Dental Hygienist Pay

Dental Hygienists. The median annual wage for dental hygienists was $74,070 in May 2017. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $51,180, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $101,330.

To become a dental hygienist, you'll need either a 2- or 4-year degree in dental hygiene. Most programs are two years long and lead to an associate's degree. They are offered through community colleges and technical colleges.

A dental hygienist program curriculum includes 

classroom coursework, laboratory studies, and clinical practice. Students can expect to take courses in topics such as anatomy, chemistry, physiology, pharmacology, 

microbiology, radiography, periodontology, oral pathology, dental materials, and histology. Nov 21, 2017.

The primary duties include cleaning teeth, x-rays observation and charting.

Cleanings cost $100, take 1 hour and should be scheduled every 6 months. Hygienists work about 4 days per week and can see 30 patients a week and based on 50 weeks can do 1500 cleanings for 750 patients per year. A metro area with 5 million people needs 6,666 Hygienists.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader