dental hygienist

American  

[den-tl hahy-jee-nist, hahy-jen-ist] / ˈdɛn tl haɪˈdʒi nɪst, haɪˈdʒɛn ɪst /

noun

• dental hygienists
  plural

1. a person who is trained and licensed to clean teeth, take dental x-rays, and provide related dental services and care, usually under the supervision of a dentist.

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dental hygienist British  

noun

1. Also called: oral hygienist.  a dentist's assistant skilled in dental hygiene

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• dental hygienists
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dental hygienist

First recorded in 1920–25; dental hygiene + -ist

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dental hygienist

Described here as a TV "showgirl", Minetti is also a qualified dental hygienist who in 2009 treated Berlusconi after he was physically attacked at a Milan rally.

From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026

"We have figures that suggest only about 17% of the UK population is aware of mouth cancer," said dental hygienist Alison Brown from the charity.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2025

She has since returned to Cerritos, which offers a bachelor’s degree to help her achieve her goal of becoming a dental hygienist.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2025

After he divorced Jerry Hall, the model and ex-wife of Mick Jagger, in the summer of 2022, he became engaged to Ann Lesley Smith, a retired dental hygienist, in the spring of 2023.

From New York Times ● Mar. 7, 2024

Nyla sits on a stool next to the pod and slips on gloves like she’s a dental hygienist about to perform a cleaning.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera