Dental Hygienist Job Demand: Is It Easy To Find Dental Hygienist Jobs?

Wondering what life in the dental field might look like? What types of positions are available? Is there a job demand? What do you need to get into dental school? We answer all of those questions and more in today’s blog with a focus on the dental hygienist job demand.

There’s no doubt that the dental industry wouldn’t be able to operate the way that it does without dental hygienists. They’re the most hands-on and comprehensive most times if you go to visit the dentist. 

There’s more than meets the eye with the dental hygienist job and we are going to unpack all of that. Of course we even give you some options if you’re interested in pursuing a career similar to a dental hygienist. 

 

What does a dental hygienist do?

A dental hygienist works in a variety of different healthcare settings and can work either independently or alongside a dentist. Their main focus is to help with the prevention of oral disease but they may also be involved in orthopedic work. Some specialize in providing restorative services such as fillings, but that does require additional training and certification. 

Your dental hygienist helps you to figure out what dental plan will work best for you to maintain a healthy mouth. 

When you have gone to your dentist before, the first person you typically see is a dental hygienist. They typically are responsible for:

• Initial assessment 
• Cleaning of your teeth
• Removal of stains
• Instruct you on how to care for your teeth
• Take dental impressions
• Take x-rays of your teeth
• Assist in the examination of your teeth
• More. There is a ton of skills that dental hygienists practice on a day-to-day basis. Click here to learn more about their expertise.

 

Dental Hygiene Jobs

If you’re considering becoming a dental hygienist, you should know all of the different job opportunities that are available to you, sidenote: there’s a ton of options! We’ve gathered what some of the best dental hygiene jobs might look like. See all the opportunities below. 

Clinical Dental Hygienist

The most commonly known dental hygienist job because they work in the dentist’s office setting and alongside a dentist. This is one of the best places for new dental hygienists to start their careers as it helps them develop their skills, provides job security, and can receive benefits.

Clinical Independent Practice

Working independently is also an option, typically for dental hygienists with more experience. Rather than working in an office where they are an employee and not too concerned about attracting clients to come to them, this position does require maintenance of their own clientele. This option may be more challenging at first but will lead to more freedom eventually. 

 

Public Health

If you have an interest in program planning, working in public health is a great option for dental hygienists. While still providing oral health assessments and treatments, when working in public health you also get to develop programs and presentations relating to oral health education and awareness. 

Corporate 

If you are working in a corporate setting as a dental hygienist, there is a good chance that you will be working in some sort of sales or marketing capacity. These teams are specialized in dental products and they need some sort of professional to approve their developments.

Education and Research

Teaching and research can be a great option for dental hygienists who want to pass on their knowledge to the next generation. Most of these types of positions are only available to those who have a bachelor’s degree at minimum. This is a high-demand job opportunity as we will always need dental professionals.

Other Health-Care Settings 

If you decide you don’t want to work directly in the dentist’s office setting and the other options above don’t appeal to you there are still other options! You may work in a healthcare setting such as a long-term care facility or a hospital where you assist people with other health conditions with their oral health maintenance. 

Dental Hygiene Salary Canada

How much do dental hygienists make in Canada? Well, on average they make $37.31 per hour, but their hourly rate may range from $29.60 to $49.13 per hour. The average base salary according to payscale is $61,727 a year. 

If you are a more experienced dental hygienist, then it is more than likely you are making somewhere closer to $90k per year. Dental hygienists may also see a variety of different bonuses each year such as profit sharing, commission and regular bonuses which can all go towards increasing their yearly salary. 

 

Dental Hygienist Job Demand

The great thing about becoming a dental hygienist is that it is a field of work that will always be in demand. As humans, we will always need dental professionals to assist us with the cleaning and care of our teeth. This also means that the job demand in Canada for dental hygienists is in good standing across all provinces. 

There are three provinces, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador, that are ranked as “fair” in terms of job prospects according to jobbank.gc.ca. However, fair still means that there is a good amount of job opportunities, it might take longer than in the other provinces, but there will be job opportunities for you!

As for the rest of the provinces across Canada who are in “good” standing for job prospects, finding a job in the dental hygienist profession is considerably easier than other occupations that are in poor standing in terms of job prospects. 

 

Robertson College is Here For You

After learning about the dental hygienist career if you are interested in working as a dental hygienist, you will have to attend an accredited dental hygienist program. 

Dental Hygiene is one of many careers in the healthcare industry. If you are unsure about becoming a dental hygienist but feel that working in the healthcare field is something you would enjoy and succeed at, there are many programs available at Robertson for you to explore.

Working in the healthcare field is a very rewarding career path, you have the opportunity to help people and make a difference in their lives. Depending on your personal career goals, some healthcare professionals even have the ability to make changes on a much larger scale. It all depends on your interests and studies. Explore some of the programs within the School of Health at Robertson College and start making a difference in the health field today.