Dental Hygienists

Employers

Approximately 214,100 dental hygienists are employed in the United States. Dental hygienists can find work in private dentist's offices, school systems, or public health agencies. Hospitals, community clinics, industrial plants, nursing homes, prisons, and the armed forces also employ a small number of dental hygienists. Some hygienists work for companies that support the oral health industry through the sale of products and services. Some dental hygienists launch their own businesses. "By using imagination and creativity to initiate or finance new commercial enterprises, dental hygienists have become successful entrepreneurs in a variety of businesses," according to the American Dental Hygienists' Association.

Many hygienists work part time, which is not usually by choice. Dentists often hire hygienists to work only a few days a week, so many hygienists compensate by working for more than one dentist.

Starting Out

Once you have passed the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and a licensing exam in a particular state, you must decide on an area of work. Most dental hygiene schools maintain placement services for the assistance of their graduates, and finding a satisfactory position is usually not too difficult. Additionally, the American Dental Hygienists' Association offers job listings on its Web site, http://careers.adha.org/jobs.