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Dental Hygienists

Occupation · SOC 29-1292.00

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.

Also called: Dental Hygienist · Hygienist · Licensed Dental Hygienist · Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) · Pediatric Dental Hygienist · Dental Nurse · Dental Treatment Coordinator · Oral Hygienist

Job family: Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

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A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch /roles/role-29-1292-00/context.md directly.

AI work map

A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.

21st-percentile task overlap — yet about 15,300 openings a year (+7% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →

AI & job outlook

What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.

Exposure to current AI

Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.

Measure Rank vs all occupations Percentile Score
LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low 33rd 0.3
AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low 13th 0.1

OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.1), with simple added tooling (β 0.2), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.3). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.

How AI is actually used in this job

Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.

Provide clinical services or health education to improve and maintain the oral health of patients or the general public. 1.0%

Job outlook

Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.

Outlook Growing fast · +7.0% by 2034
Projected annual openings 15,300
Employment 2024 → 2034 221,600 → 237,200

“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.

Tasks

All 18 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.

Work activities

Knowledge, skills & abilities

O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).

Knowledge

Medicine and Dentistry 4.6
Customer and Personal Service 3.9
Psychology 3.0

Abilities

Problem Sensitivity 3.9
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.9
Finger Dexterity 3.9
Near Vision 3.9
Oral Comprehension 3.8
Oral Expression 3.8
Manual Dexterity 3.3
Speech Recognition 3.3
Speech Clarity 3.3
Written Comprehension 3.1
Inductive Reasoning 3.1
Written Expression 3.0
Deductive Reasoning 3.0
Information Ordering 3.0
Category Flexibility 3.0
Flexibility of Closure 3.0
Perceptual Speed 3.0
Selective Attention 3.0
Time Sharing 3.0
Control Precision 3.0
Visual Color Discrimination 3.0

Essential skills

Active Listening 3.8
Speaking 3.5
Critical Thinking 3.5
Writing 3.1
Monitoring 3.1
Reading Comprehension 3.0
Active Learning 3.0

Transferable skills

Social Perceptiveness 3.1
Service Orientation 3.1
Coordination 3.0
Persuasion 3.0
Instructing 3.0
Judgment and Decision Making 3.0
Time Management 3.0
Complex Problem Solving 2.9
Operations Monitoring 2.9

Skills in demand

Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.

Tools & technology

Example Category
Henry Schein Dentrix Medical software Hot technology In demand
Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet software Hot technology
Microsoft Office software Office suite software Hot technology
Microsoft Word Word processing software Hot technology
Dental billing software Billing and invoicing software
Dental charting software Medical software
Dental clinical records software Medical software
Dental digital radiology software Medical software
Dental imaging software Medical software
Dental intra-oral imaging software Medical software
Dental office management software Medical software
Email software Electronic mail software
Open Dental Medical software
Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft Medical software
Scheduling software Calendar and scheduling software
Voice-activated perio charting software Medical software
Web browser software Internet browser software

Work context

How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.

Indoors, Environmentally Controlled 5.0
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls 5.0
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions 5.0
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets 5.0
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams 5.0
Contact With Others 5.0
Exposed to Disease or Infections 5.0
Physical Proximity 4.5
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate 4.4
Frequency of Decision Making 4.3
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results 4.3
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks 4.3
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals 4.1
Exposed to Radiation 4.1
Spend Time Sitting 4.1
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body 4.0
Freedom to Make Decisions 4.0
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team 4.0
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General 3.9
Time Pressure 3.7
Telephone Conversations 3.4
Consequence of Error 3.3
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People 3.3
Exposed to Contaminants 3.2
Health and Safety of Other Workers 3.1
Level of Competition 3.0
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities 3.0
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable 2.7
E-Mail 2.7
Spend Time Standing 2.2
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers 2.2
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions 2.1
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions 2.1
Conflict Situations 2.1
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection 2.0
Spend Time Walking or Running 2.0
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance 1.9
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings 1.7
Degree of Automation 1.7
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions 1.7

How to get in

Job zone
Zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Typical entry-level education
Associate's degree · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
Related experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Preparation level
SVP (6.0 to < 7.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.

What to study: Health Professions and Related Programs . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.

Education of current workers

Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) 75.2%
First Professional Degree 12.7%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate 9.0%
Bachelor's Degree 3.1%

Interests & work styles

The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.

Work styles

Dependability 7.0
Attention to Detail 6.0
Integrity 5.0
Cautiousness 4.0
Cooperation 3.0

Interest areas

Health Care Service 6.4
Personal Service 3.6
Teaching/Education 3.6
Social Service 3.3
Life Science 3.2
Medical Science 3.1
Professional Advising 2.6

Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)

Social 5.3
Realistic 5.3
Investigative 4.5
Conventional 4.3

Wages & employment

U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)

$66k10th$80k25th$94kMedian$103k75th$120k90th
Annual wages by percentile — U.S. (BLS OEWS). The light band spans the 10th–90th percentile; the darker band is the middle half (25th–75th); the line is the median.
222k2024237k2034 (proj.)+7.0% · Growing fast
Projected U.S. employment, 2024–2034 (BLS Employment Projections). A labor-market forecast for the occupation, not an AI-impact forecast.
10th percentile $66,470
25th percentile $80,060
Median (50th) $94,260
75th percentile $102,920
90th percentile $120,060
People employed 219,070

Industries that employ this occupation

Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.

Industry Workers National median pay
Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector 213,180 $94,370
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector 2,810 $98,460
Temporary Help Services · National industry 1,620 $96,810
Educational Services · Sector 760 $79,950
Finance and Insurance · Sector 70 $108,960
Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers · National industry 40 $80,500
Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector 40 $93,770
Manufacturing · Sector 30 $89,640
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector — $87,720
Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector — $84,270

Where this work is most concentrated

Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).

Industry Concentration Workers
Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector 6.49× 213,180
Temporary Help Services · National industry 0.43× 1,620
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector 0.22× 2,810
Educational Services · Sector 0.04× 760

Part of the Healthcare & Human Services career cluster.

Exposure quadrant: AI task-overlap percentile vs Median pay Dental Hygienists sits at the 21st percentile of AI task-overlap and the 79th percentile of median pay, placed here against 11 adjacent occupations on the same two axes. Lower overlap · higher pay Higher overlap · higher pay Higher overlap · lower pay Lower overlap · lower pay Dental Hygienists Surgical Assistants Surgical Technologists Dental Assistants Veterinary Technologists and Technicians Respiratory Therapists Dentists, General Acute Care Nurses AI task-overlap percentile → ↑ Median pay
AI task-overlap percentile (horizontal) vs. median-pay percentile (vertical), across all scored occupations. This occupation is highlighted; related occupations are plotted alongside it. Overlap measures shared tasks with AI, not automation.

Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.

What you can do with this

Options the data surfaces for Dental Hygienists — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.

Skills that travel

Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.

Adjacent roles

Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.

Paths in

How people typically prepare for this work.

Zoom out

See where this work sits in the bigger picture.

Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation

Dental Hygienists show 21st-percentile AI task overlap — and about 15,300 annual U.S. openings

  • Dental Hygienists rank in the 21st percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
  • The occupation is projected to see about 15,300 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
  • BLS projects employment to be growing fast (+7%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
  • Median annual pay is $94,260, across about 219,070 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
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Dental Hygienists show 21st-percentile AI task overlap — and about 15,300 annual U.S. openings

• Dental Hygienists rank in the 21st percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE)
• The occupation is projected to see about 15,300 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34)
• BLS projects employment to be growing fast (+7%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34)
• Median annual pay is $94,260, across about 219,070 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024))

Source: Singulariki — "Dental Hygienists". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1292-00
Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.

AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom

Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

Cite this page
Plain

Singulariki. "Dental Hygienists." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1292-00

APA

Singulariki. (2026). Dental Hygienists. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1292-00

BibTeX 
@misc{singulariki-role-29-1292-00,
  title  = {Dental Hygienists},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1292-00}
}

Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.

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