Many people are not familiar with the term RDH. RDH stands for Resident Dental Hygienist. Like all dental hygienists, RDH salaries tend to fluctuate less than standard salaries. Most RDHs work as hourly employees with benefits. Most medical profession fields are rather insulated from economic downturns and wage decreases. That said, since many people do not have dental coverage, demand for dental services is slightly more elastic than other medical services, but much more inelastic than a general basket of market goods. This helps insulate the salary of RDH professionals from fluctuations. As a RDH it makes sense to save more during economic recessions, just like everyone else, in case of trouble at your office or generally.
As the number of people looking into dental hygienistry hits an all time high, one concern is that people are not considering exactly the job before taking it. All looks good in this picture, but it is important to keep in mind that a career as a dental hygienist is about much more than the salary. Yes, the job pays well, particularly relevant to the education and experience needed. That said, however, you’re entering more or less a career with no room for growth. Yes you can improve your salary with experience, but your job options and role are rather limited without further education. This type of position is fine for many people, but others struggle with this reality. Definitely want to take full stock of all of the pros and cons before considering a career as a dental hygienist.
A recent report from the government says that there will nearly be 33% more dental hygienists in 2018 as opposed to today. This makes it one of the fastest growing occupations in the country. What remains unclear, as we’ve discussed here many times, is how much of this growth will come in the part time versus the full time sector. Part time hygienists are becoming increasingly popular for many dental clinics. The problem for many is that the cost of education, at least at first, demands a full time position to help pay off debt. Nevertheless, the staggering growth rate represents strength across the board is sure to come.
Looking for the best salary as a dental hygienist? Keep in mind these statistics can be misleading because they are often not recalclated based on cost of living standards. Obviously, this is the primary reason for differences in salary from state-to-state. That said, here are the results…
If you’re looking just based on median salary, the best place to be a dental hygienist is the west. Alaska, California, Washington, and Oregon all sit at the top of the list for the highest paid dental hygienists in the country. Alaska is by far #1, but after negotiating out cost of living expenses, I believe the best place to be a dental hygienist is Washington state, with a median salary of $81,000.
The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) continues to have an excellent outlook on dental hygienist careers. You can find more information about the job at their profile page. Which includes an up-to-date average salary for dental hygienists which is now $55,307. One of the only threats seen as coming to the market is an increasing number of part time hygienist positions. This can only occur, however, in areas where their is a surplus of dental hygienists available. If that is the case then employers can certainly play the ‘part time’ game to keep their costs down. Perhaps, however, these places are few and far between as there seems to continue to be a scarcity of dental hygienists out there.
An entrepreneurial dental hygienist has written a book, Self Help Guide to Dental Hygiene, to help those going to the dentist understand more about their health issues and experiences in the chair. Leah M. Nelson, RDH, decided to write a book to help dental consumers better understand the process, one that often scares many people. I also feel as if this is a good book for those of you considering a career in dental hygiene. Given that it is written from the hygienist perspective, by someone in the industry for 20 years, I think it can offer prospective dental hygienists as much as it does dental consumers.
Here are some dental hygienist jobs available near Morgantown, WV.
We need a full time dental hygienist. Our office will be run by the hygienist. That means this is not just a hygienist position. Hours, Monday 8:30-5, Tuesday and Wednesday 8-5, Thursday 7-2pm, Wexford, PA
Chips Dental Associates needs a dental hygienist. Must have an active Pennsylvania hygiene license. This job starts in May 2010. More hours could become available via job sharing or increased demand, Gibsonia, PA.
In reviewing what is available for dental hygienists in Chicago, we find that there remains about a 50/50 split between full time and part time job offerings. Salaries remain relatively consistent. With a growing number of inexperienced or new dental hygienists in the field, however, a growing number of posts are calling for experienced hygienists and promising a good salary to attract the talent. One way newly certified dental hygienists can combat this trend would be to clearly lay out your ‘personal’ resume. Demonstrate how responsible, committed, and competent you are. Obviously, you cannot simply say these words, but you need to truly market yourself with good evidence to back it up.
A recent report came out that said dental hygienists were #10 on the top ten fastest growing careers in the region. The salary of dental hygienists that the report quoted represented a wide range from people making $8.45 to $39.24. It’s hard to imagine too many people earning a wage at the top and bottom of this range, but especially at the bottom. Given the pace at which the job market is growing for dental hygienists in Houston, I would imagine that the bottom end of this range would get bumped up quite a bit. Over half of the fastest growing careers in Houston were in the medical or wellness field.
While some dental hygienists love that many jobs only require part time hours, others bemoan the growing trend of dental offices only working with part time hygienists. Of course, for the dentist, this means they don’t have to pay benefits or paid time off. A quick look at any job board for dental hygienist jobs will show you the preponderance of part time opportunities. This is actually a bad business move for most dentists. Most patients say how much they appreciate seeing a consistent face in the hygienist chair. After all, most patients interact mostly with the hygienist. Salaried hygienists inherently feel stronger about their job and are more likely to perform at the highest level. You may see this trend turn around.
As the number of people looking into dental hygienistry hits an all time high, one concern is that people are not considering exactly the job before taking it. All looks good in this picture, but it is important to keep in mind that a career as a dental hygienist is about much more than the salary. Yes, the job pays well, particularly relevant to the education and experience needed. That said, however, you’re entering more or less a career with no room for growth. Yes you can improve your salary with experience, but your job options and role are rather limited without further education. This type of position is fine for many people, but others struggle with this reality. Definitely want to take full stock of all of the pros and cons before considering a career as a dental hygienist.