Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists
Learn about this occupation – including typical duties, education required, salary and job outlook information, job boards and more.
Dental hygienists provide dental hygiene treatment and information related to the prevention of diseases and disorders of the teeth and mouth. They are employed in dentists' offices, hospitals, clinics, educational institutions, government agencies and private industry. Dental therapists carry out limited dental services related to the prevention and treatment of diseases and disorders of the teeth and mouth. They are employed by the federal government and the provincial governments to provide services in rural and remote communities. (National Occupational Classification)
Occupational profile
Find detailed information about the occupation, including typical duties and working conditions, in the links below:
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) - Canadian occupational descriptions
- O*NET Online - U.S. resource for occupational descriptions and information
- OCCinfo by alis - Alberta-based occupational information
- Sokanu - occupational profile & videos
- Dental Hygienist Overview - Explore Health Careers.org (U.S.)
- What Does a Dental Hygienist Do?- from the Manitoba Dental Hygienists Association
- What is a Dental Hygienist? - American Dental Association
- Dental Therapist Scope of Practice - University of Saskatchewan - College of Dentistry
- Discover your Future in Healthcare: Dental Hygienist - University of Manitoba
Education
U of M Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar & Catalogue outlines program admission and course requirements. Use the left menu to navigate to a specific faculty and program. To determine which degree path suits your unique occupational goals, speak with a Career Consultant. For support with course registration and academic issues, speak with an Academic Advisor.
Faculty and Department Homepages
Visit U of M's faculty and department homepage to learn about program application deadlines and processes, as well as additional in-house resources and opportunities.
- School of Dental Hygiene
- Health Careers Access Program (HCAP) - designed to prepare Indigenous Manitobans for entry to the health professions
- Professional Health Access Program (HAP) - supports Indigenous students who have been accepted into a professional health program
Exploring Other Education Options
Labour market information
Labour market information informs users of supply and demand for specific occupations and sectors. It includes such things as salary and job outlook information. These resources support informed career decision making and job search efforts.
Resources
- Trend Analysis: Job Market Report (Winnipeg Region) - Gov. of Canada Job Bank
- 2019 Job Market and Employment Survey: Highlights - Canadian Dental Hygiene Association
- Occupational Outlook Handbook - Job outlook for the U.S.
- Canadian Institute for Health Information: About Dental Hygienists - within annual reports view 'Table of Contents' (tab 3 within Excel doc)
- OpportuNext - salary range and job growth prospects - Manitoba
Professional Associations and Regulatory Colleges
Professional associations may organize events and provide directories, job postings, career and labour market information. Student membership opportunities may also be available: engage, learn and network!
- Canadian Dental Hygienists' Association - free student membership
- Manitoba Dental Hygienists Association
- College of Dental Hygienists of Manitoba
- National Dental Hygiene Certification Board (Canada)
- American Dental Hygienists' Association
- International Federation of Dental Hygienists
Directories, Industry Associations, and Sector Councils
These resources provide industry news, labour market information and a list of potential employers. Remember, there are usually multiple industries worth exploring.
- Manitoba Dentist - Registry and Rosters
- Dental Hygiene Canada - find an independent dental hygienist
Job Boards
Search occupations of interest in the industry-specific job boards below to learn about skill requirements, employers, job duties and available jobs. You may also wish to search more general online job boards.
Other links
These external resources may provide you with additional information about the occupation and opportunities to build experience:
- University of Manitoba Undergraduate Leaders in Healthcare - campus student group
- Rady Faculty of Health Science Community Mentorship Program - U of M student-led program
- 2017 CDHA Student Member Survey Report -from the Canadian Dental Hygiene Association
- Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene
- Top 20 Tips to Get You to Dental Hygiene Graduation and Beyond - from the Canadian Dental Hygiene Association
- Canadian Competencies for Baccalaureate Dental Hygiene Programs - detailed outline of professional competencies and initiatives to move to a 4 year program
- The Montage - Newsletter of the Manitoba Dental Hygienist Association
- Dental Technician Opportunities- Canadian Armed Forces (can advance to dental hygienist)
- Sigma Phi Alpha- National Dental Hygiene Honors Society (U. of Manitoba has a chapter)