Dental Hygienists vs Dentists
Median pay is about $73k higher for Dentists. The usual entry education is associate's plus license for Dental Hygienists and doctoral (DDS/DMD) for Dentists.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Dental Hygienists | Dentists |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $98,100 | $170,950, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $83,570 | $125,710, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $108,480 | $224,040, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +8.0% Growing fast, higher | +5.7% Growing fast |
| Openings a year | 15,000 | 4,200 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Associate's plus license | Doctoral (DDS/DMD) |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.8 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 70th pct | 62nd pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Dental Hygienists
- Writing
Only Dentists
- Active Learning
Both lean on active listening, speaking, critical thinking, monitoring, reading comprehension.
More comparisons
Compare Dental Hygienists with
Compare Dentists with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.