The average salary for a Dental Hygienist in Reno is 77,938 $ per year on a 40-hour full-time equivalent, or 6,495 $ gross per month and 37.47 $ gross per hour. The reported full-time salary range is 51,000 $ to 120,000 $. The analysis is based on 39 salary reports from workers and employers in Reno. Part-time salaries are proportionally converted to 40 weekly hours so the values are comparable.
| Date | Job title | Weekly hours | Reported gross/year | Normalized to 40h/year | Gross/month 40h | Gross/hour 40h | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/13/2026 | Self-Employed Contract Hygienist | 36.0 h | 86,500 $ | 96,111 $ | 8,009 $ | 46.21 $ | I contract directly with multiple offices as a self-employed hygienist, working around 36 hours/week; I set my own rates and schedule. |
| 04/26/2026 | Dental Hygienist - High-Volume Private Practice | 40.0 h | 79,000 $ | 79,000 $ | 6,583 $ | 37.98 $ | Full-time at a high-volume private practice where patient throughput is high; I've been here five years and received a cost-of-living adjustment recently. |
| 03/22/2026 | Dental Hygiene Manager | 44.0 h | 91,500 $ | 83,182 $ | 6,932 $ | 39.99 $ | I manage the hygiene department across three satellite clinics for a mid-size dental organization; my role is a mix of admin and clinical duties. |
| 01/30/2026 | Travel/Short-Term Contract Hygienist | 40.0 h | 98,000 $ | 98,000 $ | 8,167 $ | 47.12 $ | I accepted several short-term contracts during a regional staffing shortage, averaging full-time weeks with premium pay and stipends. |
| 11/15/2025 | Part-Time Hygienist - Specialty Office | 26.0 h | 46,800 $ | 72,000 $ | 6,000 $ | 34.62 $ | I work part-time in a periodontal specialty office (26 hours/week). My pay is hourly but the annual figure reflects steady scheduled weeks. |
| 09/02/2025 | Senior Clinical Hygienist | 40.0 h | 84,500 $ | 84,500 $ | 7,042 $ | 40.63 $ | I've been a senior clinical hygienist for ten years, handling advanced perio maintenance and mentoring. Salary reflects recent demand and raises. |
| 06/21/2025 | Owner / Dental Hygienist | 40.0 h | 120,000 $ | 120,000 $ | 10,000 $ | 57.69 $ | I am the sole proprietor of a small dental hygiene practice and work full-time clinically; my revenue and owner draws resulted in this compensation. |
| 03/07/2025 | Dental Hygienist - Large Corporate Clinic | 40.0 h | 73,500 $ | 73,500 $ | 6,125 $ | 35.34 $ | Full-time hygienist at a large corporate clinic with steady patient flow; I received a market adjustment in 2025 that improved my salary. |
| 02/09/2025 | Dental Hygienist - Private Practice | 40.0 h | 70,600 $ | 70,600 $ | 5,883 $ | 33.94 $ | I've been full-time in a private practice and recently received an above-average raise due to retention shortages; I focus mostly on adult hygiene care. |
| 12/12/2024 | Lead Hygienist / Operations | 43.0 h | 97,000 $ | 90,233 $ | 7,519 $ | 43.38 $ | I lead hygiene operations at a regional dental group, handling staffing, training, and some budgeting in addition to clinical hours, so my weeks run long. |
| 11/04/2024 | Lead Clinical Hygienist | 40.0 h | 82,500 $ | 82,500 $ | 6,875 $ | 39.66 $ | I lead clinical hygiene practices at a busy office, train staff, and oversee quality control; my compensation reflects leadership responsibilities. |
| 09/29/2024 | Part-Time Clinical Hygienist | 30.0 h | 50,200 $ | 66,933 $ | 5,578 $ | 32.18 $ | I returned to part-time work (30 hours/week) after maternity leave; I primarily see adult hygiene patients in a busy private office. |
| 06/18/2024 | Dental Hygienist - Orthodontic Practice | 38.0 h | 69,000 $ | 72,632 $ | 6,053 $ | 34.92 $ | I work full-time in an orthodontic clinic focusing on hygiene before and after ortho treatment; hours average 38/week with occasional Saturdays. |
| 03/02/2024 | Self-Employed Dental Hygienist | 40.0 h | 102,500 $ | 102,500 $ | 8,542 $ | 49.28 $ | I'm self-employed working as a contractor for multiple practices and corporate clients; I set my rates and maintain a full 40-hour schedule. |
| 11/20/2023 | Senior Hygiene Coordinator | 40.0 h | 93,500 $ | 93,500 $ | 7,792 $ | 44.95 $ | I coordinate hygiene services across several clinics for a regional dental group; my role combines clinical shifts with cross-site coordination. |
| 08/09/2023 | Dental Hygienist - Mobile Dental Program | 34.0 h | 59,600 $ | 70,118 $ | 5,843 $ | 33.71 $ | I work with a mobile dental program visiting schools and long-term care facilities, averaging 34 hours/week and performing preventive services. |
| 05/26/2023 | Part-Time Dental Hygienist | 28.0 h | 44,500 $ | 63,571 $ | 5,298 $ | 30.56 $ | I work part-time at a dental office while finishing additional certifications; I average 28 hours/week and focus on cleanings and sealants. |
| 02/14/2023 | Dental Hygienist | 40.0 h | 72,000 $ | 72,000 $ | 6,000 $ | 34.62 $ | Full-time hygienist at a specialty periodontal office; my responsibilities include maintenance therapy and assisting with perio charting. |
| 10/05/2022 | Lead Dental Hygienist / Manager | 44.0 h | 88,000 $ | 80,000 $ | 6,667 $ | 38.46 $ | I manage the hygiene department at a multi-doctor clinic and handle scheduling, QA, and chairside work; I'm usually around 44 hours/week due to administrative duties. |
| 07/11/2022 | Dental Hygienist - Private Solo Practice | 36.0 h | 98,000 $ | 108,889 $ | 9,074 $ | 52.35 $ | I run my own hygienist-only practice as an independent contractor, working about 36 hours/week; my revenue-based earnings are above local averages. |
| 03/22/2022 | Dental Hygienist - Corporate Practice | 40.0 h | 67,000 $ | 67,000 $ | 5,583 $ | 32.21 $ | I work full-time for a large corporate dental chain; benefits are good and pay increased modestly in 2021 after performance review. |
| 12/07/2021 | Travel Dental Hygienist | 40.0 h | 93,000 $ | 93,000 $ | 7,750 $ | 44.71 $ | I took a travel contract in 2021 with additional per-diem and premium hourly rates; it was full-time and included higher pay due to staffing shortages. |
| 08/30/2021 | Senior Dental Hygienist | 40.0 h | 77,500 $ | 77,500 $ | 6,458 $ | 37.26 $ | I've been senior hygienist at a high-volume clinic for seven years; recent raises have pushed my salary up and I oversee clinical protocols. |
| 05/14/2021 | Private Practice Co-Owner / Dental Hygienist | 42.0 h | 112,000 $ | 106,667 $ | 8,889 $ | 51.28 $ | I co-own a small private dental practice and split clinical duties with administrative/owner responsibilities; my annual pay reflects both income and owner draws. |
| 11/23/2020 | Public Health Dental Hygienist | 36.0 h | 60,500 $ | 67,222 $ | 5,602 $ | 32.32 $ | I work at a nonprofit community clinic focusing on underserved patients; I'm full-time-equivalent at 36 hours/week and have six years' experience. |
| 08/05/2020 | Dental Hygienist | 40.0 h | 64,000 $ | 64,000 $ | 5,333 $ | 30.77 $ | Full-time at a private general dentistry office; I received a modest raise after three years. I perform adult and pediatric prophylaxis and fluoride treatments. |
| 03/18/2020 | Dental Hygienist - School Program | 30.0 h | 53,500 $ | 71,333 $ | 5,944 $ | 34.29 $ | I'm part-time with a school-based oral health program, averaging 30 hours/week during the school year. My role is preventive care and screenings. |
| 12/06/2019 | Part-Time Hygienist - Cosmetic Practice | 32.0 h | 55,800 $ | 69,750 $ | 5,813 $ | 33.53 $ | I work part-time in a cosmetic-focused dental office doing hygiene and whitening prep; I average 32 hours/week and have specialized training. |
| 10/29/2019 | Clinical Dental Hygienist | 38.0 h | 59,000 $ | 62,105 $ | 5,175 $ | 29.86 $ | I work full-time at a small corporate-owned clinic and have about five years' experience. My schedule is typically 38 hours/week with some evenings. |
| 06/03/2019 | Dental Hygiene Team Lead | 42.0 h | 81,000 $ | 77,143 $ | 6,429 $ | 37.09 $ | I am the lead hygienist at a large multi-specialty dental group; I schedule the hygiene team, train new hires, and still see patients about 30% of the time. |
| 01/11/2019 | Per-Diem Dental Hygienist | 20.0 h | 39,000 $ | 78,000 $ | 6,500 $ | 37.50 $ | I work per-diem across several practices, averaging about 20 hours/week. Hours vary, so annual pay reflects my inconsistent schedule. |
| 07/19/2018 | Senior Dental Hygienist | 40.0 h | 73,500 $ | 73,500 $ | 6,125 $ | 35.34 $ | I've been a senior hygienist at a midsize multi-doctor practice for six years; I mentor newer hygienists and handle complex perio maintenance patients. |
| 03/16/2018 | Dental Hygienist - Community Clinic | 38.0 h | 61,200 $ | 64,421 $ | 5,368 $ | 30.97 $ | I work full-time at a nonprofit community dental clinic with sliding-scale patients; pay increased modestly over the past two years but remains competitive for the sector. |
| 02/27/2018 | Dental Hygienist - Small Private Practice | 32.0 h | 54,000 $ | 67,500 $ | 5,625 $ | 32.45 $ | I'm part-time at a small private dental office (32 hours/week). I've been there two years; responsibilities include hygiene and chairside assistance during busy times. |
| 09/10/2017 | Travel Dental Hygienist (Contract) | 40.0 h | 68,500 $ | 68,500 $ | 5,708 $ | 32.93 $ | I accepted a year-long contract through an agency and worked full-time rotating between clinics. Pay included higher hourly and travel stipends. |
| 04/21/2017 | Public Health Dental Hygienist | 35.0 h | 51,500 $ | 58,857 $ | 4,905 $ | 28.30 $ | I work full-time at a county public health program; it's mostly preventive services for underserved populations. I have roughly four years' experience. |
| 02/14/2017 | Dental Hygienist - Residency Program | 40.0 h | 51,000 $ | 51,000 $ | 4,250 $ | 24.52 $ | I was in a residency year working full-time at a training clinic; the pay was lower than private practice but included educational benefits. |
| 11/03/2016 | Dental Hygienist | 40.0 h | 62,000 $ | 62,000 $ | 5,167 $ | 29.81 $ | I've been full-time at a small private dental office for three years; I do prophylaxis, perio maintenance, and some LA administration. No direct reports. |
| 08/15/2016 | Dental Hygienist | 24.0 h | 48,200 $ | 80,333 $ | 6,694 $ | 38.62 $ | I work part-time (about 24 hours/week) at a small community health clinic. I'm entry-level with under two years' experience and my duties are mostly cleanings and patient education. |
Reno and the surrounding Truckee Meadows continue to add residents as logistics, advanced manufacturing, and tech-related firms expand in northern Nevada. With more families, college students from the University of Nevada, Reno, and retirees choosing the area, preventive oral health services are in steady demand. Dental Hygienists in Reno typically find an active hiring market driven by population growth, a strong emphasis on prevention, and wider access to care through employer-sponsored and public insurance plans.
Local employers often note that candidates who are comfortable with periodontal therapy, patient education, and modern digital workflows (intraoral scanning, digital radiography, practice management software) integrate quickly into Reno practices. Bilingual abilities—especially Spanish and English—are frequently valued, reflecting the area’s diverse patient population.
Reno-Sparks functions as one metropolitan market, with many opportunities clustered along the I-80 corridor and in neighborhoods such as South Meadows, Midtown, Northwest Reno, and Sparks/Spanish Springs. Openings are commonly posted for full-time and part-time schedules, and some multi-location practices advertise four-day workweeks or flexible shifts to accommodate patient demand. Temporary and maternity-leave coverage roles also appear regularly, which can be a gateway to permanent employment.
The region’s payer mix includes commercial insurance and a meaningful share of patients covered by Medicaid-managed dental plans, so hygienists experienced with sealants, fluoride varnish, and periodontal maintenance can stay consistently busy. Northern Nevada’s aging population additionally supports demand for periodontal care and patient coaching on home-care routines, while UNR students and service-sector workers help maintain a steady flow of prophy and recall visits.
Dental hygienists in Nevada must be licensed by the Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners. Licensing typically requires graduation from a CODA-accredited program, passing national and regional examinations, and meeting jurisprudence and background requirements. Nevada also offers pathways for public health dental hygiene with special board endorsement, which can allow hygienists to provide services in community settings—often under general supervision—in places like schools, Head Start centers, and long-term care facilities. Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) in Reno offers a well-regarded dental hygiene program and continuing education that helps maintain credentials and expand skills.
In Reno-Sparks, hygienists are most often employed by private dental practices, dental support organizations (DSOs), specialty clinics, and community health centers. Real organizations that commonly hire locally include:
Beyond these, many independent general and periodontal practices across Midtown, South Reno, and Sparks advertise openings, and hygienists willing to commute can expand their search to Carson City, Fernley, and Fallon for additional options.
Reno offers a variety of practice settings. Most hygienists work in general dentistry, but there are opportunities in periodontics, pediatrics, and public health. School-based sealant programs and mobile/van services operate in the region, providing part-time and outreach roles that can fit around family schedules or additional clinic work. As larger practices and DSOs continue to grow, hygienists can move into lead hygienist roles, quality and compliance coordination, or training/mentoring positions within multi-site groups.
For those interested in academics or professional development, TMCC and local professional societies periodically host continuing education events on anesthesia updates, laser-assisted periodontal therapy, infection control, and digital dentistry. Hygienists who enjoy patient communication and technology also find pathways into practice management, treatment coordination, or dental industry roles with manufacturers and distributors serving northern Nevada.
Overall, the outlook for Dental Hygienists in Reno, Nevada is positive. The metro’s consistent population growth, presence of community dental clinics alongside expanding private groups, and a regional emphasis on preventive care generally support steady hiring. Candidates who keep their Nevada license current, pursue relevant CE, and highlight patient education skills—especially with diverse and multilingual populations—tend to be competitive across the Reno-Sparks market.
The average salary for a Dental Hygienist in Reno is 77,938 $ per year on a 40-hour basis, or 6,495 $ gross per month.
Part-time and full-time reports are normalized to a 40-hour workweek so salary reports can be compared fairly.
You can find more comparisons on the profession overview for Dental Hygienist and the city overview for Reno. They show reported cities or jobs with their difference from the average.
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