Registered dental hygienists (RDHs) are licensed oral-health professionals who provide dental hygiene treatment and preventive care: oral health assessment, scaling and root planing, periodontal care, preventive agents, radiographs, and patient education. It is one of the better-paid clinical professions, and this guide sets out what it pays and how to read the numbers.
The official wage band
Job Bank classifies dental hygienists under NOC 32111, Dental hygienists and dental therapists. These are the official hourly wages in Canada, low to high, updated November 19, 2025.
| Level | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Low | $32.00 |
| Median | $45.00 |
| High | $60.00 |
Reading the band honestly
The hourly band is strong, well above most clinical-support roles, which reflects the licensed scope and the two-to-three-year credential. One thing to know so the numbers are not misread: most hygienists are paid hourly, and many work part-time or relief hours by choice or by the way clinics schedule. So real annual earnings depend heavily on hours worked. A full-schedule hygienist earns a strong annual income; a part-time or relief hygienist earns proportionally less. We present the hourly band as the authoritative figure and do not multiply it into an inflated full-time annual number.
What moves you up the band
- Provincial licensing and years of registered practice
- Periodontal, specialty, and independent-practice experience
- Region, with Alberta and British Columbia at the top of the national band
- Relief and locum work, which often commands premium hourly rates
Reading the ranges
These bands cover NOC 32111, the licensed dental hygienist profession, which is separate from and more highly credentialed than the dental assistant (NOC 33100). New graduates sit near the floor. Experienced hygienists, especially in the western provinces and in independent or periodontal practice, sit toward the top.
Sources: Job Bank Canada wage data (NOC 32111, updated November 19, 2025) and provincial dental hygiene colleges.
Find your next role
New jobs are posted regularly. Set up a job alert and they reach you first.