Dental Hygienists
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical · SOC 29-1292
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 29-1292 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 43/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $98,100
- H-1B offered wage $93,600; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- —
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +7.0%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 5
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 4,323 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~18.8% of this role but only ~0% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
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.
Common titles: Dental Hygienist, Hygienist, Licensed Dental Hygienist, Pediatric Dental Hygienist, Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH)
Representative Tasks
- •Record and review patient medical histories.
- •Feel and visually examine gums for sores and signs of disease.
- •Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.
- •Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.
- •Provide clinical services or health education to improve and maintain the oral health of patients or the general public.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Record patient medical histories.
- •Examine mouth, teeth, gums, or related facial structures.
- •Treat dental problems or diseases.
- •Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.
- •Provide health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 5.4% |
| Outlook | Average | 62% Bright |
| Median Salary | $98,100 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |