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How to Become a Dental Hygienist
Nationwide, dental hygienists earn a median salary of $77,090.
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Updated · 1 min read
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NerdWallet's content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure the information is as clear and complete as possible.
Anna Helhoski is a senior writer covering economic news and trends in consumer finance at NerdWallet. She cohosts and produces Money News segments of NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast. She is also an authority on student loans. She joined NerdWallet in 2014. Her work has been syndicated in news outlets nationwide including The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post and USA Today. She previously covered local news in the New York metro area for the Daily Voice and New York state politics for The Legislative Gazette. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Purchase College, State University of New York.
Des Toups was a lead assigning editor who supported the student loans and auto loans teams. He had decades of experience in personal finance journalism, exploring everything from car insurance to bankruptcy to couponing to side hustles.
Dental hygienists are expected to remain in demand as the need for dental services grows with the graying baby boom generation. They work in dentists’ offices to clean teeth, assess oral health, take X-rays and document treatment plans. To become a dental hygienist, you’ll need at least an associate degree and to get licensed in your state.
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for student loan products takes into account more than 50 data points across multiple categories, including repayment options, customer service, lender transparency, loan eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Fixed APR
3.47-17.99%
College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply. (1)All rates include the auto-pay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. If a payment is returned, you will lose this benefit. Variable rates may increase after consummation. (2)As certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive. Minimum $1,000. (3)This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Flat Repayment Option with an 8-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 7.78% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 54 monthly payments of $25 while in school, followed by 96 monthly payments of $176.21 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $18,266.38. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary. Information advertised valid as of 3/3/2025. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of the Flat Repayment Option with the shortest available loan term.
Variable APR
4.44-17.99%
College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply. (1)All rates include the auto-pay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. If a payment is returned, you will lose this benefit. Variable rates may increase after consummation. (2)As certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive. Minimum $1,000. (3)This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Flat Repayment Option with an 8-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 7.78% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 54 monthly payments of $25 while in school, followed by 96 monthly payments of $176.21 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $18,266.38. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary. Information advertised valid as of 3/3/2025. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of the Flat Repayment Option with the shortest available loan term.
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for student loan products takes into account more than 50 data points across multiple categories, including repayment options, customer service, lender transparency, loan eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Fixed APR
3.49-15.99%
Lowest rates shown include the auto debit discount. Advertised APRs for undergraduate students assume a $10,000 loan to a student who attends school for 4 years and has no prior Sallie Mae-serviced loans. Interest rates for variable rate loans may increase or decrease over the life of the loan based on changes to the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percent. Advertised variable rates are the starting range of rates and may vary outside of that range over the life of the loan. Interest is charged starting when funds are sent to the school. With the Fixed and Deferred Repayment Options, the interest rate is higher than with the Interest Repayment Option and Unpaid Interest is added to the loan’s Current Principal at the end of the grace/separation period. To receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate discount, the borrower or cosigner must enroll in auto debit through Sallie Mae. The discount applies only during active repayment for as long as the Current Amount Due or Designated Amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. It may be suspended during forbearance or deferment. Advertised APRs are valid as of 4/25/2025. Loan amounts: For applications submitted directly to Sallie Mae, loan amount cannot exceed the cost of attendance less financial aid received, as certified by the school. Applications submitted to Sallie Mae through a partner website will be subject to a lower maximum loan request amount. Miscellaneous personal expenses (such as a laptop) may be included in the cost of attendance for students enrolled at least half-time. Examples of typical costs for a $10,000 Smart Option Student Loan with the most common fixed rate, fixed repayment option, 6-month separation period, and two disbursements: For a borrower with no prior loans and a 4-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.28% fixed APR, 51 payments of $25.00, 119 payments of $182.67 and one payment of $121.71, for a Total Loan Cost of $23,134.44. For a borrower with $20,000 in prior loans and a 2-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.78% fixed APR, 27 payments of $25.00, 179 payments of $132.53 and one payment of $40.35 for a total loan cost of $24,438.22. Loans that are subject to a $50 minimum principal and interest payment amount may receive a loan term that is less than 10 years. A variable APR may increase over the life of the loan. A fixed APR will not.
Variable APR
4.54-14.71%
Lowest rates shown include the auto debit discount. Advertised APRs for undergraduate students assume a $10,000 loan to a student who attends school for 4 years and has no prior Sallie Mae-serviced loans. Interest rates for variable rate loans may increase or decrease over the life of the loan based on changes to the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percent. Advertised variable rates are the starting range of rates and may vary outside of that range over the life of the loan. Interest is charged starting when funds are sent to the school. With the Fixed and Deferred Repayment Options, the interest rate is higher than with the Interest Repayment Option and Unpaid Interest is added to the loan’s Current Principal at the end of the grace/separation period. To receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate discount, the borrower or cosigner must enroll in auto debit through Sallie Mae. The discount applies only during active repayment for as long as the Current Amount Due or Designated Amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. It may be suspended during forbearance or deferment. Advertised APRs are valid as of 4/25/2025. Loan amounts: For applications submitted directly to Sallie Mae, loan amount cannot exceed the cost of attendance less financial aid received, as certified by the school. Applications submitted to Sallie Mae through a partner website will be subject to a lower maximum loan request amount. Miscellaneous personal expenses (such as a laptop) may be included in the cost of attendance for students enrolled at least half-time. Examples of typical costs for a $10,000 Smart Option Student Loan with the most common fixed rate, fixed repayment option, 6-month separation period, and two disbursements: For a borrower with no prior loans and a 4-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.28% fixed APR, 51 payments of $25.00, 119 payments of $182.67 and one payment of $121.71, for a Total Loan Cost of $23,134.44. For a borrower with $20,000 in prior loans and a 2-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.78% fixed APR, 27 payments of $25.00, 179 payments of $132.53 and one payment of $40.35 for a total loan cost of $24,438.22. Loans that are subject to a $50 minimum principal and interest payment amount may receive a loan term that is less than 10 years. A variable APR may increase over the life of the loan. A fixed APR will not.
Credible lets you check with multiple student loan lenders to get rates with no impact to your credit score. Visit their website to take the next steps.
Employment outlook
The following information is national and comes from the most recent data (May 2020) by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Median pay: $77,090 per year or $37.06 per hour.
Annual projected number of new jobs: 15,600.
Projected employment growth from 2020-2030: 11%.
10 cities and metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of dental hygienist jobs
Longview, Washington.
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Lawrence, Kansas.
Kokomo, Indiana.
Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Johnson City, Tennessee.
Mankato-North Mankato, Minnesota.
Twin Falls, Idaho.
Lima, Ohio.
Dover-Durham, New Hampshire/Maine.
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Training needed: Dental hygiene programs are typically at least three years and are found at community colleges, technical schools and four-year universities. Make sure the program you enroll in is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, which is part of the American Dental Association. You may get a bachelor’s degree and will usually need at least an associate degree.
When you apply, the American Dental Education Association Dental Hygiene Centralized Application Service, or ADEA DHCAS, is a common application service that collects standardized data and distributes information to multiple dental hygiene programs. You will pay a fee.
Licensing needed: Dental hygienists must be licensed in the state they practice in; licensing requirements will vary by state. Contact your state’s dental board for information on licensing.
Financial aid availability: Becoming a dental hygienist requires community college or training programs that lead to state licensing. If you attend a traditional community college or four-year college to get your bachelor’s degree, you typically can access federal aid dollars. First, submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to access need-based aid and federal student loans. If you have a financial gap to fill, consider private student loans.
If you attend a private technical school with a dental hygienist program, you may find the school offers its own loan programs or the equivalent of a “buy now, pay later” financing option. Use these with caution since often rates will be much higher than federal student loans. Compare the program available at these schools with any offered by a nearby community college.
Average nationwide dental hygienist degree cost:
According to the American Dental Education Association, the average estimated total cost of tuition and fees for:
An associate degree is $22,692.
A bachelor’s degree is $36,382.
You can use the College Scorecard to search schools by “Field of Study” and compare median debt, graduation rates and salaries.
Loan forgiveness available: Dental hygienists with federal student debt can access student loan forgiveness through Public Service Loan Forgiveness if they work for a qualifying public service not-for-profit or government employer. There are additional federal forgiveness programs for dental hygienists available. The American Dental Education Association has a list of state loan forgiveness programs that dental hygienists may qualify for.
Hours: Many dental hygienists work part-time hours; some have full-time hours.
Where you’ll work: Typically on-site in dentists’ offices.
Risks: Dental hygienists must take precautions to protect themselves from radiation while taking X-rays. Dental hygienists also typically wear protective gear to prevent the potential spread of infectious diseases.
Benefits: Full-time employment may include benefits such as vacation, sick leave, reduced cost of dental procedures and retirement contribution, but it will vary by employer. Part-time employment may not include full benefits. Many dental hygienists work part time and may work for multiple dentists.
The most prominent professional organization in the U.S. is the American Dental Hygienists’ Association. There may be local health services unions that dental hygienists can join.
