Dental Hygienist Salary Range
A dental hygienist salary is determined by a set of variables. Education, work setting and length of experience are all major factors that influence the average dental hygienist salary.
Certifications are required if one wants to become a dental hygienist. A dental hygienist with a master's degree will earn more than those with a bachelor or associate degree.
Hygienists who work full-time in school systems, public health organizations, state or federal health services are paid higher and receive more employment benefits. Urban centers tend to pay more for those in dental hygienist careers. The more years in the profession, the higher the dental hygienist pay rate.
Keep in mind that many dental hygienists work for several dental offices. So the dental hygienist pay rate differs for different hygienists. Of course, some offices pay more than others. A dental hygienist salary may be regular monthly earnings. Sometimes, they are paid on an hourly, daily or commission basis.
Dental Hygienist Average Income Historical Figures
This is how the dental hygienist pay scale has fared through the years.
In 2002, dental hygienists earned a median hourly pay of $26.59. Those in the middle 50 percent earned between $21.96 and $32.48 per hour. The pay for the lowest ten percent was less than $17.34. The highest ten percent were paid more than $39.24 an hour.
The median hourly earnings of dental hygienists in 2004 were $28.05. The middle 50 percent earned an hourly rate between $22.72 and $33.82. The median dental hygienist salary was between $18 and $40 an hour. The lowest ten percent earned less than $18.05 hourly. In an hour, the highest ten percent earned higher than $40.70.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2007, the dental hygienist salary averaged $64,910 annually. Hygienists employed in Alaska earned $91,960 that year, the highest figure for national salaries. According to the American Dental Association, 86 percent of dental hygienists received medical and hospital employment benefits.
For the next year, 2008, median hourly wages reached $32. The median annual dental hygienist salary was $66,570. Hygienists in the middle fifty percent earned wages between $55,220 and $78,990. The lowest 10 percent earned lower than $44,180. The highest 10 percent earned more than $91,470 annually.
An examination of the historical figures shows an impressive record for dental hygienist salary rates. Both annual and hourly rates have an upward trend.
A 2009 study prepared by the American Dental Hygienist Association reported that fifty percent received employment benefits such as paid vacation, sick leave, and retirement plans. Almost all full-time dental hygienists who work for private practitioners earned paid vacations. Nine out of ten dental hygienists employed in dental offices have dental coverage.
Experience is a major consideration for employers hiring dental hygienists. Previous experience in preventive dental care must be detailed in a dental hygiene cover letter. Also, dental hygienist starting salary rates tend to increase the more procedures an applicant has been trained to perform. Training and experience are always important in determining dental hygienist salary rates.
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