Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

hygienist

American  
[hahy-jee-nist, -jen-ist, hahy-jee-nist] / haɪˈdʒi nɪst, -ˈdʒɛn ɪst, ˈhaɪ dʒi nɪst /
Also hygeist,

noun

  1. an expert in hygiene.

  2. dental hygienist.

hygienist British  
/ ˈhaɪdʒiːɪst, ˈhaɪdʒiːnɪst /

noun

  1. a person skilled in the practice of hygiene See also dental hygienist

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of hygienist

First recorded in 1835–45; hygiene + -ist

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

He said that she responded by telling him if he wanted to be registered as an NHS patient, he needed to book a hygienist appointment.

From BBC • Jan. 2, 2026

Dental hygienist and mother-of-one, Andrea Powell, 41, was resuscitated at the scene but died six days later due to her injuries.

From BBC • Oct. 29, 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

As the daughter of a dental hygienist, I was interested in his key chain ornament and asked him where he got it.

From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.