Where are all the dental hygiene jobs?

Hey girls. I'm new here and was reading your comments about not finding any jobs.
I have my BSDH and was unemployed for 3 months sending out over 100 resumes and ended up with two days a week 40 minutes away from my home. I was wondering if any of you have looked into owning your own business. I started selling Premier Designs jewelry while unemployed and am making as much money as a full time DH job. plus, I only work 2-3 hours per show and make $250-300 in just 2-3 hours. It gives me the time to do what I want during the day, pick when I need off, and no one can fire me, cut back my hours, or down grade my pay. I am payed for the effort I put in. I encourage all of you to look into this, especially if you like the interaction you get with patients, this is a much more personal and fun thing. Build your own business not someone else's. here is my email if you want more info. hartlinenl@yahoo.com my name is Nikki.

NashTenn7 in Nashville, Tennessee said: I graduated hygiene school 2 years ago. I did very well in school and had great references, but still have not been able to find a job. I do fill in work when I'm lucky enough to get called. I wish I would have researched the job market before I went to hygiene school. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy what I do. But, unfortunately, enjoying your work does not pay the bills. The "few" people on here that keep going on about staying positive and to stop all the negativity need to realize that is easier said when they are the ones with the jobs. Anyone considering the hygiene field really needs to consider that a job is not guaranteed when they graduate and that the pay is decreasing.

There was a girl from my DH graduating class who just moved to Nashville, TN. She had five interviews and three offers. She is now working full-time there. I'm sorry to hear that hasn't been your luck. Here in Jackson, MS, the market for DH jobs is awful also. I've been looking for only two months, passed out 60 resumes, and only had one phone call about one day for fill-in work. ugh!

Frustrated RDH in Madison, Mississippi said: There was a girl from my DH graduating class who just moved to Nashville, TN. She had five interviews and three offers. She is now working full-time there. I'm sorry to hear that hasn't been your luck. Here in Jackson, MS, the market for DH jobs is awful also. I've been looking for only two months, passed out 60 resumes, and only had one phone call about one day for fill-in work. ugh!

Hi, Have you gone back to any of the offices to speak with the OM or maybe the Dr. him/herself? Whenever you go to an office , ask before leaving your resume if they are in need or use fill-ins out of office staff? If they are really not looking, it's not IMHO, worth leaving your resume, but you could leave a business card and take theirs...so if you are called you have some info. on: where it is, office: Digital, clean, person you spoke with, etc. Unfortunately, many a resume end up in a pile or in the bucket. I wish you well, not critical, just try to read the staff if only for the 5 or so minutes you are there...would be helpful for you. This is not the thriving field it was 5 yrs. ago and those who continue to believe other sources are in for underemployment. Sad that we don't have someone who KNOWS how to start up a union for us, with no backlash and have a stance.

I graduated since July and have not been able to get a job since in alberta. I have to start paying off loans and at this point I am wondering if I should start working at tim hortons instead!

jobless in alberta in Edmonton, Alberta said: I graduated since July and have not been able to get a job since in alberta. I have to start paying off loans and at this point I am wondering if I should start working at tim hortons instead!

I graduated 3yrs ago, it took almost a year before I found a full-time job. A previous comment was made that ppl with jobs make it seem like its not that hard to find one. That is in no way my opinion. I have a good job at the moment, if anything were to happen I will probably explore other career fields, because I know chances of finding another job even close in pay and/or benefits is unlikely. I worked through a temp agency while I was searching for a hygiene job. I had bills to pay that couldn't wait for a job in the dental field. I will say apply everywhere! Even with the Dr everyone tells you is so mean, etc. etc. My first job was with the Dr. everyone else hated and the turnover was high... I took a chance and ended up working there for almost 2yrs with no problem before I got a better offer. No other advice for you but to stay positive and don't give up. Jobs are scarce in many fields not just hygiene!

I am a new hygienist working in Santa Barbara for a little over a month. However, I recently was notified that my position would be cut down to half of my usual work hours. So please if anyone knows of any jobs hiring or needing a temp hygienist in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Oxnard, or Camarillo, please let me know.
ddzavalardh@gmail.com

adnguyen in Garden Grove, California said: I am from south california, Orange county. If any one knows which office is hiring, please let me know.

Good luck with that. I live in Los Angeles and there are NO jobs here! I have been actively looking since August 2011 and nothing. I want to switch careers but being 50, and only a 2 year degree, things are not on my side. I would NOT recommend dental hygiene as a career to anyone anymore. I've been practicing for 20 years and if I had known, it would be this way, I would have gone into computers! I'm just sayin....

do NOT go to the Canadian Academy of Dental Hygiene, Mississauga

Hi frustratedRDH in Los Angeles. I had some questions for you...I also live near the LA area and actually really wanted to go into DH for the longest time. I took a different route and went into nursing b/c of the career options and sometimes I just check the forums to see if the job outlook has improved, wondering if I should have choose DH. I am still finishing my last semester in nursing school. But anyways, may I ask where did you go to school? I was told when I was going through orientation that DH was full of job openings and the field would never get flooded (said a Cerritos instructor from the DH program...). What have you found out? Is it really that bad out there? I know the economy is getting a little better so I thought that DH job openings would increase.... and yahoo.com always advertises how DH make like 60K+....

let me know your thoughts. love to hear from you since you are near where I live ...

Jessica RN in Covina, California said: Hi frustratedRDH in Los Angeles. I had some questions for you...I also live near the LA area and actually really wanted to go into DH for the longest time. I took a different route and went into nursing b/c of the career options and sometimes I just check the forums to see if the job outlook has improved, wondering if I should have choose DH. I am still finishing my last semester in nursing school. But anyways, may I ask where did you go to school? I was told when I was going through orientation that DH was full of job openings and the field would never get flooded (said a Cerritos instructor from the DH program...). What have you found out? Is it really that bad out there? I know the economy is getting a little better so I thought that DH job openings would increase.... and yahoo.com always advertises how DH make like 60K+....

let me know your thoughts. love to hear from you since you are near where I live ...

I'm glad you took Nursing as a major...don't believe the DH schools , govt/bls, online articles or search engines...you get the real info. from those visiting this site. The DH field is saturated in quite a few states and Canada. I do not know personally or see it here what states actually are not in a oversaturation of DH. As a nurse you will have: a career, regular paycheck, sick/holiday pay, 401K...as a DH: everything I mentioned is a crapshoot. Alot of us are in a precarious work situation and the Dr.'s, not all, but most are loving this. The competition for work is horrible, backstabbing in some cases to obtain a position. It is not a healthy competition for work. Good luck in your career as a nurse, who knows, maybe in 20 yrs. or so, DH may have a turn around in job opportunities, but being in the field for 26 yrs. I seriously, IMHO, don't think so.

Jessica RN in Covina, California said: Hi frustratedRDH in Los Angeles. I had some questions for you...I also live near the LA area and actually really wanted to go into DH for the longest time. I took a different route and went into nursing b/c of the career options and sometimes I just check the forums to see if the job outlook has improved, wondering if I should have choose DH. I am still finishing my last semester in nursing school. But anyways, may I ask where did you go to school? I was told when I was going through orientation that DH was full of job openings and the field would never get flooded (said a Cerritos instructor from the DH program...). What have you found out? Is it really that bad out there? I know the economy is getting a little better so I thought that DH job openings would increase.... and yahoo.com always advertises how DH make like 60K+....

let me know your thoughts. love to hear from you since you are near where I live ...

I'm glad you took Nursing as a major...don't believe the DH schools , govt/bls, online articles or search engines...you get the real info. from those visiting this site. The DH field is saturated in quite a few states and Canada. I do not know personally or see it here what states actually are not in a oversaturation of DH. As a nurse you will have: a career, regular paycheck, sick/holiday pay, 401K...as a DH: everything I mentioned is a crapshoot. Alot of us are in a precarious work situation and the Dr.'s, not all, but most are loving this. The competition for work is horrible, backstabbing in some cases to obtain a position. It is not a healthy competition for work. Good luck in your career as a nurse, who knows, maybe in 20 yrs. or so, DH may have a turn around in job opportunities, but being in the field for 26 yrs. I seriously, IMHO, don't think so.

Jessica RN in Covina, California said: Hi frustratedRDH in Los Angeles. I had some questions for you...I also live near the LA area and actually really wanted to go into DH for the longest time. I took a different route and went into nursing b/c of the career options and sometimes I just check the forums to see if the job outlook has improved, wondering if I should have choose DH. I am still finishing my last semester in nursing school. But anyways, may I ask where did you go to school? I was told when I was going through orientation that DH was full of job openings and the field would never get flooded (said a Cerritos instructor from the DH program...). What have you found out? Is it really that bad out there? I know the economy is getting a little better so I thought that DH job openings would increase.... and yahoo.com always advertises how DH make like 60K+....

let me know your thoughts. love to hear from you since you are near where I live ...

I'm glad you took Nursing as a major...don't believe the DH schools , govt/bls, online articles or search engines...you get the real info. from those visiting this site. The DH field is saturated in quite a few states and Canada. I do not know personally or see it here what states actually are not in a oversaturation of DH. As a nurse you will have: a career, regular paycheck, sick/holiday pay, 401K...as a DH: everything I mentioned is a crapshoot. Alot of us are in a precarious work situation and the Dr.'s, not all, but most are loving this. The competition for work is horrible, backstabbing in some cases to obtain a position. It is not a healthy competition for work. Good luck in your career as a nurse, who knows, maybe in 20 yrs. or so, DH may have a turn around in job opportunities, but being in the field for 26 yrs. I seriously, IMHO, don't think so.

Jessica RN in Covina, California said: Hi frustratedRDH in Los Angeles. I had some questions for you...I also live near the LA area and actually really wanted to go into DH for the longest time. I took a different route and went into nursing b/c of the career options and sometimes I just check the forums to see if the job outlook has improved, wondering if I should have choose DH. I am still finishing my last semester in nursing school. But anyways, may I ask where did you go to school? I was told when I was going through orientation that DH was full of job openings and the field would never get flooded (said a Cerritos instructor from the DH program...). What have you found out? Is it really that bad out there? I know the economy is getting a little better so I thought that DH job openings would increase.... and yahoo.com always advertises how DH make like 60K+....

let me know your thoughts. love to hear from you since you are near where I live ...

I'm glad you took Nursing as a major...don't believe the DH schools , govt/bls, online articles or search engines...you get the real info. from those visiting this site. The DH field is saturated in quite a few states and Canada. I do not know personally or see it here what states actually are not in a oversaturation of DH. As a nurse you will have: a career, regular paycheck, sick/holiday pay, 401K...as a DH: everything I mentioned is a crapshoot. Alot of us are in a precarious work situation and the Dr.'s, not all, but most are loving this. The competition for work is horrible, backstabbing in some cases to obtain a position. It is not a healthy competition for work. Good luck in your career as a nurse, who knows, maybe in 20 yrs. or so, DH may have a turn around in job opportunities, but being in the field for 26 yrs. I seriously, IMHO, don't think so.

Jessica RN in Covina, California said: Hi frustratedRDH in Los Angeles. I had some questions for you...I also live near the LA area and actually really wanted to go into DH for the longest time. I took a different route and went into nursing b/c of the career options and sometimes I just check the forums to see if the job outlook has improved, wondering if I should have choose DH. I am still finishing my last semester in nursing school. But anyways, may I ask where did you go to school? I was told when I was going through orientation that DH was full of job openings and the field would never get flooded (said a Cerritos instructor from the DH program...). What have you found out? Is it really that bad out there? I know the economy is getting a little better so I thought that DH job openings would increase.... and yahoo.com always advertises how DH make like 60K+....

let me know your thoughts. love to hear from you since you are near where I live ...

I'm glad you took Nursing as a major...don't believe the DH schools , govt/bls, online articles or search engines...you get the real info. from those visiting this site. The DH field is saturated in quite a few states and Canada. I do not know personally or see it here what states actually are not in a oversaturation of DH. As a nurse you will have: a career, regular paycheck, sick/holiday pay, 401K...as a DH: everything I mentioned is a crapshoot. Alot of us are in a precarious work situation and the Dr.'s, not all, but most are loving this. The competition for work is horrible, backstabbing in some cases to obtain a position. It is not a healthy competition for work. Good luck in your career as a nurse, who knows, maybe in 20 yrs. or so, DH may have a turn around in job opportunities, but being in the field for 26 yrs. I seriously, IMHO, don't think so.

Very interesting article in the newspaper today. The headline reads, "Lawyers sue law schools over surplus of graduates." The suit has to do with law schools that "churn out" graduates "even though roughly half as many jobs are available." It also names a school that manipulates its employment stats for prospective students (boasting a 90-92% employment rate within 9 months). The claim is that full time work in actuality "could be well below 40%". I know that this article is about law school students, but it sounds terribly familiar. I've seen DH schools' advertisements that boast starting wages of 60K for new hygienists and that there is plenty of full time work still available.
This may be an interesting case to watch. At the very least it may set a precedent with regards to how schools advertise and the claims that are made about wages and work availability.

frustratedRDH in Los Angeles, California said: Good luck with that. I live in Los Angeles and there are NO jobs here! I have been actively looking since August 2011 and nothing. I want to switch careers but being 50, and only a 2 year degree, things are not on my side. I would NOT recommend dental hygiene as a career to anyone anymore. I've been practicing for 20 years and if I had known, it would be this way, I would have gone into computers! I'm just sayin....

I went to a community college in Northern Calif, which had at the time, and still does have a good reputation with their DH program. The jobs are still slim out there and the competition is still great, and I am still sending out resumes with no response. 60k is possible IF you can get full time. The average per day is $350. Dentists are now realizing THEY can do the hygiene and not have to have an RDH do it. (We all know that dentists can not do as good of a job doing hygiene as an RDH) This adds to the lack of jobs there are out there. I don't know what else to tell you except, STAY IN NURSING. You'll be better off in the long run. Had I known it would have become this way, I wouldn't have ventured into dental hygiene at all!

frustratedRDH in Los Angeles, California said: Good luck with that. I live in Los Angeles and there are NO jobs here! I have been actively looking since August 2011 and nothing. I want to switch careers but being 50, and only a 2 year degree, things are not on my side. I would NOT recommend dental hygiene as a career to anyone anymore. I've been practicing for 20 years and if I had known, it would be this way, I would have gone into computers! I'm just sayin....

I went to a community college in Northern Calif, which had at the time, and still does have a good reputation with their DH program. The jobs are still slim out there and the competition is still great, and I am still sending out resumes with no response. 60k is possible IF you can get full time. The average per day is $350. Dentists are now realizing THEY can do the hygiene and not have to have an RDH do it. (We all know that dentists can not do as good of a job doing hygiene as an RDH) This adds to the lack of jobs there are out there. I don't know what else to tell you except, STAY IN NURSING. You'll be better off in the long run. Had I known it would have become this way, I wouldn't have ventured into dental hygiene at all!

frustratedRDH in Los Angeles, California said: Good luck with that. I live in Los Angeles and there are NO jobs here! I have been actively looking since August 2011 and nothing. I want to switch careers but being 50, and only a 2 year degree, things are not on my side. I would NOT recommend dental hygiene as a career to anyone anymore. I've been practicing for 20 years and if I had known, it would be this way, I would have gone into computers! I'm just sayin....

I went to a community college in Northern Calif, which had at the time, and still does have a good reputation with their DH program. The jobs are still slim out there and the competition is still great, and I am still sending out resumes with no response. 60k is possible IF you can get full time. The average per day is $350. Dentists are now realizing THEY can do the hygiene and not have to have an RDH do it. (We all know that dentists can not do as good of a job doing hygiene as an RDH) This adds to the lack of jobs there are out there. I don't know what else to tell you except, STAY IN NURSING. You'll be better off in the long run. Had I known it would have become this way, I wouldn't have ventured into dental hygiene at all!

Yes, my new dentist also serves as a dental hygienist... too many dentists out there and competition drives down business so they try to cut costs. .. the young and upcoming dentists tend to do it more themselves.

Yes, stay in nursing if you're employed, my friend graduated with a nursing degree 2 years ago but had a hard time finding a job; when she finally did, she had to live apart from her husband because the hospital is nowhere near home, she started looking a year ago (need at least 1 yr experience shown in her resume) but no luck. .. still remember the 'nurse shortage' many many years ago.

Yes, my new dentist also serves as a dental hygienist... too many dentists out there and competition drives down business so they try to cut costs. .. the young and upcoming dentists tend to do it more themselves.

Yes, stay in nursing if you're employed, my friend graduated with a nursing degree 2 years ago but had a hard time finding a job; when she finally did, she had to live apart from her husband because the hospital is nowhere near home, she started looking a year ago (need at least 1 yr experience shown in her resume) but no luck. .. still remember the 'nurse shortage' many many years ago

Things have been really bad all over as you can read in the posts. I am an RDH with 17 years experience and I have slowly had my days cut over the last couple years due to the economy. I have been activly on the job market for the last two years and still have not found anything permanant to fill the two days that I lost. I think in the last two years I have had three actual interviews, and all have said they have been flooded with applicants. I don't mean to be a downer just a realist, I still love what I do but the enviroment is not fun out there there is a lot of back stabbing for jobs because they just are not there. If I had it to do all over again I would have gone with the nursing if for nothing else but the benifits i.e. insurance because you do not know what your future holds and you may find yourself uninsurable unless you are on a group plan which is non existant in dentistry. Best Wishes and Good Luck

I just moved to the Pacific Northwest and I'm so stressed out right now!!! I moved here from Oklahoma from a full time position making 300/day and now I'm here in Portland/Vancouver area and I can't find a darn thing! We moved here for my husband's new job, but it pays squat(he's a pilot and they get paid crap for the first few yrs)Is it just me and that I have no contacts here? Is it really as bad as I'm experiencing it? or is just because I'm new and don't know anybody? I'm signed up with a temp agency, but that doesn't pay the bills! I send out my resume at the first post of an ad on Craigslist. I've been on two interviews where I was one of the "finalists" for the position, but I ended up not getting it. :( I'm at my wits end! I got my food handlers and liquor permit today and started applying to server positions. :( We'll see if I get any of those. I've applied to anything I can such as an administrative assistant, sales, customer service, you name it. I've been thinking about getting my CNA, going back to Oklahoma because I know so many more people there. I don't know, I'm just having a million things go through my head, different situations to where I can catch up and stop accruing debt! If you are in the Vancouver/Portland area, let me know how it is! Please!

I had the same situation here but with the added burden of being "over the hill" by current standards. You just have to make sure you have a killer cover letter, an engaging resume maybe in a folder with projects you've done, awards won etc and get out there in person office to office. Find your local component to see if they offer any assistance. I even went to Vistaprint.com and had great business cards made ("Have Floss Will Travel")to use while I temped. Be proactive and sell yourself (so to speak). You only need one foot in the door. Get friendly with the local dental sales reps. They are in a lot of offices and hear when there are openings. Don't be afraid to list yourself on Craigslist as available to work. It's done a lot here in Orange County and may just get you noticed sooner.
Best of luck and don't give up. YOu really have to be creative.
Hygienist since 1974

What is sad, is we shouldn't have to do all that to get a job! It never used to be that way and it is all because of those new so-called "hygiene schools" Very sad...

That's absolutley true. However, it is what it is. Gone are the days of commission pay, paid vacations, profit sharing. I've had them all. The only positive thing I've heard lately is that a couple of proprietary schools have closed due to not meeting their accredidation needs. The downside to that is the poor students that bought into their promises without really thoroughly checking them out and are not going to graduate or get theri $45,000/yr tuition refunded or be able to transfer their classes to another program. I think of the two classes only 5 or 6 students were able to be placed in other hygiene programs. There just has to be more regulation of schools and I don't know how that is going to happen as fast as it must. Very sad, indeed.

That's absolutley true. However, it is what it is. Gone are the days of commission pay, paid vacations, profit sharing. I've had them all. The only positive thing I've heard lately is that a couple of proprietary schools have closed due to not meeting their accredidation needs. The downside to that is the poor students that bought into their promises without really thoroughly checking them out and are not going to graduate or get their $45,000/yr tuition refunded or be able to transfer their classes to another program. I think of the two classes only 5 or 6 students were able to be placed in other hygiene programs. There just has to be more regulation of schools and I don't know how that is going to happen as fast as it must. Very sad, indeed.

I too have been looking for a hygiene position and just wanted to let everyone know the pay is down to 22$ an hr (just saw an add!) One of the offices I work at pays their assistants $20 hr! How is this right when places like Kaiser and Willamette pay almost 40$ hr? How are these other offices going to be able to pay $22 and get hygienists? Or for that matter how will the big corporations pay $40 when they can pay $22? Union or not! Somethings got to give! Tell ppl to stay out if hygiene, they are destroying it! Go into nursing!!

I'd recommend that one should go into almost anything OTHER THAN hygiene. I saw problems with DH when I first got into this field about 20 years ago. I heard of a dentist who "couldn't" get a DH to work for him, so he "had to" train his DA to do hygiene. That was an excuse to set a precedent, and from that I had an inkling of what was to come. They wanted cheaper labour. They want to get our wages closer to that of an assistant. I just didn't think that it would happen this quickly.
I don't know what's going to happen. I suspect that this downward spiral for DH's will continue for quite some time. Business is business, you know. Sad.

Superfluous RDH in Ottawa, Ontario said: I'd recommend that one should go into almost anything OTHER THAN hygiene. I saw problems with DH when I first got into this field about 20 years ago. I heard of a dentist who "couldn't" get a DH to work for him, so he "had to" train his DA to do hygiene. That was an excuse to set a precedent, and from that I had an inkling of what was to come. They wanted cheaper labour. They want to get our wages closer to that of an assistant . I just didn't think that it would happen this quickly.
I don't know what's going to happen. I suspect that this downward spiral for DH's will continue for quite some time. Business is business, you know. Sad.

Your comments are so true. As a male in the hygiene profession I have seen jobs go from plwntiful to non-existant. After fourteen years part time work is only what is available and even that is difficult. In the state of connecticut there is movement by the legislature to allow dental assistants to clean teeth. The beginning of the end? Stay tuned.The meassure was defeated but the downward pressure for wages and jobs continues. Hygiene is becoming an endangered species.What's sad is not many hygienists really seem to care because only about 10 percent of the 4500 hygienists belong to the hygiene association.I would urge any one thinking of becoming a hygienist to think twice. Diminishing pay and availability of work are decreasing as I type. A pay raise has not been seen in the past seven years.Try OT or PT professions , at least there are good paying jobs in those areas..

Superfluous RDH in Ottawa, Ontario said: Very interesting article in the newspaper today. The headline reads, "Lawyers sue law schools over surplus of graduates." The suit has to do with law schools that "churn out" graduates "even though roughly half as many jobs are available." It also names a school that manipulates its employment stats for prospective students (boasting a 90-92% employment rate within 9 months). The claim is that full time work in actuality "could be well below 40%". I know that this article is about law school students, but it sounds terribly familiar. I've seen DH schools' advertisements that boast starting wages of 60K for new hygienists and that there is plenty of full time work still available.
This may be an interesting case to watch. At the very least it may set a precedent with regards to how schools advertise and the claims that are made about wages and work availability.

I saw this on TV... Prior to this there was a woman who sued a school and she acutully won the case. Wonder whats going to happen in our industry? Is CODA still taking the word of the Dentist that they need more hygienist so schools can open up? Ive went to websites of hygiene schools some are now saying that this is a part-time occupation..some are directing "job outlook" from the department of labor(i chuckle at this). Sounds a little "legal"twist to protect themselves.

Gracie's mom in Anaheim, California said: That's absolutley true. However, it is what it is. Gone are the days of commission pay, paid vacations, profit sharing. I've had them all. The only positive thing I've heard lately is that a couple of proprietary schools have closed due to not meeting their accredidation needs. The downside to that is the poor students that bought into their promises without really thoroughly checking them out and are not going to graduate or get their $45,000/yr tuition refunded or be able to transfer their classes to another program. I think of the two classes only 5 or 6 students were able to be placed in other hygiene programs. There just has to be more regulation of schools and I don't know how that is going to happen as fast as it must. Very sad, indeed.

California residents,
I saw you live in socal (as do I) and I have a few questions. Which ADA accredited schools in CA have the best reputation? Is the job market still really rough for RDH's in LA, San Fran, San Jose, Irvine, Sacramento, San Diego, etc? What is the starting pay and mid career pay in CA?

The job market for dental hygienists is still fairly impacted. I resorted to taking all dates off my resume to level the playing field and did get a few interviews but, mostly get no response at all to submissions. Just check craigslist.org for job listings and there are very few. As for the best schools, try a search for "accredited dental hygiene schools in California." CDHA has a list. If you see a school that has partial accreditation or provisional I think I would avoid it.The usual time span for accreditation visits is 7 years. If you see one that is 2-3 years there may be an issue there. Schools like Daiblo Valley, Cerritos, Cypress, Fresno City, Sacto City, Pasadena City Colleg (my school) have been around long enough to have a good established record. Southwestern College (San Diego) West LA, and West Coast Univ. arenewer

continued..but still have very good reputations. I would not pay a ridiculous amount of tuition to enter dental hygiene at this time as it will be a long time paying it back. I've seen ads offering starting pay as low as $250/day and I know a periodontist in Mission Viejo paying his longtime, experienced hygienists $460/day.New grads are undercutting older experienced hygienists just to get a foot in the proverbial door. A friend of mine is taking $20/hr working front desk in this crazy office just to have a job.Another hygienist I know just lost two days a week to a dentist wanting to work as a hygienist. Some senior dental students may soon be able to work as hygienists. Think long and hard about entering this field!!

I'm biased to Cerritos College of course. I didn't think much of it before, but now with these other private schools offering DH program for a very high tuition, I am very proud of my school!

I graduated from Cabrillo College in Aptos CA, near Santa Cruz in the Bay Area. I am really proud of my alma mater. Right now, I am lucky to have the 3 days that I do work. I am also lucky because I make $400/day, with benefits. I have been looking for another day since last August, when my employer had to cut me back. Just this last week, I called 2 of the biggest temp agencies here in Los Angeles, and they have NO work. They say to keep checking back each month with my availability. I asked why is it so slow and they both said the same thing: too many new grads and dentists are also realizing that why should they pay a hygienist to clean teeth, when they can do the cleanings themselves, since they now have the time; and not too mention that some hygienists will take a job only paying $200/day, so our days of getting more than that, probably won't exist in the near future. The field has changed, and most likely will never be the same. PLEASE, RECONSIDER THIS OCCUPATION if you are thinking of this profession. You may never find work once you graduate...