Dental Hygienists
SOC Code: 29-1292 Job Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed
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.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Dental Hygienists. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $109,158 | $135,970 | $162,781 | $189,592 |
| Napa, CA | $95,368 | $120,328 | $145,309 | $170,269 |
| Chico, CA | $86,736 | $111,426 | $136,136 | $160,826 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $120,162 | $133,474 | $146,806 | $160,118 |
| Modesto, CA | $106,600 | $123,739 | $140,858 | $157,997 |
| Vallejo, CA | $105,019 | $122,262 | $139,485 | $156,728 |
| El Centro, CA | $88,837 | $110,531 | $132,246 | $153,941 |
| Merced, CA | $112,549 | $124,946 | $137,342 | $149,739 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $132,808 | $138,362 | $143,936 | $149,490 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $110,822 | $122,907 | $135,013 | $147,098 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.8 | |
| Speaking | 3.5 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 | |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 | |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | |
| Writing | 3.1 | |
| Active Learning | 3.0 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Medicine and Dentistry | 4.6 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.9 |
| Psychology | 3.0 |
| English Language | 2.8 |
| Education and Training | 2.6 |
| Computers and Electronics | 2.6 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.5 |
| Chemistry | 2.4 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Associate's degree | 75.2% |
| First professional degree (MD, JD) | 12.7% |
| Master's degree | 9.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 3.1% |
Typical Tasks
- Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments.
- Feel and visually examine gums for sores and signs of disease.
- Chart conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentist.
- Feel lymph nodes under patient's chin to detect swelling or tenderness that could indicate presence of oral cancer.
- Apply fluorides or other cavity preventing agents to arrest dental decay.
- Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease.
- Expose and develop x-ray film.
- Remove excess cement from coronal surfaces of teeth.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Henry Schein Dentrix Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Word 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 Inventory management software Open Dental Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft
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