dental hygienist/RN and pay difference

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why is it that dental hygienists get paid so much more than rns?

really, all they do is clean teeth. i have nothing against them at all, it's great that they are concerned for the health of peoples mouths, but come on, nurses do waaay more than that! i have a sister and cousin who are both hygienists, but i don't have the nerve to ask them this question! just curious if anyone had some logical answers.

My cousin is a dental hygienist and she made $84,000 last year!! She's only been doing it for 2 years and has an associates degree. I know that many hygienists have a base salary plus commision. Most dental offices around my area pay $30 and hour base and anywhere from 35-45% commision. I know some areas in the country pay less, but the same holds true for nurses as well. I don't get it myself and it's very frustrating to me as a first year nursing student.

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

You absolutly can have an associates and be a Dental Hygentist. The school I just graduated from had an excellent Dental Hygentist program that was even more competitive to get into than the associates nursing program! Dental Hygentists here are like RNs....they can be an associates hygentists or a bachelors hygentists (both get paid the same, do the same job, etc).

My friend is a Dental Hygentist, she works 4 days a week part time and made well over $50,000 last year here in OKC, OK They get paid GOOD, but then again so do dentists (some make way more than doctors). My friend who is the hygentist and works part time also part of her benefits are they her whole immediate family gets free dental services from the dentist she works for (anything they want...teeth bleaching, fillings, etc). It's a great field to go into IMO. I just have no desire to work with teeth.

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wow! that is a lot! -

even though they get paid a lot more for doing... a more 'simple' job, and in the health field... i am not envious because i feel that as a nurse i get more satisfaction out of my job than i would as a hygienist.

also, they aren't in short supply, as far as i know, there are quite a few colleges in tulsa/okc and surrounding areas that throw out just as many hygienists as nurses.

it is extremely frustrating though, i agree!

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Specializes in Med-surg > LTC > HH >.

Not to mention dental hygenists work strait days, no holidays, and few if any weekends at all. On the other hand I have talked to people that their breathe was worse smelling than some of the butts I've wiped.:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: . Sorry I just had to say that. I really don't know if I could work in someones mouth for an extended period of time.:sofahider

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My dentist told me that he pays his hygenist $55.00 per hour. On the other hand, they are usually independent contractors, so they don't get medical, vacation, or other benefits.

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A dental hygienist has a four year degree and they do much more than clean teeth. Most areas the pay is similar to the RN, but again it depends on where you live and supply and demand.

A dental assistant in many places can clean teeth.

Suzanne, in most places out west (washington, Oregon, Idaho etc..) RDH is an associates degree entry to practice at a community college just like the ADN RN program. The students are in the same science courses and gen ed courses. I don't begrudge the people that chose that route though. I can't stand teeth and have no desire to clean others teeth all day. They deserve every penny for that in mho lol:chuckle. In any case, i see it as a trade off. They make a great salary and bonuses, but their job is one that can be done by a DDS. If things get tight guess who is the first to go? There also just isn't as much demand and job security. If you live in an area where there is a need then you will do very well, but there isn't as much mobility and certainly the jo options are few. Dentist office cleaning teeth is about the only option you have, unless they get the rights to open their own clinic for cleanings. RN's have a lot of lateral and upward mobility within the same licensure, and even can go to grad school to change focus. RDH doesn't supply that opportunity to my knowledge, and just like with nurses, if they want to become dentists, they don't get credit for any of there course work and must go through the entire DDS programs etc... In short, there are pros and cons just like anything else. There is room for everyody, and I for one am not going to begrude another hard working healthcare professional their salary, in particularly when it isn't damaging to mine. (or my future one i should say...)

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I always knew that the salary of a dental hygenist was comparable to that of an RN, but never really looked into it.

If I had become a dental hygenist I would have to hide the fact that I drink 2 liters of soda (not sugar free) a day.

ChevRN

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.
Well I don't know how it is In Spokane.. But here there are actually hygienists with associates degrees.

Same here, and they also make very good money. A little bit less that RN's but with no real advancement opportunities.

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