job market of dental hygienist

I live in kingston Ontario. I am trying to go to dental hygiene program. The biggest concern for me is how's the job market in Ontario. For example the hiring rate after graduation. Is it easy to find a job in Ontario? Someone know this kind of information, please help.

Scotty in Toronto, Ontario said: Hi,

Honestly, all we need is yet another female hygienist#@$%

Are you after the money or something.

Why don't you go to university for "kin", "drama" or "women's studies" instead like the rest of normal girls?

If that doesn't work out for you, you can always be a mother and in the kitchen after marying some rich guy.

Hope this helps.

what is wrong with you--why are you being so mean?

Tracy in Woodstock, Georgia said: what is wrong with you--why are you being so mean?

Scotty in Toronto, Are you an R.D.H.? Please note that this site asks to be polite and reasonable.

Honestly there are no jobs in Ontario, unless you want to work one day a week. I am from Ontario and just recently moved to Manitoba to work. Your best bet is to try another province ,get your experience and then move back. It is easier to get a job in hygiene when you have a job in hygiene137

sharon in Picton, Ontario said: I live in kingston Ontario. I am trying to go to dental hygiene program. The biggest concern for me is how's the job market in Ontario. For example the hiring rate after graduation. Is it easy to find a job in Ontario? Someone know this kind of information, please help.

It is nice to see that someone is looking at the job outlook
BEFORE entering this career. Here is the scoop.
The dentist that I work for has no plans of letting go his
regular hygiene staff. The hygienists with over 15 years
experience continue to find new ways to enhance production
and offer the best service to the patients as possible.
Any new temps are constantly used on a turn-over basis.
This means that when the new temps gain experience, they
are replaced by new grads at a cheaper rate. Right now,
the going temp rate for a new grad in our office is under
$30.00. What to expect in the future as a new grad is
truly a lot of heartache and frustration. The established
hygienists will also suffer from frustration as they will
be handed more duties and no pay increase. Go for a job that
is in demand such as nursing and other health related occupations. The shortcut of little schooling right now
will not pay off if you think long term and the surplus that
hygiene has created. The problem with this forum is that
there is not enough new grads in Ontario discussing their
job prospects. Could be because they are all competing, and
there is a lot of cut-throat action amongst eachother.

i graduated a year ago. i am currentlly working less then 30 hours a week in toronto. the job market doesn't look very promising at this point. when i was first considering this field, everyone needed a hygienist, but now the job market has changed. it is very frustruating. i went to a good school, was a good student, and i love my proffesion. but it is very discouraging and, frankly, scary to be a new grad in this over-saturated field.

Scotty in Toronto, Ontario said: Hi,

Honestly, all we need is yet another female hygienist#@$%

Are you after the money or something.

Why don't you go to university for "kin", "drama" or "women's studies" instead like the rest of normal girls?

If that doesn't work out for you, you can always be a mother and in the kitchen after marying some rich guy.

Hope this helps.

Even though (I've heard) the job market is over saturated right now, there is no need for sarcastic, rude comments like this. Bitter much? Wow.

Katrina in Toronto, Ontario said: i graduated a year ago. i am currentlly working less then 30 hours a week in toronto. the job market doesn't look very promising at this point. when i was first considering this field, everyone needed a hygienist, but now the job market has changed. it is very frustruating. i went to a good school, was a good student, and i love my proffesion. but it is very discouraging and, frankly, scary to be a new grad in this over-saturated field.

I totally agree with you. I just graduated from Dalhousie University and am seeking work in Ontario; have applied for 7 jobs in the past month...I have heard nothing. It is stressful and, yes, scary, to be competing for jobs against 100-200 applicants. I sincerely regret choosing DH. All these DH schools do is blow sunshine up the students' asses so they will enroll and dish out $35,000 so a school can graduate 70, 80, 100 new students every 18 months!!!! Yes...VERY scary to realize that. That, and the fact there are 32 DH schools in Ontario; it is sick. I'd like to know who oversees these schools and how can they justify so many DH schools operating?

Katrina in Toronto, Ontario said: i graduated a year ago. i am currentlly working less then 30 hours a week in toronto. the job market doesn't look very promising at this point. when i was first considering this field, everyone needed a hygienist, but now the job market has changed. it is very frustruating. i went to a good school, was a good student, and i love my proffesion. but it is very discouraging and, frankly, scary to be a new grad in this over-saturated field.

SO.....what are you doing in Ontario to address this concern?? Are you going to your private schools that have opened up and telling them to LIMIT ENROLLMENT ?? Is any of that happening....? Or do they just tell their graduates to 'go to other provinces to get work'....? Please answer me on something.....? Are there restrictions on enrollment or a GPA requirement of a 3.7 or something to get into these schools....? or is it, as long as you have the tuition money, you can get in.....? Can you ONTARIO graduates put pressure on your association or on these schools to LIMIT enrollment so that the market doesn't get further flooded....?

daldh in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia said: I totally agree with you. I just graduated from Dalhousie University and am seeking work in Ontario; have applied for 7 jobs in the past month...I have heard nothing. It is stressful and, yes, scary, to be competing for jobs against 100-200 applicants. I sincerely regret choosing DH. All these DH schools do is blow sunshine up the students' asses so they will enroll and dish out $35,000 so a school can graduate 70, 80, 100 new students every 18 months!!!! Yes...VERY scary to realize that. That, and the fact there are 32 DH schools in Ontario; it is sick. I'd like to know who oversees these schools and how can they justify so many DH schools operating?

One last comment, in Alberta we have ONE Dental Hygiene School. It is at the University of Alberta and it has been around since the 1960's and it regulates the number of enrollment and has students competing for positions and require a science based pre-professional year and a high GPA for acceptance. High standards in education, a quota faculty, attention to the RDH population in the province ALL is a service to our profession and to the oral health care of the province's population.

30 year vet in Edmonton, Alberta said: SO.....what are you doing in Ontario to address this concern?? Are you going to your private schools that have opened up and telling them to LIMIT ENROLLMENT ?? Is any of that happening....? Or do they just tell their graduates to 'go to other provinces to get work'....? Please answer me on something.....? Are there restrictions on enrollment or a GPA requirement of a 3.7 or something to get into these schools....? or is it, as long as you have the tuition money, you can get in.....? Can you ONTARIO graduates put pressure on your association or on these schools to LIMIT enrollment so that the market doesn't get further flooded....?

I am very interested in addressing this “over-saturated market” situation, but I don’t know where to start or how to go about it. What I do know, however, is that the market will change. It is all about supply and demand. Right now there are too many DHs and that is why the job market is bad. However, when people who are considering entering this field realize that they might not get a job after graduating, entering hygiene might not be their choice in the end. With less and less graduates the demand for RDHs will rise again. Or at least that’s what I think. As for addressing the current job market situation, yeah I want to do something about it. I don’t’ know if weather we should start a petition, or do public speaking in schools regarding the job market… As for the private school requirements, from what I understand their requirements are similar to accredited colleges. I went to Niagara College which is a very good school, and, yes, their requirements were high. Another topic that I would like to bring up is that dentists are starting to open up private hygiene schools, knowing what the job market is like right now. In the end, it’s all about money, but if I could get more RDHs on this matter with me, maybe we can do something after all.

Katrina in Toronto, Ontario said: I am very interested in addressing this “over-saturated market” situation, but I don’t know where to start or how to go about it. What I do know, however, is that the market will change. It is all about supply and demand. Right now there are too many DHs and that is why the job market is bad. However, when people who are considering entering this field realize that they might not get a job after graduating, entering hygiene might not be their choice in the end. With less and less graduates the demand for RDHs will rise again. Or at least that’s what I think. As for addressing the current job market situation, yeah I want to do something about it. I don’t’ know if weather we should start a petition, or do public speaking in schools regarding the job market… As for the private school requirements, from what I understand their requirements are similar to accredited colleges. I went to Niagara College which is a very good school, and, yes, their requirements were high. Another topic that I would like to bring up is that dentists are starting to open up private hygiene schools, knowing what the job market is like right now. In the end, it’s all about money, but if I could get more RDHs on this matter with me, maybe we can do something after all.

The same thing is happening in the USA. But, who and how has the legalese, and/or contact info to pursue some kind of agenda? If you have any info on this matter for the USA R.D.H.'s, please share it with us here too! Please check out a Blog on this site regarding the ADHA...No responses from them on our concerns of limited employment (not to say that in 10+ yrs. if may be reversed IF,....IF.... those interested in our field pursue it....down the road. It is not fair to tell those interested in our field "it's great....." when there are MANY resumes in the Dr.'s drawer!!!!

Katrina in Toronto, Ontario said: I am very interested in addressing this “over-saturated market” situation, but I don’t know where to start or how to go about it. What I do know, however, is that the market will change. It is all about supply and demand. Right now there are too many DHs and that is why the job market is bad. However, when people who are considering entering this field realize that they might not get a job after graduating, entering hygiene might not be their choice in the end. With less and less graduates the demand for RDHs will rise again. Or at least that’s what I think. market is like right now. In the end, it’s all about money, but if I could get more RDHs on this matter with me, maybe we can do something after all.

It is the Ministry of Education that sets the standards. Could
be too late for the new grads to "wish" for supply and demand to
return to a normal state. Ontario Dental Hygiene association, canadian DH association will eventually try to lobby for a bachelor's, but this will take years. With so many RDH unemployed
now and the slew of new grads coming out the next few years, your
only hope is a correction in the next 5-10 years. I can't see it
happening any sooner, even if we implemented a bachelor's degree
in the next 2 years (which is the earliest we can hope for) If in
2011 all colleges both private and public were eliminated in favor
of a University degree, the existing RDH's would have to be grandfathered in. There are a lot of them and it will take
a lot of time for the supply and demand to change.
I hate to say it, but we are doomed. Sad part is, the private
colleges are still filling up. Guess the new grad RDH's think they
will be the "chosen one" to get hired.

nojobs in Toronto, Ontario said: It is the Ministry of Education that sets the standards. Could
be too late for the new grads to "wish" for supply and demand to
return to a normal state. Ontario Dental Hygiene association, canadian DH association will eventually try to lobby for a bachelor's, but this will take years. With so many RDH unemployed
now and the slew of new grads coming out the next few years, your
only hope is a correction in the next 5-10 years. I can't see it
happening any sooner, even if we implemented a bachelor's degree
in the next 2 years (which is the earliest we can hope for) If in
2011 all colleges both private and public were eliminated in favor
of a University degree, the existing RDH's would have to be grandfathered in. There are a lot of them and it will take
a lot of time for the supply and demand to change.
I hate to say it, but we are doomed. Sad part is, the private
colleges are still filling up. Guess the new grad RDH's think they
will be the "chosen one" to get hired.

Don't think that having a Bachelor's Degree will help at all in finding a job.
I am a registered dental hygienist from the USA.
I graduated w/ a Bachelor's of Science in Dental Hygiene at the Universtiy Of Louisville (rated as being in the top 4 DH schools in the USA)w/ a Bachelor's of Science in Biology before that. I moved up to Ontario w/ my husband 2 years ago (he's Canadian) and am still only working 10 hours a week.
Ontario is horrible for hygiene jobs if I were you I would choose a different province, I went out to B.C. for 6 months and had 2 job offers from the 8 dentists that were in town. Here out of the 350 dentisits in my area I can't find any work or I get the crappy 3 hour night shifts for horrible pay.
And I know someone said the USA is the same way but not from where I was from. All my hygiene friends got offered full-time work before they even graduated.
If I were you I'd choose another field! Goodluck!

rdh in London, Ontario said: Don't think that having a Bachelor's Degree will help at all in finding a job.
I am a registered dental hygienist from the USA.
I graduated w/ a Bachelor's of Science in Dental Hygiene at the Universtiy Of Louisville (rated as being in the top 4 DH schools in the USA)w/ a Bachelor's of Science in Biology before that. I moved up to Ontario w/ my husband 2 years ago (he's Canadian) and am still only working 10 hours a week.
Ontario is horrible for hygiene jobs if I were you I would choose a different province, I went out to B.C. for 6 months and had 2 job offers from the 8 dentists that were in town. Here out of the 350 dentisits in my area I can't find any work or I get the crappy 3 hour night shifts for horrible pay.
And I know someone said the USA is the same way but not from where I was from. All my hygiene friends got offered full-time work before they even graduated.
If I were you I'd choose another field! Goodluck!

You misunderstood my post. I don't think with a bachelor's or a
masters degree that you will get the job. What a mandatory bachelor's degree will do is ELIMINATE college diploma, therefore
getting rid of 35 schools that pump out 100's of hygienists yearly.
The post in question was to eliminate supply and demand.

There should be an OUTCRY from RDh's across the country in regards to all these private schools opening up and saturating the market. The very fact that there are 34 schools in Ontario, graduating 1132 students PER YEAR from Dental Hygiene should make ALL DENTAL HYGIENISTS SCREAM! That is absolutely PATHETIC and the fact that the Ontario Dental Hygiene Association ALLOWED for this huge number of schools to set up is horrendous. This is an EXCESSIVE NUMBER of schools ...... if Ontario Dental Association was to set up 40 Dental Schools to train dentists and quadruple the number of Dentists graduating from schools in their province, you can bet the Practicing Dentists in the province would be screaming about it and BLOCK all those schools from opening up!

Again.....if you go across the country of Canada and see the number of Dental Hygiene Schools and number of graduates PER PROVINCE, you will see that ONTARIO has absolutely screwed up the ratio! All these graduates from these 'fast track' hygiene schools are leaving Ontario cause the market is FLOODED with RDHs there.....and they're coming out west and taking the few jobs left. I would DISCOURAGE ANYONE FROM GOING INTO DENTAL HYGIENE NOW as I see the profession being 'watered down'..... While most health professions are going towards DEGREE programs.....hygiene is stepping back by offering 19 month programs..... That is regretful.

My advice, get every RDH you know to be ON THE BAND WAGON and STOP THE INSANITY.....and remember, that IF it is DENTISTS who are setting up some of these DH Schools, there is a CONFLICT OF INTEREST right there.....and the PUBLIC INTEREST IS NOT BEING REGARDED.....We should inform the public of this conflict....and also stand firm in our profession to ensure the STANDARD OF CARE THE PUBLIC RECEIVES IS, IN FACT, SECURED with the highest quality, well educated, "TAUGHT BY ACTUAL DH EDUCATORS", DENTAL HYGIENISTS we can offer the public.....

Where to start??????After placing 92nd and 105th from the 1000's of applicants who write the entrance exam at George Brown...I decided to take the plunge....I went to CIDH....I don't regret it either.....
I can tell you this though.....in 2002 when i graduated....i was getting called left and right sometimes 2-3 jobs on the same day.....making $45 an hour anywhere i went....now days....am stay home father 2 1/2 days a week...working 28hr weeks.....and I love it.....I blame everybody that was overseeing this train derailed and didn't act fast enough. From the DDS's who are and were responsible for opening all this schools...to the ministry....and our own associations and governing bodies.....Someone should hold the schools accountable also.....students work their assess off and drop anywhere from 25-30g's and what's waiting for them....Jack....Lately i've been approach by kids with high hopes....but i can't lie......i tell them THERE ARE NO JOBS.....THERE WONT BE ANY FOR A LONG TIME......and let us not fool ourselves....with this independent hygienist.....only if you live outside the big cities......No patient wants to be bouncing from office to office.....is all about one stop shop......And where in the hell is the CDHO or CDHA......with this independent hygiene clinic with the big pink logos.......Oh yes.....you know the blood sucking DDS's are counting their pennies in the back office....Anyhow.....time for bed children.......smile:)

so instead of crying about it, lets start doing something. i am open to ideas: petition, public speaking, etc... lets write a letter to cdho, do something. we know what the problem is and none of us are doing anything about it. but i need more RDHs on this matter with me. there is not enough actual actions being done against this matter. i am all in to improve my proffesion. and i totally agree with the "indepedent hygienist" remark - its not gonna work. at least not now. why? because the public needs to get used to seeing only the hygienist. plus who wants to make two trips, when u can make one. because we still can't take x-rays without DDS "Rx", prescribe CHX RXs, diagnose caries, etc. the list is long. i realized that my proffesion has a lot of holes in it, and it makes my blood pressure rise every time i think about it.

oh and just to add - i REALLY want to see how many RDHs will respond to my suggesttion and will actually want to do something about the current job market. so far i havent had anyone eamil me. because once you get your 40 hrs its not your problem anymore. i work 30 hrs a week right ( dont get me wrong, i am very thankful for what i have), but i feel it for all of those RDHs who are unemployed right now. keep in mind that none of us have job security - we dont have a union to represent us. so we can loose our jobs at any time. and then what? back to the drawing boards?

More RDH private schools is a good thing. The overhead that DH brings to the clinic is unbelievable.

Dentist in Vancouver, British Columbia said: More RDH private schools is a good thing. The overhead that DH brings to the clinic is unbelievable.

Oh yeah, have you checked the price of prophy paste lately???
A killer. I say we should just boy pumice and make our own prophy
paste adding fluoride. Then the dentists can worry less and pay us
more:)

Oh and don't forget the fluoride...a bottle costs $9.00 and we charge $25 a treatment. Maybe its the guaze....
How much revenue do we bring to a practice? I know between 2 chairs we billed out $300,000-$400,000 a year....

Dentist in Vancouver, British Columbia said: More RDH private schools is a good thing. The overhead that DH brings to the clinic is unbelievable.

maybe so but there are not enough jobs out there to compensate for all of us.

The hygienists did this to themselves. The dental hygienists and their lame association managers set up the situation while keeping their heads in the sand with respect to the shortage of hygienists. Like hardnosed socialists, the CDHA rode on the assumption that hygienists were entitled to the shortage and the high wages that resulted - instead of helping resolve the situation they actually put most of their lobby effort into making the shortage WORSE! They spent their political capital lobbying for the 4-year-degree-to-entry (making bachelors in DH mandatory to practice), instead of lobbying to open more capacity in the government DH schools LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING.

Well, the reality is that we live in a free country with a free enterprise system. The overwhelming demand for hygienists coupled with the overwhelming demand for people to get into the profession of DH eventually bubbled over .. and drove the inevitability of private hygiene schools to meet this demand. The free enterprise system does not care how much you think you are worth, your wage is ultimately set by supply and demand. I say if you really want to change this from getting worse - vote those socialist do-gooder ninnies at the head of the CDHA OUT OF OFFICE. I know some of them personally - they do not understand economics and thus are the worst kind to be managing such an association. The dental associations, on the other hand, have professional economists and lobbyists working for them - the hygienists should not be trying to take on this juggernaut, but could have easily prevented the emergence of private DH schools (and ensuing flood of hygienists) by helping resolve the crisis long ago when private schools were not yet viable.

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sharon in Picton, Ontario said: I live in kingston Ontario. I am trying to go to dental hygiene program. The biggest concern for me is how's the job market in Ontario. For example the hiring rate after graduation. Is it easy to find a job in Ontario? Someone know this kind of information, please help.

It should be a big concern for you. Ontario has 34 DH schools, with 1132 graduates per year.....WAY TOO MANY and far more than any other province in the country! In fact, way more than every other province put together!! It's NOT EASY to find a job in Ontario.....so all these EXCESS Ontario grads are coming out west to flood the market here! There should be a HUGE DECREASE in schools and the number of grads in DH in Ontario and if I were you, I would consider another profession if you want to work in your province.

Katrina in Toronto, Ontario said: oh and just to add - i REALLY want to see how many RDHs will respond to my suggesttion and will actually want to do something about the current job market. so far i havent had anyone eamil me. because once you get your 40 hrs its not your problem anymore. i work 30 hrs a week right ( dont get me wrong, i am very thankful for what i have), but i feel it for all of those RDHs who are unemployed right now. keep in mind that none of us have job security - we dont have a union to represent us. so we can loose our jobs at any time. and then what? back to the drawing boards?

all true.....very sad to see what's happened. Letters to all our colleagues is a place to start...and then letters to all the assocations.....lastly, start educating patients as to standard of care, standard of education, scope of practice....etc.....time to mention the quality of oral health care provided by the registered dental hygienist.

skrrrrrr in Victoria, British Columbia said: The hygienists did this to themselves. The dental hygienists and their lame association managers set up the situation while keeping their heads in the sand with respect to the shortage of hygienists. Like hardnosed socialists, the CDHA rode on the assumption that hygienists were entitled to the shortage and the high wages that resulted - instead of helping resolve the situation they actually put most of their lobby effort into making the shortage WORSE! They spent their political capital lobbying for the 4-year-degree-to-entry (making bachelors in DH mandatory to practice), instead of lobbying to open more capacity in the government DH schools LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING.

.

it was inevitable that these private schools would open regardless of the number of colleges. CDHA is national, and you dont see any
public colleges in Alberta. They are now starting to pop up in
BC. Voting for new elects may help with one or two, but could
be a detriment if all the CDHA electorals were changed. Regardless, I feel that is not going to have an impact on the current climate of DH. Bachelor's, or Union are the only viable
options, a new CDHA, ODHA etc..is only going to slow the process.

Anyone know how to find a job other than from the paper in Ontario/GTA?

C-K in Mississauga, Ontario said: Anyone know how to find a job other than from the paper in Ontario/GTA?

On foot with resumes and Business/calling cards in hand and in your car (all the time), agencies, online , newspapers....DO FOLLOW UP = GO BACK TO OFFICES, meet the O.MGR. and REMEMBER their names and other personnal at the desk if possible; follow-up with a nice letter or e-mail to the office....Good Luck!

thanks a lot, will do

nojobs in Toronto, Ontario said: it was inevitable that these private schools would open regardless of the number of colleges. CDHA is national, and you dont see any
public colleges in Alberta. They are now starting to pop up in
BC. Voting for new elects may help with one or two, but could
be a detriment if all the CDHA electorals were changed. Regardless, I feel that is not going to have an impact on the current climate of DH. Bachelor's, or Union are the only viable
options, a new CDHA, ODHA etc..is only going to slow the process.

Alberta has fewer private schools because the docs are more well off and don't suffer as much paying 40+/hr as ON and BC.

The truth is, the talk of private schools coming started around 2002, when the shortage really started coming to a head. Wages were at mid 30s at the time and that drove more folks into considering hygiene as a career, meanwhile dentists were fuming over the high wages and the proposed 4 yr entry proposal. The private schools were not yet viable back then. If the public schools had shortened their programs to pump out more grads, the shortage would have easily been taken care of and wages would settle to a more reasonable level - thus preventing the emergence of private colleges. Face it, it is only in Canada were runaway shortages happened, and only in Canada were private colleges have tripled the number of new grads.

It is hygienists fault - theirs solely and they had the ability to prevent the problem. I commend the dentists for solving the problem once and for all, though I hope that a new equitable balance is found were most new grads get a full time job at a living wage (eg ~$30/hr).

Bachelors? Unions? ha. That is a typical antiproductive socialist response which solves nothing at all. In fact your idea makes the situation MORE confrontational and intransigent. No hygienist I know would join a union, and you need everyone or it will fail miserably. What kind of dentist wants to hire a bachelors grad over a diploma grad, when the bachelors grad will expect more pay despite having no more clinical expertise (bachelors of hygiene programs are largely about training people for research and teaching). Both ideas will simply pisz off the dentists associations and ensure their private schools keep putting the squeeze on us.

The only ammunition hygienists have is the poor performance of some private school grads on the board exams (which are dead easy). This could be a way to influence the entry to practice and perhaps get some private school shut down. It won't take too long for the private schools to face declining enrolment and viability of staying in business since their grads aren't finding work anyways. Get the Board Exam overseers to shut more of them out could hasten the private school decline. But there will always be a few of them survive once the demand and supply is balanced because public schools are still too sparse.

one more thing regarding Alberta:

While the strategy in ON and BC by the doctors is to create private schools and more grads, the Alberta solution is to have assistants doing scaling via a 'scaling module.' That explains partly why there is less need for private schools in AB - they just have their CDA attend a short course and they have an instant 'hygienist' on staff for half the wage.

yeah I read your comments. The ripoff or high wages that you speak
of really occurred with the 11203 code in Ontario, when hygienists
where paid approx 40$. Once the 11112 codes replaced the 11203 codes
around 2002, the hygienists where paid less than 33%, which is about
the standard rate in the US. I cant speak for other provinces, but
I am sure hygienists even at 50 bucks per hour, are not getting
33% in Alberta since the 11111 code is around 60.00.
So we do not have grossly high wages compared to our counterparts in the US. The DDS will hire a diploma degree over a bachelors if she comes in cheaper and that is what he is looking for. The bachelors
degree would be long term, for the good of the public and the longevity of the saturated situation of the RDH. The bachelors would be the answer to ailing baby boomers safety.
RDH's seem to peeve off DDS no matter what. Go ahead and take the
position of not trying to upset them, see how far that gets you.

15 minutes of scaling or root planing is billed at $30 here in BC, yet the wages still shot up to $45/hr or more in Vancouver and Victoria (I was paid this much soon after graduating). On average, hygienists can barely bill $90/hr with no-shows factored in, yet they expect to continue getting 50% of gross. Methinks we are indeed overpaid based on the silly 33% rule of thumb.., but there is a LOT more to consider than that silly rule (ie other contributions to the practice, the wages of similar skilled trades with only 2-3 yrs of education, etc).

skrrrrrr in Victoria, British Columbia said: 15 minutes of scaling or root planing is billed at $30 here in BC, yet the wages still shot up to $45/hr or more in Vancouver and Victoria (I was paid this much soon after graduating). On average, hygienists can barely bill $90/hr with no-shows factored in, yet they expect to continue getting 50% of gross. Methinks we are indeed overpaid based on the silly 33% rule of thumb.., but there is a LOT more to consider than that silly rule (ie other contributions to the practice, the wages of similar skilled trades with only 2-3 yrs of education, etc).

If you were paid 45/hr on a 90/hr billing than you are well paid.
Ontario is paid 30-35/hr per 175/200hr billing. Perhaps you can see how there is an injustice here. Ontario private school grads will be flooding BC (if they haven't already) or beware, BC has started to open up there own private schools. So in the future BC hygienists have a high probability of feeling what the Ontario grads are now experiencing. The 2-3 yr other skilled trades could
have benefits that RDH's dont have, such as medical/dental/retirement plans and most important...job growth and security.
You will have to CONSIDER this as part of your statement of
a LOT more.

The DDS are now upset with independent, which is a risky adventure.
I can see this surplus opening hygiene factories billing 75.00 per cleaning or a very low cost because they will have one of two choices. 1. Work for 30.00 or open up and work for yourself.
This surplus will create this "boomerang" effect in which it will ultimately hurt the dentist in the pocketbook, as well as employed hygienists. As it stands now, with the 365 rule and the decent
pay in BC there is no real stress, but that could change for the worse in the future if there is no national Bachelor's degree entry to practice.

sharon in Picton, Ontario said: I live in kingston Ontario. I am trying to go to dental hygiene program. The biggest concern for me is how's the job market in Ontario. For example the hiring rate after graduation. Is it easy to find a job in Ontario? Someone know this kind of information, please help.

It is true, the job market is swamped right now, and wages are low because employers know people are needing and taking anything, DON`T FALL FOR THAT, the position generates a lot of money and enrollment. It will turn around, but it will take awhile, same thing happened with dental assisting. Both assisting and hygiene are great jobs and are under valued by the employer...just make sure this is what You want...most offices don`t have benefit packages, not flexible with hours if there is an emergancy and expect billing vs other important aspects of the position which can make it stressful! ignore the ignorant comment from`Scotty I think I`m a hotty but I suck...he probably wants to go into women studies because we are so interesting and have intelligent things to say but he is scared to be real!!!Poor him!!!

I don't live where you do, but I just graduated from dental hygiene school in Augusta, Georgia and its hard to find anything. There are so many hygienists here in Augusta because of the school being local that its very competative. But I think that just about everyone is having trouble right now finding a job from the trouble our economy is in.

Hi Sophie, It is hard in most of the US. If you can, try to , while info is still fresh , take the license tests in nearby states if the commute for you is possible...I have 2 licenses, and although I have them , I still travel .... sometimes an hour away if it helps. I've even had some Dr.'s offer to send my resume and reference to my work to hopefully obtain more work...but at this point in time it's still as a fill-in. On a daily basis, I try to: drive to offices with resumes and calling cards, call the agencies (2-3x) daily, call offices I've worked in, check online...and CONTINUE to telemarket myself....I would be wary of jobs listed online that don't want to give you THEIR practice/DR.'s names....sneaky and/or ??? as to why they want your resume...be careful, even in these hard times...Good Luck!

thanks for all the tips

Pete Dunbar in Peabody, Massachusetts said: [QUOTE
Hey, If you’re looking for a way to make some extra cash on the side check out my website. Just check it out. It has two websites. Clixsense, where you get paid to click and watch ads for thirty seconds, and also My survey. If you are not making enough money at what you are doing now, try checking out my website, or just check out my survey or clixsense. I’m only 19 and I pay for my own college tuition. Trust me, it’s no scam. collegestudentshow2makemoney.webs.com

YOU ARE ON THE WRONG FORUM. THIS IS A "DENTAL HYGIENE" FORUM.

skrrrrrr in Victoria, British Columbia said: The hygienists did this to themselves. The dental hygienists and their lame association managers set up the situation while keeping their heads in the sand with respect to the shortage of hygienists. Like hardnosed socialists, the CDHA rode on the assumption that hygienists were entitled to the shortage and the high wages that resulted - instead of helping resolve the situation they actually put most of their lobby effort into making the shortage WORSE! They spent their political capital lobbying for the 4-year-degree-to-entry (making bachelors in DH mandatory to practice), instead of lobbying to open more capacity in the government DH schools LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING.

Well, the reality is that we live in a free country with a free enterprise system. The overwhelming demand for hygienists coupled with the overwhelming demand for people to get into the profession of DH eventually bubbled over .. and drove the inevitability of private hygiene schools to meet this demand. The free enterprise system does not care how much you think you are worth, your wage is ultimately set by supply and demand. I say if you really want to change this from getting worse - vote those socialist do-gooder ninnies at the head of the CDHA OUT OF OFFICE. I know some of them personally - they do not understand economics and thus are the worst kind to be managing such an association. The dental associations, on the other hand, have professional economists and lobbyists working for them - the hygienists should not be trying to take on this juggernaut, but could have easily prevented the emergence of private DH schools (and ensuing flood of hygienists) by helping resolve the crisis long ago when private schools were not yet viable.

Skrrrrr.....? are you a dentist....?

exp in Massachusetts said: Hi Sophie, It is hard in most of the US. If you can, try to , while info is still fresh , take the license tests in nearby states if the commute for you is possible...I have 2 licenses, and although I have them , I still travel .... sometimes an hour away if it helps. I've even had some Dr.'s offer to send my resume and reference to my work to hopefully obtain more work...but at this point in time it's still as a fill-in. On a daily basis, I try to: drive to offices with resumes and calling cards, call the agencies (2-3x) daily, call offices I've worked in, check online...and CONTINUE to telemarket myself....I would be wary of jobs listed online that don't want to give you THEIR practice/DR.'s names....sneaky and/or ??? as to why they want your resume...be careful, even in these hard times...Good Luck!

Good advice exp.
Beware is right. I know someone who sent her resume to "Confidential" and it was a bogus job ad and this jerk got all of her information. He had his girlfriend fax a letter of request for her transcripts because she had the hygiene school and date of graduation on her resume. On her transcripts was her SS#. He stole her ID and she's been in a mess ever since. Even though the guy got caught, she still had her credit ruined. I don't send anything anymore unless there is a name and number for the practice and I can verify they are really who they claim to be and running an ad. It's a shame you have to do this, but you have to look out for yourself.

skrrrrrr in Victoria, British Columbia said: The hygienists did this to themselves. The dental hygienists and their lame association managers set up the situation while keeping their heads in the sand with respect to the shortage of hygienists. Like hardnosed socialists, the CDHA rode on the assumption that hygienists were entitled to the shortage and the high wages that resulted - instead of helping resolve the situation they actually put most of their lobby effort into making the shortage WORSE! They spent their political capital lobbying for the 4-year-degree-to-entry (making bachelors in DH mandatory to practice), instead of lobbying to open more capacity in the government DH schools LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING.

Well, the reality is that we live in a free country with a free enterprise system. The overwhelming demand for hygienists coupled with the overwhelming demand for people to get into the profession of DH eventually bubbled over .. and drove the inevitability of private hygiene schools to meet this demand. The free enterprise system does not care how much you think you are worth, your wage is ultimately set by supply and demand. I say if you really want to change this from getting worse - vote those socialist do-gooder ninnies at the head of the CDHA OUT OF OFFICE. I know some of them personally - they do not understand economics and thus are the worst kind to be managing such an association. The dental associations, on the other hand, have professional economists and lobbyists working for them - the hygienists should not be trying to take on this juggernaut, but could have easily prevented the emergence of private DH schools (and ensuing flood of hygienists) by helping resolve the crisis long ago when private schools were not yet viable.

You don't sound like any hygienist I know!

sharon in Picton, Ontario said: I live in kingston Ontario. I am trying to go to dental hygiene program. The biggest concern for me is how's the job market in Ontario. For example the hiring rate after graduation. Is it easy to find a job in Ontario? Someone know this kind of information, please help.

Hi to Hygienists across Canada,
I am a CDA of thirty years and have worked as a temp CDA
for the past ten years and have worked in hundreds of dental
offices. Thank goodness my son did not go to dental hygiene
school as I was trying to convince him. At this point in time
Vancouver is severely flooded with hygienists. Some are applying
for CDA work, which is very worrying. I am worried for both of
our professions. Do you every wonder why if you work at Tim
Hortons or McDonalds you get full benefits; we get none or
barely some. If you get dental coverage in your office, the dentist
usually will not make time to work on you and your family thats
even another story. Pick a profession where you know that you will
have some job security and benefits. Hope this helps.

Certified Dental Assistant in North Vancouver, British Columbia said: Hi to Hygienists across Canada,
I am a CDA of thirty years and have worked as a temp CDA
for the past ten years and have worked in hundreds of dental
offices. Thank goodness my son did not go to dental hygiene
school as I was trying to convince him. At this point in time
Vancouver is severely flooded with hygienists. Some are applying
for CDA work, which is very worrying. I am worried for both of
our professions. Do you every wonder why if you work at Tim
Hortons or McDonalds you get full benefits; we get none or
barely some. If you get dental coverage in your office, the dentist
usually will not make time to work on you and your family thats
even another story. Pick a profession where you know that you will
have some job security and benefits. Hope this helps.

Absolutely right CDA in North Van. I am worried for BOTH as well. I have a friend who has been involved with Nait's Dental Assistant Program for 25 plus years and she is telling me that now there are some Dental Assisting Schools who offer training in 2-4-6 months...and you're 'done'. Dentists are thrilled cause they are saying they can pay them far less than the NAIT grads..and yet train them a little here and there as they need to for working in 'their' practice. Same is going on with hygiene. less education....tons more grads.....pay them less than ever before cause they're all 'scratching' for jobs. Pretty sick....and for you and I who have been watching this charade.....it's pretty sad. I, too, would encourage people to look into other professions----ones where the POWER of control has not a conflict of interest within it.

Suzanne in Terre Haute, Indiana said: You don't sound like any hygienist I know!

Skrr is a graduate from an Ontario dental hygiene school....he is also married to a dentist.......hope that gives you some perspective on 'his perspective'......

R.D.H in Toronto, Ontario said: Where to start??????After placing 92nd and 105th from the 1000's of applicants who write the entrance exam at George Brown...I decided to take the plunge....I went to CIDH....I don't regret it either.....
I can tell you this though.....in 2002 when i graduated....i was getting called left and right sometimes 2-3 jobs on the same day.....making $45 an hour anywhere i went....now days....am stay home father 2 1/2 days a week...working 28hr weeks.....and I love it.....I blame everybody that was overseeing this train derailed and didn't act fast enough. From the DDS's who are and were responsible for opening all this schools...to the ministry....and our own associations and governing bodies.....Someone should hold the schools accountable also.....students work their assess off and drop anywhere from 25-30g's and what's waiting for them....Jack....Lately i've been approach by kids with high hopes....but i can't lie......i tell them THERE ARE NO JOBS.....THERE WONT BE ANY FOR A LONG TIME......and let us not fool ourselves....with this independent hygienist.....only if you live outside the big cities......No patient wants to be bouncing from office to office.....is all about one stop shop......And where in the hell is the CDHO or CDHA......with this independent hygiene clinic with the big pink logos.......Oh yes.....you know the blood sucking DDS's are counting their pennies in the back office....Anyhow.....time for bed children.......smile:)

Yes...sadly it's been suggested that 'independent dental hygiene practice' is the solution...no it's NOT. We have about 11 Independent DH practices in Alberta and not many are doing 'that well'.....there will be few and far between in that regard. Our profession still, for the most part, exists within a dental team of oral health professionals----MOST of us have our jobs within private practice settings where patients get everything taken care of in 1/2/3 appointments.

continuum in London, Ontario said: It is true, the job market is swamped right now, and wages are low because employers know people are needing and taking anything, DON`T FALL FOR THAT, the position generates a lot of money and enrollment. It will turn around, but it will take awhile, same thing happened with dental assisting. Both assisting and hygiene are great jobs and are under valued by the employer...just make sure this is what You want...most offices don`t have benefit packages, not flexible with hours if there is an emergancy and expect billing vs other important aspects of the position which can make it stressful! ignore the ignorant comment from`Scotty I think I`m a hotty but I suck...he probably wants to go into women studies because we are so interesting and have intelligent things to say but he is scared to be real!!!Poor him!!!

"don't fall for that"....? Do you understand what is going on....? grads are taking ANYTHING they can cause they have $38000.00 in tuition fees to pay off---they don't have a choice.... 'same thing happened with dental assisting'....? there has always been ups and downs with employment with dental assisting ....generally for 30 years, dental hygiene jobs have been abundant. WHat is happening with HYGIENE now though, is a diminishing of the education requirements, lowering of standards of educators to teach in some of these DH schools..... It used to be that DA and DH were good fields to go into, but until they clean this whole mess up (if they can), look at other professions....