According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 211,630 hygienists currently licensed in the U.S., earning a mean salary of $89,890 per year. That works out to approximately $54 an hour based on a 4-day work week of eight hours a day.

Unfortunately, many of those licensed hygienists are not currently working in dental practices. An estimated 5-10% of licensed hygienists left the workforce during the pandemic and few have returned. Others left to raise a family or for health concerns including COVID-19 and repetitive motion injuries. Still others suffered burnout, lack childcare, or are taking care of other family members.