2011 Tampa-St. Petersburg metropolitan area dental hygiene salaries and benefits

Tampa-St. Petersburg metropolitan area — 20 responses

Total responses for Florida: 88

Average hourly rate for Florida (which include responses from the St. Petersburg area): $30.20

Average hourly rate for Tampa-St. Peterburg area: $30.40

Average hourly rate for Tampa-St. Petersburg area in 2010: $30.66

Differential: $0.26 decrease

The most common hourly rates reported were: Eight of the 15 hourly rates reported were for $30 an hour.

Comments about the Tampa-St. Petersburg area

• Colleges are still graduating students even though there is a surplus. New graduates are desperate for any kind of work. Yet, the state is still allowing these programs to exist instead of putting monies into programs that could support employment opportunities. Dental assistants have been sent home early or told to not come in if the day is not booked. Dental hygienists are leaving early if the last patients have cancelled or openings. Other offices are telling their hygienists to take longer lunches, if patients are not scheduled before and after lunch. I foresee a cut in benefits and hours, if the economic situation does not improve.
• I always have had excellent employers and worked full time with full benefits until I decided to make a change and work part-time. This area has a hygiene school and there are lots of unemployed hygienists and ones that would like a different job but the current economic downturn has affected lots of practices and there really are no jobs.