Work Environment

Dental hygienists work in clean professional environments. Important health safeguards include strict adherence to asepsis and infection controls standards, radiology health and safety, and CDC protocols for sharps injury prevention. Emphasis is placed on ergonomic and proper positioning for patient care for injury prevention.

Flexible scheduling is a distinctive feature of this profession. Full-time, part-time, evening, and weekend schedules are common. Dentists frequently hire hygienists to work only two or three days a week, so hygienists may hold jobs in more than one dental office. In 2008, about half of all dental hygienists worked part time-less than 35 hours a week.