There is no doubt that we live in challenging economic times with unemployment and must adjust to a hyper-active job market and if you’re looking at a career in dental hygiene, you might be wondering “How much does a dental hygienist make?” While unemployment may be high, there are some promising industries and career paths you may still consider pursuing. One of these career paths is in dental hygiene. A dental hygienist is responsible for cleaning teeth, examining teeth and gums for signs of oral disease, taking x-rays and educating patients on proper oral health care. Job prospects are expected to be very strong and salary numbers are impressive as well. Let’s take a detailed look at what you can expect as a dental hygienist in terms of salary and job prospects.
Before we answer the question, of how much does a dental hygienist make, let’s take a look at the career prospects for this profession. Dental hygienist jobs are expected to grow a sharp 36 percent through 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is much faster employment growth compared to other occupations. The fact that the population is growing rapidly combined with the fact that older people are retaining more teeth means that dentists have larger workloads. It is more efficient and rational for these dentists to turn to dental hygienists to reduce some of the workload. Since you may only practice in the State you received licensure in, it is important to do some research for specific geographical job prospects for dental hygienists. Certain cities will have more favorable job prospects in comparison to other ones.
The median yearly salary for all dental hygienists was roughly $66,000 in May 2008. Again, geography plays a major role in the salary you can expect as a dental hygienist. California, Connecticut and Washington are all favorable locations to work as a dental hygienist in terms of expected salary. The San Francisco metropolitan area and New Haven, Connecticut both have annual mean wages of nearly $100,000. You must also factor in cost-of-living expenses in the areas you are considering practicing in. In addition to geography, your training, education and experience will all play major roles in determining earning potential.
If you have chosen to pursue a career as a dental hygienist, feel confident knowing that you have chosen a career path that features strong job prospects and very respectable annual salaries. Geography really is key in determining exactly what job prospects and salary numbers you can expect as a dental hygienist. Hopefully this article provides some explanation if you are asking yourself “Just how much does a dental hygienist make?”
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