Employment

Dental hygienists held about 174,100 jobs nationally in 2008. Almost all jobs for dental hygienist-about 96 percent-were in offices of dentists. Graduates may also find employment as educators, administrators, managers, and researchers. Other options for practice settings include school systems, hospitals, correctional facilities, long-term care facilities, HMOs, dental supply and product companies, insurance companies, universities and other research centers, government agencies, community health programs, and areas of forensic dentistry. Employment of dental hygienist is expected to grow 36 percent through 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This projected growth ranks dental hygienist among the fastest growing occupations, in response to increasing demand for dental care and more use of hygienist.