New dental hygiene graduates

How much should a dental hygiene graduate make an hour? I live in the philadelphia area. The dentist only offered me $29. I think thats a low number.

I am only making 28 with over 15 years of dental asst. exp before hygiene.

Michelle in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania said: How much should a dental hygiene graduate make an hour? I live in the philadelphia area. The dentist only offered me $29. I think thats a low number.

Check with Dental temp. agencies in that state, subtract $5.00 or so from that and that, is probably around what you will get for hourly pay. But,....due to the recession, many may find a "sliding fee scale", whether or not you like what's being offered, you may find it alot lower than antisipated. Look at the offices...personnel, etc. , and even if the pay is not what you want, you may take it if they are decent and clean....GL

$29.00 is definitley way too low. Average starting rate is about $35.00 an hr. Center city you could get $36.00 or $37.00. I have almost seven yrs experience and have ft job as well as temp pretty often. if you dont like what your being offered temp for a while. dont settle

mm in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania said: $29.00 is definitley way too low. Average starting rate is about $35.00 an hr. Center city you could get $36.00 or $37.00. I have almost seven yrs experience and have ft job as well as temp pretty often. if you dont like what your being offered temp for a while. dont settle

$29.00 is low, in the Northeast, due to the overcrowding (which is continuing.....), this is what I would get in the yr. "2000", unreal....but, a reality in 2009 unfortunately. You may have to re-think what you'll take if it's a decent office and are offered a "regular" paycheck and it's not a far commute to work. I also hear that Delta Dental also has a hand (not sure of how...)in the decrease in what is being offered to us too. What is irritating is....the Dr., O.M., and usually the D.A. too are getting a reduced hourly wage...but they receive the bonuses , cost of living increase, bonus or Christmas party and the R.D.H. is let go or cutback....and we can't really do anything about the situation because of the economy, and TOO MANY IN THE FIELD....that keep training in our field...and don't see that the questionable future for employment is HAPPENING...and not letting up....think out your future , think of your retirement, and this is not meant to be silly, many of us don't receive ben's....start your own IRA now!

exp in Massachusetts said: $29.00 is low, in the Northeast, due to the overcrowding (which is continuing.....), this is what I would get in the yr. "2000", unreal....but, a reality in 2009 unfortunately. You may have to re-think what you'll take if it's a decent office and are offered a "regular" paycheck and it's not a far commute to work. I also hear that Delta Dental also has a hand (not sure of how...)in the decrease in what is being offered to us too. What is irritating is....the Dr., O.M., and usually the D.A. too are getting a reduced hourly wage...but they receive the bonuses , cost of living increase, bonus or Christmas party and the R.D.H. is let go or cutback....and we can't really do anything about the situation because of the economy, and TOO MANY IN THE FIELD....that keep training in our field...and don't see that the questionable future for employment is HAPPENING...and not letting up....think out your future , think of your retirement, and this is not meant to be silly, many of us don't receive ben's....start your own IRA now!

A correction to what I wrote...."the Dr., O.M. and D.A. wages are
NOT going down...but the R.D.H.'s wage is.....".

Once again, I agree. It happened to me in an office I was in for 7 years. My pay went from 50% commission to 30% with no warning, just overnight. Then he started taking off another 7% for people who didn't pay on every days total. The assistant and front desk both got a raise and the front desk girl missed work and was late constantly. She was supposed to come in on Friday mornings and pull charts, billing, recalls and she got paid when she didn't even show. We all worked the same 4 days a week, but I never got a paid holiday or a paid vacation but they both did. I was so hurt about it all. I was the one to stay late with patients or sterilize instruments and get things ready for the next day but they got the money. When I left he said he couldn't believe it. Evidently. We get paid good money, but we make production for them also. I don't get it, why are we the first ones to take a hit?

Sorry, I got off the question.
Most new grads here were making $25 to 27/hour a couple of years ago. Now it's about $23-25. I look for it to go even lower as there are so many of us out of work. The docs are going to use that to their advantage.