lower back and stomach.
  Importance: 35/100
• Auditory Attention
  Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
  Importance: 31/100
• Mathematical Reasoning
  Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
  Importance: 28/100
• Wrist-Finger Speed
  Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
  Importance: 28/100
• Gross Body Equilibrium
  Keeping your balance or staying upright.
  Importance: 28/100
• Number Facility
  Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
  Importance: 28/100
• Hearing Sensitivity
  Telling the difference between sounds.
  Importance: 28/100
• Memorization
  Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
  Importance: 28/100
• Speed of Closure
  Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
  Importance: 28/100
• Stamina
  Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
  Importance: 28/100
• Gross Body Coordination
  Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
  Importance: 25/100
• Dynamic Strength
  Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
  Importance: 25/100
• Static Strength
  Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
  Importance: 25/100
• Reaction Time
  Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
  Importance: 25/100
• Depth Perception
  Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
  Importance: 25/100
• Rate Control
  Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
  Importance: 22/100
• Response Orientation
  Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
  Importance: 19/100
• Explosive Strength
  Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
  Importance: 6/100

Tools and Technology used by Dental Hygienists

• Attachments or replacement parts for dental instruments
• Dental amalgamators
• Dental cutting or separating discs
• Dental dam supplies
• Dental examination chairs
• Dental film processors
• Dental hygiene instruments
• Dental impression trays
• Dental instrument sharpening accessories
• Dental laboratory air abrasion units
• Dental lasers
• Dental material pluggers or tips
• Dental matrices or sets
• Dental operatory retraction cords
• Dental probes or explorers
• Dental pulp or vitality testers
• Dental radiology films
• Dental saliva ejectors or oral suction devices
• Dental scalers
• Dental syringes or needles or syringes with needles
• Dental tongs
• Dental x ray units
• Dental x-ray bite blocks or wings or tabs
• Digital cameras
• Electronic blood pressure units
• Medical acoustic stethoscopes
• Medical radiation films or badges
• Medical radiological shielding aprons or masks or drapes
• Mercury blood pressure units
• Microscope slides
• Notebook computers
• Oxygen therapy delivery system products
• Personal computers
• Scanners
• Steam autoclaves or sterilizers
• Teeth cleaning devices
• Ultrasonic cleaning equipment
• Accounting software
  • Dental billing software
• Calendar and scheduling software
  • Scheduling software
• Electronic mail software
  • Email software
• Internet browser software
  • Web browser software
• Inventory management software
  • Inventory management software
• Medical software
  • Dental charting software
  • Dental clinical records software
  • Dental digital radiology software
  • Dental imaging software
  • Dental intra-oral imaging software
  • Dental office management software
  • Henry Schein Dentrix
  • Open Dental
  • Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft
  • Voice-activated perio charting software
• Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office software
• Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel
• Word processing software
  • Microsoft Word
  • Word processing software

Employment Industries for Dental Hygienists

• Offices of dentists
  201,700 employed