Dental hygienists receive compensation in one or many ways depending how you look at it. Of course there is the ample monetary compensation in the form of a good salary, but there are also many other rewards available to those who choose a career in the dental hygiene field.
Dental hygienist salary can range from $17/hr all the way to $62 per hour for a hygienist with a few years of experience under their belt.
Another perk is flexibility. Dental hygienists have a lot of flexibility in their career choices because the position is and likely always will be in high demand. Dental hygienists can choose to stay in the US or other first world countries, and I've even met some hygienists who have amazing stories of their charity work in Haiti and other parts of the caribbean.
Hygienists who opt to stay in the US also have the option of working for a large dental office, or many smaller ones. There are many smaller dental offices that do not have the resources to hire a hygienist full time, so the option to work in many different offices and keep your eggs in many different baskets is always on the table.
Lastly, job security. As I have already mentioned, dental hygienists have and always will be in high demand. According to bls.gov there is an expected 38% increase in the demand for dental hygienists in the upcoming decade so a career in dental hygiene is always a wise choice.
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