Here are five notes on compensation in the U.S. for the two roles.
1. The average salary for dental hygienists is $81,400, and the average dental assistant salary is $44,820.
2. The number of dental hygienist jobs is projected to grow 16,300 by 2031, while there is a predicted jump of 25,700 jobs for dental assistants.
3. The median hourly wage for dental assistants was $21.55 in 2022, a 7.3% increase from 2021.
4. The median hourly wage for dental hygienists in 2022 decreased 3.1% from 2021, landing at $39.14.
5. Close to half of dental hygienists are satisfied with their current pay, compared to about 28% of dental assistants who are satisfied with their compensation.
