Dental hygienist vs ultrasound technologist

The differences between dental hygienists and ultrasound technologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a dental hygienist has an average salary of $88,432, which is higher than the $84,702 average annual salary of an ultrasound technologist.

The top three skills for a dental hygienist include patients, patient care and CPR. The most important skills for an ultrasound technologist are patients, ARDMS, and ultrasound procedures.

Dental hygienist vs ultrasound technologist overview

	Dental Hygienist	Ultrasound Technologist
Yearly salary	$88,432	$84,702
Hourly rate	$42.52	$40.72
Growth rate	11%	10%
Number of jobs	24,234	52,198
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 71%	Associate Degree, 55%
Average age	42	43
Years of experience	-	2

What does a dental hygienist do?

Dental hygienists are professionals who provide preventative oral care under a dentist's supervision. They are concerned mostly in treating minor oral health conditions. They clean teeth, examine any signs of damage and oral diseases and provide dental recommendations and after-care treatment. They educate patients with proper oral hygiene and counseling about how good nutrition impacts oral health. They also teach them ways to improve and maintain good oral health.

What does an ultrasound technologist do?

An ultrasound technologist is responsible for assisting medical professionals in operating high-end equipment to diagnose patients' illnesses and monitor health conditions. Ultrasound technologists regularly inspect the efficiency and reliability of the machine and report inconsistencies and defects for immediate repair or replacement. They record scan results and endorse the patient to appropriate medical staff for required medication and further observation. An ultrasound technologist must have excellent knowledge and extensive experience in the medical industry to provide quality care for the patients and address their needs and concerns.

Dental hygienist vs ultrasound technologist salary

Dental hygienists and ultrasound technologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Dental Hygienist	Ultrasound Technologist
Average salary	$88,432	$84,702
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $137,000	Between $51,000 And $140,000
Highest paying City	Sacramento, CA	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	Vermont
Best paying company	Bonita	Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between dental hygienist and ultrasound technologist education

There are a few differences between a dental hygienist and an ultrasound technologist in terms of educational background:

	Dental Hygienist	Ultrasound Technologist
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 71%	Associate Degree, 55%
Most common major	Dental Assisting	Medical Technician
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	Duke University

Dental hygienist vs ultrasound technologist demographics

Here are the differences between dental hygienists' and ultrasound technologists' demographics:

	Dental Hygienist	Ultrasound Technologist
Average age	42	43
Gender ratio	Male, 6.9% Female, 93.1%	Male, 18.3% Female, 81.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 6.3% White, 73.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	7%	6%

Differences between dental hygienist and ultrasound technologist duties and responsibilities

Dental hygienist example responsibilities.

Assist dentist to manage dental and medical emergencies by maintaining CPR certification.
Assist front office with eligibility interviews and inputting information of future patients into Dentrix computer system.
Perform all the same duties as a dental hygienist under the supervision of a RDH.
Enter all services render, treatment plan and suggest into DENTRIX computer system; including clinical charting.
Develop a course plan, instruction materials, and curriculum goals for students as a didactic instructor for radiology.
Sterilize surgical instrument trays, set up and operate ultrasonice cleaners, maintain and operate autoclaves, assemble surgical trays.

Ultrasound technologist example responsibilities.

Perform ABIs while the vascular technologist perform the ultrasound to help with achieving a timely schedule.
Accomplish general ultrasounds centered on abdominal, OB-GYN, small parts, pelvic (male), and vascular.
Train new students how to perform PVR, segmental and ABI studies
Assist and independently perform 2D echo studies using m-mode, color flow, spectral and tissue Doppler, measurements and calculations.
Provide outpatient ultrasound studies in vascular, observe in echocardiogram
Perform a variety of procedures including abdomen, vascular and gynecology exams.

Dental hygienist vs ultrasound technologist skills

Common dental hygienist skills

Patients, 30%
Patient Care, 13%
CPR, 10%
Medical History, 5%
Infection Control, 5%
Work Ethic, 4%

Common ultrasound technologist skills

Patients, 17%
ARDMS, 11%
Ultrasound Procedures, 11%
Patient Care, 8%
Pacs, 7%
Vascular Ultrasound, 6%

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Dental Hygienist vs Ultrasound Technologist

Updated January 8, 2025

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