Annual Salary
£28,000 to £43,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Social care or Therapy or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Social care or Therapy or go back to all job sectors
Dental hygienists work to prevent tooth decay and gum disease, and give customers advice on how to improve their oral health.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: between 8am and 6pm; on a rota
There will be
4% more Dental hygienist jobs in 2027.
As a dental hygienist, you could:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work at a dental practice, in an NHS or private hospital or at a health centre.
You can get into this job through:
You'll need to complete a higher education diploma or degree approved by the General Dental Council.
Subjects include:
When you apply for a university course, it might help to have some experience in a dental or healthcare setting, for example, shadowing a dental nurse or dental hygienist.
You might be able to get extra support with student finance, as a dental student, through the NHS Learning Support Fund.
You'll usually need:
If you're a qualified dental nurse, you may be able to do a part-time training course with a dental school to become a dental hygienist.
You'll need to:
You can get more details about a career as a dental hygienist and other roles in a dental team from Health Careers and the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy.
With experience and more training, you could:specialise in a particular area, like children's teeth; become a manager of a dental practice; teach dental hygienist students; move into a related job, such as a dental therapist or health promotion specialist; become a dental hygienist in the Royal Navy, if you're already registered with the General Dental Council
You'll need: