DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
29-2021 Dental Hygienists
Occupational Description:
Clean teeth and examine oral areas, head, and neck for signs of oral disease. May educate patients on oral hygiene, take and develop x rays, or apply fluoride or sealants.| Percentiles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| Southeast Balance of State | 260 | 37 | $32.12/hr | $0.87/hr | $27.30/hr | $30.54/hr | $32.88/hr | $35.22/hr | $36.63/hr |
| Minnesota | 4,260 | 209 | $34.36/hr | $0.62/hr | $29.35/hr | $31.50/hr | $34.33/hr | $37.30/hr | $42.95/hr |
| U S | 184,110 | 2,578 | $34.27/hr | $0.21/hr | $22.60/hr | $27.97/hr | $34.03/hr | $40.92/hr | $46.59/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change - | |
| Dental Assistants | 410 | $20.01/hr | N/A |
| Surgical Technologists | 80 | $21.81/hr | N/A |
| Respiratory Therapists | 50 | $27.73/hr | N/A |
Tasks for Dental Hygienists
- Cleans calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.
- Provides clinical services and health education to improve and maintain oral health of school children.
- Removes excess cement from coronal surfaces of teeth.
- Places and removes rubber dams, matrices, and temporary restorations.
- Feels lymph nodes under patient's chin to detect swelling or tenderness that could indicate presence of oral cancer.
- Examines gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.
- Administers local anesthetic agents.
- Exposes and develops x-ray film.
- Removes sutures and dressings.
- Makes impressions for study casts.
- Places, carves, and finishes amalgam restorations.
- Feels and visually examines gums for sores and signs of disease.
- Charts conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentist.
- Conducts dental health clinics for community groups to augment services of dentist.
- Applies fluorides and other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay.