This paper examines the current and projected trends affecting the dental hygiene profession in the United States. Drawing on demographic data, professional reports, and labor statistics, it argues that population growth among older age groups, rising rates of dental disease among adolescents, and expanding state-level scopes of practice are collectively increasing demand for trained dental hygienists. The paper also highlights how educational requirements are rising alongside career opportunities, with employment projected to grow nearly 40 percent by 2020 — far outpacing average occupational growth rates. It concludes that dental hygiene offers strong career stability, competitive salaries, and broad professional opportunity.
Although many occupations are being outsourced to other countries, dental care is one profession that cannot follow that trend — patients must receive treatment in person. With the aging of the American population and an increased cultural demand for physical appearance and oral health, the pressures placed upon the dental industry are likely to grow, and with them, career opportunities for dental professionals.
A substantial and stable portion of the adult American population already seeks regular dental care. It has been estimated that "roughly 60 to 70 percent of the adult American population seeks routine dental care — a rate that is believed to be holding stable," indicating that there will be a sustained need for dental professionals in the coming years (Lavers, 2013).
Demand is projected to increase further because of population growth in groups with high levels of dental need. Based on census data, the number of people ages 60 to 79 is projected to grow from 36.4 million in 2000 to more than 68 million in 2025, an increase of 87 percent (Lavers, 2013). This aging of the population will place significant new demands on dental providers. It is estimated that "employment for all dental hygienists will swell nearly 40 percent by 2020, which is faster than the average growth rate for most professions. In 2010, there were 181,800 hygienists, and that number should increase by nearly 70,000 new positions" (Dental hygienist, 2013, U.S. News and World Report).
There has been an increase in more serious dental complaints related to dental hard tissue, stimulating demand for more highly trained professionals. While most dental hygienists have traditionally held an associate's degree, there will be an increased demand for those who can provide more specialized and intensive care. As a result, more and more hygienists are pursuing bachelor's and master's degrees in the field (Dental hygienist, 2013, U.S. News and World Report).
States are also giving hygienists greater opportunities to provide higher-level care to patients, such as placing composites and amalgams. This expanded scope of practice is driving the rise in demand for more stringent certification requirements (Goff, 2012).
Membership in populations that require more intensive dentistry is also on the rise. The nation's elderly population is increasing as people live longer, and wider socioeconomic inequalities are fostering more serious dental conditions in younger patients: "more than half of the population of 12-to-17-year-olds has decayed, missing, and filled teeth" (Lavers, 2013). Increased sugar consumption likely plays a role in the worsening of children's overall dental health as well.
Beyond traditional private practice settings, professional opportunities in clinics, research facilities, and ambulatory care facilities are opening up, further broadening the range of career paths available to dental hygienists (Dental hygienist, 2013, U.S. News and World Report).
Dental hygiene is becoming a more competitive profession, with higher barriers to entry and rising educational requirements. However, sustained demand will ensure greater career stability and higher salaries: the median salary of the average dental hygienist was $69,280 in 2011 (Dental hygienist, 2013, U.S. News and World Report). For those interested in a stable, lucrative, and personally rewarding career in healthcare, dental hygiene represents a compelling and growing field of opportunity.
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