BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasDental Hygienists

O*NET · 29-1292.00

Dental Hygienists

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 · Dental Nurse · Dental Treatment Coordinator · Hygienist · Licensed Dental Hygienist · Oral Hygienist · Pediatric Dental Hygienist · RDH
1 more

Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH)

Job Zone 3 — Medium Preparation NeededHolland code SRI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Dental Assistants

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed

Medium preparation. Vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or an associate degree, with one to two years of training that combines experience and informal instruction.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

SRISocial · Realistic · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • S Social5.35
  • R Realistic5.27
  • I Investigative4.52
  • C Conventional4.31
  • E Enterprising1.73
  • A Artistic1.12

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree75%
  • Bachelor's Degree3%
  • Post-Baccalaureate Certificate9%
  • First Professional Degree13%
Related work experience
None (49%)
On-site or in-plant training
None (57%)
On-the-job training
None or short demonstration (81%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Active Listeningbasic3.84.0Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Speakingbasic3.53.0Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Writingbasic3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Write an email to staff outlining new directives
  • Monitoringbasic3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Service Orientation3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Social Perceptiveness3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Active Learningbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Coordination3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Instructing3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
Show the other 23
  • Persuasion3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Time Management3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Operations Monitoring2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Complex Problem Solving2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.83.0Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Sciencebasic2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Conduct standard tests to determine soil quality
  • Negotiation2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Quality Control Analysis2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.32.5Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Troubleshooting2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Operation and Control2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Systems Evaluation2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Equipment Maintenance2.11.6Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Systems Analysis2.02.1Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Mathematicsbasic2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Repairing1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Management of Material Resources1.90.9
  • Technology Design1.90.9
  • Operations Analysis1.81.1Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Equipment Selection1.61.1Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Management of Financial Resources1.50.6
  • Programming1.40.5
  • Installation1.0—

Tasks

14 core · 2 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Record and review patient medical histories.4.9
  2. Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.4.8
  3. Feel and visually examine gums for sores and signs of disease.4.8
  4. Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.4.8
  5. Provide clinical services or health education to improve and maintain the oral health of patients or the general public.4.7
  6. Chart conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentist.4.6
  7. Apply fluorides or other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay.4.5
  8. Expose and develop x-ray film.4.5
  9. Maintain dental equipment and sharpen and sterilize dental instruments.4.5
  10. Attend continuing education courses to maintain or update skills.4.5
  11. Maintain patient recall system.4.4
  12. Feel lymph nodes under patient's chin to detect swelling or tenderness that could indicate presence of oral cancer.4.3
Show the other 4
  1. Administer local anesthetic agents.3.9
  2. Remove excess cement from coronal surfaces of teeth.3.8
  3. Conduct dental health clinics for community groups to augment services of dentist.3.0
  4. Make impressions for study casts.2.8

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Medicine and Dentistry4.64.1Level 4 looks like: Fill a tooth cavity
  • Customer and Personal Service3.93.6Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Psychology3.03.7Level 4 looks like: Understand the impact of alcohol on human responses
  • English Language2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Computers and Electronics2.62.7
  • Education and Training2.62.2Level 1 looks like: Show someone how to bowl
  • Public Safety and Security2.51.6Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Chemistry2.42.7
Show all 33
  • Biology2.31.9Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Law and Government2.31.6Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Mathematics2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Production and Processing2.21.6Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Sociology and Anthropology2.21.7Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Sales and Marketing2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Administration and Management2.01.3Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Communications and Media2.01.6Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.01.7Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Mechanical1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Therapy and Counseling1.91.4Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Administrative1.81.5Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Foreign Language1.60.9Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Philosophy and Theology1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • Telecommunications1.50.4Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Transportation1.50.5Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Physics1.40.6Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Economics and Accounting1.2—
  • Engineering and Technology1.2—
  • Geography1.2—
  • Building and Construction1.1—
  • Design1.1—
  • Food Production1.1—
  • History and Archeology1.1—
  • Fine Arts1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Finger Dexterity3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Attach small dials to audio equipment on an assembly line
  • Near Vision3.94.0Level 5 looks like: Read the fine print of a legal document
  • Problem Sensitivity3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Oral Comprehension3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Manual Dexterity3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Speech Clarity3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
Show all 52
  • Speech Recognition3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Inductive Reasoning3.13.4Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Written Comprehension3.13.9Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Category Flexibility3.03.0Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Control Precision3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Deductive Reasoning3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Flexibility of Closure3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Look for a golf ball in tall grass
  • Information Ordering3.03.1Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Perceptual Speed3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Selective Attention3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Time Sharing3.02.9Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Visual Color Discrimination3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Trace electrical circuits marked by various colored wires
  • Written Expression3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Far Vision2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Fluency of Ideas2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Visualization2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Multilimb Coordination2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Extent Flexibility2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Originality2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Trunk Strength2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Auditory Attention2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.11.6Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Memorization2.12.3Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Number Facility2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Speed of Closure2.12.1Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Stamina2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Depth Perception2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Dynamic Strength2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Gross Body Coordination2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Reaction Time2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Static Strength2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Rate Control1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Response Orientation1.81.5Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Explosive Strength1.3—
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—
  • Glare Sensitivity1.0—
  • Night Vision1.0—
  • Peripheral Vision1.0—
  • Sound Localization1.0—
  • Spatial Orientation1.0—
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.65.4Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Assisting and Caring for Others4.54.4Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.34.3Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Documenting/Recording Information4.23.8Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.14.5Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others4.03.3Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.05.1Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.94.1Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
Show all 41
  • Getting Information3.94.3Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.94.3Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.94.3Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.84.2Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.83.7Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Working with Computers3.83.2Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.74.3Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.74.8Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.73.6Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.63.7Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Selling or Influencing Others3.63.4Level 4 looks like: Make a sales pitch to convince others to buy a product
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.53.6Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.53.8Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.52.8
  • Processing Information3.54.1Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others3.43.8Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Thinking Creatively3.44.2Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.33.0Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.33.2Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Training and Teaching Others3.22.7
  • Developing and Building Teams3.12.6
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.02.8
  • Performing Administrative Activities3.02.4Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.82.8
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.82.2Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.72.4Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.21.6Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment1.7—

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Contact With Others5.0
  • Exposed to Disease or Infections5.0
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams5.0
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled5.0
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions5.0
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls5.0
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0
  • Physical Proximity4.5
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.4
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.4

Technology

17 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

In demand (1)

  • Henry Schein Dentrixhot

Hot (3; 1 more marked hot above)

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (13)
  • Dental billing software
  • Dental charting software
  • Dental clinical records software
  • Dental digital radiology software
  • Dental imaging software
  • Dental intra-oral imaging software
  • Dental office management software
  • Email software
  • Open Dental
  • Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft
  • Scheduling software
  • Voice-activated perio charting software
  • Web browser software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Dental Assistants
  2. Surgical Assistants
  3. Medical Assistants
  4. Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
  5. Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
  6. Surgical Technologists
  7. Registered Nurses
  8. Respiratory Therapists
  9. Acute Care Nurses
  10. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

Closest occupations

Compare any occupation →

Other O*NET occupations whose importance ratings on the 35 skills both rate are nearest to this one's, with the biggest differences named. A plain rule, not a hidden score.

Use this in your own job architecture

BlissPoint Organization Viewer can link a role directly to this occupation and suggest these skills as that role's starting requirements.

Try it free →

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.