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Dental hygienist

Also called dental therapist, oral health therapist, orthodontic therapist

Dental hygienists work in cleaning and polishing teeth, supra- and sub-gingival scaling of the teeth, application of prophylactic materials to the teeth, collecting data, administering comprehensive advice on oral hygiene and the care of the mouth, according to patients` needs under the supervision of dental practitioners following her/his directions.

Will there be jobs?Yes, good prospectsShortage in 13 countries now. 37 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Health professionalsWhat does it pay?Well above averageFrom about €1,800 (Bulgaria) to €9,700 (Luxembourg) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Health professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually a degree9 in 10 have a degree.Health professionalsWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Dentists · ILO

What you'd do

Dentists · ILO
  • Diagnosing diseases, injuries, irregularities and malformations of teeth and associated structures in the mouth and jaw using a range of methods such as radiographs, salivary tests and medical histories
  • Providing preventative oral health care such as periodontal treatments, fluoride applications and oral health promotion
  • Administering anaesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures
  • Prescribing medication for relief of ongoing pain after procedures
  • Providing restorative oral care such as implants, complex crown and bridge restorations, and orthodontics, and repairing damaged and decayed teeth
  • Providing surgical treatments such as extraction of teeth, biopsy of tissue, and performing orthodontic treatment
  • Measuring and taking impressions of patients' jaws and teeth in order to determine the shape and size of dental prostheses
  • Designing, making and fitting prosthodontic appliances such as space maintainers, bridges, and dentures, or writing fabrication instructions or prescriptions for dental prosthetic technicians
  • Restoring oral function with removable and fixed oral prostheses
  • Assisting in diagnosing general diseases having oral manifestations such as diabetes
  • Educating patients and families on dental hygiene, nutrition and other measures to take care of oral health
  • Supervising dental hygienists, dental assistants and other staff
Apply context specific clinical competencesWork in multidisciplinary health teamsEnsure safety of healthcare usersDeal with emergency care situationsContribute to continuity of health care+ 27 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • Sitting most of the day
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Usually under 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Very repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Dental Hygienists"

Will there be jobs?

Yes, good prospects

13 EU countries are short of dentists now, and many jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as health professionals in the EU
5.11m6.39m7.07m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
549,000 new jobs 1,888,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Health professionals37
All jobs29
Right now
13 of 27 countries report a shortage of dentists, 4 a surplus.
Dentists · EURES

What does it pay?

Well above average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,800 a month (Bulgaria) to €9,700 (Luxembourg), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among professionals in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually a degree

A degree is the usual route.

Highest qualification of health professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 86%Vocational 12%General secondary 1%Basic schooling 1%

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.15 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 12 tasks
Supervising dental hygienists, dental assistants and other staff0.27
Educating patients and families on dental hygiene, nutrition and other measures to take care of oral health0.26
Assisting in diagnosing general diseases having oral manifestations such as diabetes0.20
Prescribing medication for relief of ongoing pain after procedures0.17
Designing, making and fitting prosthodontic appliances such as space maintainers, bridges, and dentures, or writing fabrication instructions or prescriptions for dental prosthetic technicians0.15
Diagnosing diseases, injuries, irregularities and malformations of teeth and associated structures in the mouth and jaw using a range of methods such as radiographs, salivary tests and medical histories0.14
Providing preventative oral health care such as periodontal treatments, fluoride applications and oral health promotion0.12
Providing surgical treatments such as extraction of teeth, biopsy of tissue, and performing orthodontic treatment0.12
Restoring oral function with removable and fixed oral prostheses0.11
Measuring and taking impressions of patients' jaws and teeth in order to determine the shape and size of dental prostheses0.10
Providing restorative oral care such as implants, complex crown and bridge restorations, and orthodontics, and repairing damaged and decayed teeth0.10
Administering anaesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures0.07

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for dentists. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).