2011 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose metropolitan area dental hygiene salaries and benefits

Oct. 24, 2011
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose metropolitan area dental hygiene salaries and benefits

San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose metropolitan area — 48 responses

Total responses from California: 165

Average daily rate for California (which includes responses from the Bay Area): $408.04

Average hourly rate for California (which includes responses from the Bay Area): $48.88

Average hourly rate for the Bay Area: $53.13

Average hourly rate for Bay Area in 2010: $53.67.

Differential: $0.54 decrease

The most common hourly rate reported was: $50 (15%)

Average daily rate for Bay Area: $441.

Average daily rate for Bay Area in 2010: $452.

Differential: $11 decrease

The most common daily rates reported were $450 (16%), $400 (11%), $420 (11%), $425 (11%)

Benefits available through employer

  • Health insurance, 49%
  • Employer contribution towards retirement, 55%
  • Paid vacation and holidays, 70%
  • Paid sick leave, 36%
  • Life insurance, 6%
  • Dental insurance, 12%
  • Disability insurance, 3%
  • CE tuition reimbursement, 55%


Comments about the Bay Area

  • Large surplus of hygienists. Job availability is very bad. Been looking for almost 2 years.
  • The new business model: No full time, no benefits.
  • I have only been working at my current job for two months. My previous employer was very concerned about the economic situation. I was called about half of the time last minute mostly that my schedule fell apart and I wasn't needed to come in or to work less hours. I looked for a job for one year, and was told at a couple of interviews that they had over 200 applicants. Most job offers did not even contact me after submitting a resume. Times are very hard in other offices I have temped in.
  • It seems that doctors are hiring newly graduated hygienists rather than those with experience so that they can pay them less.
  • There are about 100 applicants for every hygiene job opening, IF there ARE any openings. Dental practices are so slow due to the ecomomy, that alot of dentists are resorting to performing recalls themselves. In addition, there is such a huge surplus of hygienists due to the many private vocational hygiene schools that have opened in the area in recent yrs. which seems to have "downgraded" our profession, as well as salaries.