Medical Skilled Trades
Dental Hygienist
Dental hygienists clean teeth, check for gum disease and teach patients how to keep their mouths healthy. It has the highest BLS median wage (May 2025) of the 20 medical careers in this section, with an associate's degree as the typical entry.
1.Career snapshot
- Role
- Dental Hygienist
- Pay (planning range)
- $70K–$110K+ Wealth Playbook guide, 2026
- Training time
- 2–3 years(BLS: programs typically take 3 years, plus prerequisites.)
- Pathway
- Dental & Laboratory
- Demand
- Employment of dental hygienists is projected to grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.
- Patient contact
- High
- Occupation code
- SOC 29-1292 · O*NET 29-1292.00
- Schedule flexibility
2.What you'll do
Everyday work and where it happens
You see a series of patients through the day. For each one you review their medical history, examine the gums, remove plaque, tartar and stains, take X-rays when needed, and apply sealants or fluoride. You chart what you find for the dentist and spend time coaching patients on brushing and flossing.
Typical duties
- Remove tartar, stains and plaque from teeth
- Apply sealants and fluorides
- Take and develop dental X-rays
- Examine gums for signs of disease and chart conditions for the dentist
- Document patient care and treatment plans
- Teach patients oral hygiene techniques such as brushing and flossing
- Where you could work
- Offices of dentists, Offices of physicians, Government
- Schedule
- Many dental hygienists work part time. Dentists may hire hygienists for only a few days a week, so some work for more than one dentist.
- Physical demands
- Fine, precise work in a small space, which calls for good dexterity. You wear gloves, a mask and safety glasses and follow radiation-safety procedures when taking X-rays.
- Patient contact
- High
3.How to get there
Education, training, exams and licensing
- Typical training
- Associate degree + license
- Training time
- 2–3 years(BLS: programs typically take 3 years, plus prerequisites.)
1.Take science and math in high school, then prerequisites
Biology, chemistry and math are good preparation.
2.Earn an associate's degree in dental hygiene
Programs at community colleges, technical schools and universities typically take 3 years to complete and combine classroom, laboratory and clinical instruction. Most programs also require college-level prerequisite courses before you start. Choose an accredited program; in most states licensure requires a degree from one.
3.Pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE)
The NBDHE, run by the ADA's Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations, is intended to fulfill or partly fulfill the written exam requirement for licensure in all states.
4.Pass a clinical exam and get your state license
Every state requires a license, usually a degree from an accredited program plus written and clinical examinations. Many jobs also require CPR certification, and continuing education is needed to keep the license.
Exams and credentials
- NBDHE - National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations)
- Clinical licensing examination accepted by your state
Licensing
Every state requires dental hygienists to be licensed. In most states that means a degree from an accredited program and passing written and clinical examinations, plus continuing education to keep the license. What tasks a hygienist may do, and how closely a dentist must supervise, also vary by state. Requirements vary by state; check your state Board of Dental Examiners.
Look up your state's license requirements (opens in a new tab)
4.What it costs
Tuition, fees, exams and financial aid
Costs vary by program.
The NBDHE exam fee is listed in the JCNDE candidate guide; JCNDE lists a $25 rescheduling fee (October 2026). Clinical exam and state license fees are separate.
Grants, loans and work-study can help pay for an eligible program. Start with the FAFSA at studentaid.gov (opens in a new tab), and ask each program what its total cost includes.
5.What you can earn
Starting, median and experienced pay, and where the figures come from
Planning range
$70K–$110K+
Planning range from the Wealth Playbook medical careers guide, 2026
Local wage data isn't loaded yet, so this is a broad planning range, not a wage figure.
A planning range is broad and has no median: it is for planning, not a promise of pay. Starting, median and experienced wages will show here when BLS wage data is loaded.
For reference only (not this page's pay figure): BLS median, May 2025, national: $98,100 a year (source, opens in a new tab).
6.Jobs near you
Coming soon
We plan to show local openings here once a job-data source is connected. Until then, you can search current listings yourself.
7.Career ladder
Next certifications and roles
- Dental Hygienist(this career)
- Dental Therapist (a few states)(BLS says a few states allow hygienists with additional training, called dental therapists, to provide some restorative services.)
- Research, teaching or public health practice(Needs a bachelor's or master's degree in dental hygiene, per BLS.)
Working independently
In some states, dental hygienists can start treatment without a dentist present (ADHA calls this direct access and reported 43 states allowing some form of it in 2025). Some states also have special licenses with wider independence; California's alternative-practice license (RDHAP), for example, requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent credits, 2,000 hours of recent clinical work and 150 hours of extra education. What you may do on your own depends on the state, so check your state dental board.
8.Your wealth path
From your first paycheck to owning and investing
Train
Certify
Get hired
Advance
Build wealth
Own / invest
Estimated take-home pay
Low end of the planning range: $70,000 a year
About $54,881 a year ($4,573 a month)
High end of the planning range: $110,000 a year
About $81,021 a year ($6,752 a month)
Estimate only. Assumptions: tax year 2026, single filer, the standard deduction, federal income tax, FICA at 7.65%, and a default state income tax rate of 5.00% (choose a state above to use its rate). No retirement contributions or other deductions. The Paycheck calculator uses the same engine.
9.Find training
Free U.S. Department of Labor resources. We don't list or rank schools.
10.Compare careers
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Sources
- Pay: Planning range from the Wealth Playbook medical careers guide, 2026 (a planning range, not wage data).
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Dental Hygienists (opens in a new tab)
- O*NET OnLine: 29-1292.00 Dental Hygienists (opens in a new tab)
- JCNDE: National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) (opens in a new tab)
- ADHA: Direct Access (opens in a new tab)
- Dental Hygiene Board of California: RDHAP Licensure (opens in a new tab)