Why Dental Hygienists Should Start Their Money Journey Early

Dental Hygiene is a rewarding career, but it also comes with unique financial challenges. Our license ties us to clinical work, pay raises are rare and bonuses can't be counted on. Add in the physical demands and risk of injury- it's clear why building financial security early is so important. In this post I am going to dive into why dental hygienists should start their money journey as soon as possible- and how taking control of your finances can create freedom beyond the operatory.

Going through an accredited dental hygiene program is no easy task. It takes a lot of grit and determination, spending countless hours studying and doing anything we can to make sure we are meeting the clinical requirements to pass. What I had not realized when choosing this career path was that I had no other options later in life if I wanted a change, no room to be promoted or shift to a different position. Working as a Registered Dental Hygienist is very different than someone who maybe has a MBA or a degree in communications that has several different career routes they can go into. As Dental Hygienists we will not get a big promotion every few years when deserved, and with no promotion, no big pay raise, unlike many other careers out there. This is a HUGE barrier to building wealth over time. Registered Dental Hygienists are tied to just that- Dental Hygiene. Sure there are opportunities to maybe work in sales for a dental supply company but not all of us are sales people. Our education is extremely specific and it is hard to change careers without starting over, which let's be honest, most of us won't want to do.

I have been working as a Registered Dental Hygienist since 2017. From 2017 to today (2025) My increase in pay had gone up just $13/hour over that span of 8 years. Thinking if I worked 40 hours/week this is only a $27,000/a year increase that took me 8 years to even get. This is pre tax money, so I took home even less after considering all deductions. (My brother who works in supply chain management for a big company got a promotion and that raise in just one year.)

When I was a new Graduate in 2017 at my first job at a DSO I was making $31/hour plus a commission based on different products I "sold" to patients, or services I provided (SRP, periodontal maintenance, Arestin, fluoride treatments, laser). The commissions were sometimes really nice ranging from a several hundred dollars to a thousand even! Per pay check! But I was extremely unhappy, it felt unethical to be providing someone with a $1,500 - $2,000 treatment plan for SRP with Arestin placement, laser therapy, CHX rinses and Prevident toothpaste. This job also made me work like a dog- 30 minute appointments with an assistant. Not enough time to do everything we need to do as hygienists to properly diagnose, educate and treat our patients. I often worked 40+ hours a week here and was always given a hard time when I needed to take a day off or plan a vacation- unless I gave a 7-8 month notice. (We were booking recare appointments that far out). I left this job after about two years.

My next dental office I worked at decided to only offer me $32/ hour and with no benefits. No health insurance, no retirement, no PTO. They did pay just six hours on holidays though! Now this is really something I did not realize going into this field. Often times if you work for a small practice they may offer little to no benefits. This is obviously a huge issue. I had to buy my own health insurance from a private company and I had to figure out how to invest for my future without a 401k through my employer. Looking back at this I should have asked for more money to compensate for lack of benefits- be sure you do if you are in that boat!! However, I am thankful for the lack of employer sponsored retirement benefits I had to research on my own and find out what to do- that is when I discovered the Roth IRA, the tax free retirement account everyone should have (more on that in another post!)

I had moved to two other practices and received raises each time I moved offices. Sometimes switching offices is how you will get the raise you want. It can be hard to move to a new practice, you may feel comfortable and like where you are now but if they can not compensate you for what you deserve it may be time to consider a change. I work at my current office making $44/ hour with full benefits. (I live in the state of Ohio). I have worked here for over a year and there has been no talk about a review or chance of a raise- stay tuned!

As you can see, raises are hard to come by and commissions are not ideal. We are health care providers not salespeople! Do not get me wrong, we do make a good living and that is why it is so important to start our money journey right away. As a new grad RDH you make great money so it is important to start investing and saving it right away, time is on your side. The sooner you start, the more time compound interest has to work its magic.

Another major pain point in our profession is that the job is both physically and mentally demanding. For some of us it may not be attainable to work in this position for 30+ years. Setting yourself up financially can allow you to become free from the chains of working, the ability to work part time or even switch to a less stressful career. When I was working 40+ hours a week I felt so extremely burnt out- my body hurt, my mind was tired. I used to like to go out with friends all the time but after talking and pleasing patients all day long my social battery has just become so drained. It was not good for either my mental or physical health to be in that state. I finally reached a point in my financial journey where I can work part- time and still save for my retirement and cover my living expenses and I will tell you, I have been so much happier. Finding that work-life balance. I want that for all of you.

Lastly, and I hope this is never the scenario but it is way better to be prepared than not- what if you are physically unable to work as a RDH? A car accident? Arthritis so bad in your hands you can not make it through the work day? There are so many things that can happen, even in a blink of the eye! Being prepared financially for whatever comes your way will provide so much peace of mind.

Building wealth is not about getting and making more money- it is about the freedom and flexibility that it provides. I want every Dental Hygienist out there to be working because they want to, not because they have to.