Headline risk
0%
Very Low RiskDental hygienists
AI displacement pressure score for United States AI Work Index, combining global AI task overlap with local wages, employment trends, and demand signals.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
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.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 6% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 94,260
Employment 2024
221.6K
Projected Change (2024–34)
7.0%
Openings (2024–34)
15.3K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Employment of dental hygienists is projected to grow 7 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Record and review patient medical histories. AI use: 72%
- 2. Feel and visually examine gums for sores and signs of disease. AI use: 0%
- 3. Clean calcareous deposits, accretions, and stains from teeth and beneath margins of gums, using dental instruments. AI use: 0%
- 4. Examine gums, using probes, to locate periodontal recessed gums and signs of gum disease. AI use: 0%
- 5. Chart conditions of decay and disease for diagnosis and treatment by dentist. AI use: 0%
- 6. Attend continuing education courses to maintain or update skills. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 41.5 · 203K employed
Under 25: 10% · 25–54: 67% · 55+: 24%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Data quality
Employment data available
Narrative & sources
Dental hygienists examine patients for signs of oral diseases, such as gingivitis, and provide preventive care, including oral hygiene.
Nearly all dental hygienists work in dentists’ offices, and many work part time.
Dental hygienists typically need an associate’s degree in dental hygiene. Programs usually take 3 years to complete. All states require dental hygienists to be licensed; requirements vary by state.
The median annual wage for dental hygienists was $94,260 in May 2024.
Employment of dental hygienists is projected to grow 7 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Important context
This score measures structural AI displacement pressure, not actual job losses. Local wages and demand data are specific to United States AI Work Index; the underlying AI task overlap analysis is consistent across all countries.