Occupations: Dental Hygienist

Occupations: Dental Hygienists

Dental Hygienists

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Overview of the profession:

Dental Hygienists are key in helping patients maintain oral health and prevent dental issues. Dental Hygienists are trained professionals who perform dental cleanings and educate patients about proper oral hygiene practices, nutrition, and the importance of regular dental check-ups. To become a Registered Dental Hygienist in Michigan, individuals can complete an Associate or Bachelor-level dental hygiene program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Then, to be eligible for licensure, they must pass the National Board Dental Hygiene examination and the state-required American Board of Dental Examiners, Inc. (ADEX) exam and submit a current basic life support or advanced cardiac life support certification to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Dental Hygienists work in private dental offices but also find employment in public health agencies, hospitals, and community health clinics. Their roles in interacting with patients, providing education, and preventative dental care make them invaluable members of the dental healthcare team.

Overview

Policy Highlights

Includes recent proposed legislation

Senate Bill 280 (SB 280)

Senate Bill 280 of 2023 would amend the Public Health Code to require a parent, guardian, or person standing in as the guardian of a child to provide for a dental oral assessment for the child before the child’s first time in kindergarten or first grade. The program is expected to serve approximately 112,000 children annually and is supported by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Delta Dental. This law connects families with oral health care providers, such as Dental Hygienists.
Session 2023-2024

Policy

Data

Current Dental Hygienist Workforce Data

We've provided the latest data from Lightcast below. Click on the images to enlarge them and review them in further detail.

2024 Hourly Wages

10th Percentile	25th Percentile	Median	75th Percentile	90th Percentile
$31.53	$36.15	$37.40	$38.67	$39.76

Highlighted Workforce Initiatives

Name: Internships and Student Placement

Prosperity Region: 4
Description: Family Health Care, a community health center, partners with Ferris State Pharmacy, Ferris State Dental Hygiene and University of Michigan Dentistry to provide unpaid clinical and nonclinical rotations and assignments. With these partnerships, Family Health Care hopes to teach students about community health services, help them appreciate the diverse cultures of patients that are served, and recruit these students to become long-term employees after they graduate. Family Health Care has six locations in Northwest Michigan (Lake, Newaygo, Mecosta, Missaukee and Wexford counties).

Name: Titans for Teeth

Prosperity Region: 10
Description: The Titans for Teeth initiative at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry is a school-based mobile health clinic that travels to local participating schools in Detroit and Wayne County to provide dentistry services for K-12 children. UDM Dentistry students perform the treatment under the supervision of a licensed dentist and/or dental hygienist faculty. The purpose of the Titans for Teeth initiative on the UDM side is for dental students to gain community-based experiences, which increases their skill and confidence in interacting with diverse patients and meeting dental care needs in the community.

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Initiatives

Career Pathway

How to become a Registered Dental Hygienist in Michigan?

To become a Registered Dental Hygienist in Michigan, individuals need to complete an associate or bachelor-level dental hygiene program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. To be eligible for licensure through the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, individuals need to pass two exams, the National Board Dental Hygiene examination and the state-required American Board of Dental Examiners, Inc (ADEX) exam, and hold a certification in basic life support or advanced cardiac life support.

What is the role of a Dental Therapist?

Dental Therapists are licensed professionals who work under the remote supervision of a dentist to provide oral healthcare to community members. They can perform oral health assessments, cleanings, some basic restorations, and extractions. The goal of introducing dental therapy into the Michigan oral healthcare workforce is to improve access to oral healthcare within dental shortage areas, which affect more than 1.5 million Michiganders. While dental therapy offers the opportunity for Dental Hygienists to advance in their careers, prior education or licensure as a Dental Hygienist is not required to become a Dental Therapist.

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