Dental hygiene is a great career. Assisting people with their oral health is truly gratifying. Not only do you make an impact, but you get to work in a hands-on environment. Plus, dental hygienists are always in demand at dental practices.

In addition, the field is expected to expand at a pace much greater than other occupations, with over "16,300 openings for dental hygienists projected each year, on average, over the decade," according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Dental hygienists make great money. But as a dental hygienist, how do you make more? We have some tips and tricks to help you out.

How to Make More Money

Although dentistry is in high demand, many dental hygienists and other professionals need help finding work. Some feel like they need to make more money.

If you're in this situation, consider working as a temp. When you sing up with Princess Dental Staffing, you set your hours and your own pay rate. Working in this way will not only allow you to earn more money and expand your skill set, but it will also give you more control over your life. 

Are there other ways to make more money? Of course! Here are some others...

Related: Highest Paid Dental Hygienist

Financial Advising

Becoming an independent financial advisor is a great way to make additional money, regardless of your main career.

Of course, this may require a small investment and a bit of time and training for the opportunity to make more money.

Earnings as a financial advisor are often reported as self-employment earnings and must be reported as such. So this may complicate your taxes, with forms like the IRS form Schedule C 1040 being used to file freelance revenue. But in the end, it may be worth it.

Insurance

While there may be nothing glamorous about selling life insurance, keep in mind that insurance premiums pay residual income.

Not sure what that means? Check this out.

Basically, it means you're going to work a lot more upfront, but you'll keep getting paid for that work, year after year. 

So while it may be hard to get started in insurance sales initially, long-term, it can be a great way to make more money.

Find a Side Gig

During COVID, everyone was talking about their side hustle. Did you find yours?

A side gig might be anything you're interested in, like photography, personal training, or dog walking.

Or, it can just be an opportunity to increase your income, like driving for  Lyft or Uber, delivering groceries, or typing transciption.

Related: Best Babysitting Websites and Apps

Having a side gig allows you to pursue a passion and convert it into a profitable, long-term career.

Or maybe you just want to pay your bills or add to your savings account.

Then again, some may just want something that lets them maintain a travel lifestyle!

Dave Ramsey shares 27 ideas for high paying side gigs. Check 'em out.

Become a Dentist

Can a dental hygienist become a dentist?

Of course!

But it takes hard work, dedication, and a lot of time. But the pay-off can totally be worth it!

And it's definitely a great way to make more money.

Related: Can a dental hygienist become a dentist?

4 Things That Impact Hygienist Salaries

Other factors that can impact your dental hygienist's salary include the following:

1. Shift Length 

Want to work a few hours on a Saturday to start putting money up for a vacation, a birthday, or the holidays?

How much you are paid depends on when you work. If shifts occur outside of the standard M-F 8-5 schedule, you're likely to make more.

So if you don't mind working weekends or evenings, which are generally in great demand when it comes to appointment times, you'll get a more significant pay rate.

2. Type Of Office 

Some dental practices are more generous than others, especially if the practice is specialized. While this may require specialized training, in the long run, it may be worth it to make that extra moula. 

Assisted hygiene and corporate practice hygiene roles typically get paid more than traditional RDH positions.

3. State 

Salaries for dental hygiene professionals vary by state and country. You can utilize this to your advantage if you can temp across state lines because you hold licenses in each.

Keep in mind, in states where dental assistants have expanded duties, hygienists are less in demand and usually don't make as much money.

Related: Highest Paid Dental Hygienist

4. Cost Of Living 

Dental hygienists are often paid more in places where the cost of living is higher. For example, because of housing costs, you'll make more money in Los Angeles than you will in Huntsville.

As a travel RDH, however, you can avoid the additional cost of living, allowing you to keep more money in your pocket at the end of the day. If you don't mind the commute, temping an hour away in a higher-cost-of-living area can be worth it because you make up for it in hourly pay.

Maximize Your Earnings

When you take your career into your own hands, there's no limit to how far you can go. These four steps will help you maximize your earnings.

1. Advertise Your Credentials

If you're licensed in dental hygiene, your qualifications are in high demand and can help you obtain a great job. The idea is to let dental practices know you're available to serve them.

All dental professionals have marketable talents. Why not promote yourself?

Your degrees, licenses, experience, and work reviews can all be displayed on your resume or online work profile. This is an excellent strategy to attract dental practices and show your worth.

2. Make Your Availability Known

With sites like Princess Dental Staffing, you may share your availability once you've advertised your credentials with your online work profile.

This lets potential employers know when you're available to work, making it easier for you to find jobs that fit your schedule.

When you can share your availability online, you also increase your job flexibility.

3. Get Online and Communicate

One of the best moves you can make in leveraging your credentials is to make yourself known online. Sites like LinkedIn are great for networking. Be sure to connect with us on LinkedIn.

4. Work For Yourself

When you put all this together, it adds up to taking charge of your career.

And it allows you more flexibility whether you work in dental assisting, dental hygiene, dentistry, or another dentistry-related field. 

Five Tips

When you're a great hygienist, a wise employer will help you increase your compensation. Here are five tips on how Dental Hygienists can make extra money.

1. Hit and Exceed Production Goals

When your schedule has SRPs on it or you have double-booked patients, your doctor should share that extra income with you to keep you motivated.

For example, if you exceeded your goal and had a terrific production day, you deserve a bonus!

2. New Patient Referrals

Referrals should be handled consistently throughout the dental office, and may present an opportunity to make more money.

Asking patients for their opinions, and if they're positive, asking for that all-important new patient referral will become second nature.

3. Commission on Products

Talk to your doctor about getting a percentage or a fixed rate for each product.

If you're educating your patients about their oral health, they'll want to bring some things home with them. Whether that be a particular brand of toothpaste or a toothbrush you recommend, you may be rewarded for your efforts.

4. Take Extra Shifts

Although this might only be possible with some employers, if your dental office allows employees to request overtime and extra shifts, that's an effective way to make more money.

5. Take a Temp Role

Sometimes temp work offers more money than an actual job. Temping in a dental office can be a super-convenient way to earn more.

Many dental practices and dental professionals have been having a hard time when it comes to filling staff vacancies and looking for temporary work.

Finding the perfect individual to fill in when one of the regular staff members is away is a challenge for any dental practice, and it may waste a lot of time and money each year.

It's also not easy for freelance dental professionals, either. They must stand out in a sea of nearly identical faces. Rather than taking charge of their careers as they had envisioned, they are frequently obliged to sign over management of their professional lives to temp agencies. But with Princess Dental Staffing, you keep what you earn--we don't take anything from your pay. Just one of the great benefits of working with us!

About Princess Dental Staffing

At Princess Dental Staffing, our services are free to job seekers!

You may utilize the platform to create your online profile showcasing your qualifications and experience to stand out.

Plus, you have the freedom to decide the value of your time.

Create your professional profile, specify your hourly rate, advertise your current availability, view job postings in real-time, and apply to temp dental jobs with no fees or charges!

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