The average salary for a Dental Hygienist in Seattle is 89,733 $ per year on a 40-hour full-time equivalent, or 7,478 $ gross per month and 43.14 $ gross per hour. The reported full-time salary range is 70,000 $ to 128,000 $. The analysis is based on 32 salary reports from workers and employers in Seattle. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07/01/2026 | Senior Hygienist / Team Lead | 40.0 h | 118,000 $ | 118,000 $ | 9,833 $ | 56.73 $ | I lead the hygiene team at a large downtown practice, manage protocols, and still maintain a clinical schedule. I work 40 hours weekly and this is my reported gross salary for 2026. |
| 06/18/2026 | Part-Time Hygienist - Multi-Office | 28.0 h | 56,000 $ | 80,000 $ | 6,667 $ | 38.46 $ | I split part-time hours between two offices, working about 28 hours per week total. I have five years of experience and the number above is my gross annual pay for 2026. |
| 05/03/2026 | Associate Hygienist - Private Practice | 40.0 h | 90,000 $ | 90,000 $ | 7,500 $ | 43.27 $ | I've been working full-time as an associate hygienist in an upscale private practice for two years. I average 40 hours a week and this is my annual gross salary for 2026. |
| 02/20/2026 | Lead Hygienist - Specialty Clinic | 40.0 h | 122,000 $ | 122,000 $ | 10,167 $ | 58.65 $ | I am the lead hygienist at a specialty periodontal clinic and handle advanced perio procedures and team training. I work full-time (40 hours/week) and this is my yearly gross pay reported for 2026. |
| 09/14/2025 | Part-Time Senior Hygienist | 30.0 h | 60,000 $ | 80,000 $ | 6,667 $ | 38.46 $ | I'm a senior hygienist working part-time (30 hours) to reduce clinical load while mentoring; the salary listed is my annual gross income for 2025. |
| 07/06/2025 | Clinical Coordinator / Hygienist | 42.0 h | 115,000 $ | 109,524 $ | 9,127 $ | 52.66 $ | I coordinate clinical operations and also maintain a patient schedule as a hygienist. I work about 42 hours weekly in a multi-provider clinic; salary above is my reported gross pay for 2025. |
| 04/29/2025 | Self-Employed Mobile Hygienist | 40.0 h | 128,000 $ | 128,000 $ | 10,667 $ | 61.54 $ | I run a mobile hygiene service contracting with assisted living facilities and small offices. I'm self-employed, average about 40 hours/week on the road, and this is my gross annual income. |
| 01/18/2025 | Senior Hygienist - Private Practice | 40.0 h | 95,000 $ | 95,000 $ | 7,917 $ | 45.67 $ | I'm a senior hygienist in a well-established private practice and mentor newer staff. I work 40 hours per week and the figure above is my full annual gross pay for 2025. |
| 10/02/2024 | Dental Hygienist - Community Health | 36.0 h | 74,000 $ | 82,222 $ | 6,852 $ | 39.53 $ | I work for a nonprofit community dental program focusing on outreach. I'm full-time at 36 hours a week and this is my yearly gross salary reported for 2024. |
| 06/07/2024 | Travel/Per Diem Hygienist | 40.0 h | 105,000 $ | 105,000 $ | 8,750 $ | 50.48 $ | I take per-diem and short-term travel assignments around the Puget Sound area; this year I averaged 40 hours/week when working and this is my aggregated annual gross pay. |
| 03/19/2024 | Associate Dental Hygienist | 38.0 h | 82,000 $ | 86,316 $ | 7,193 $ | 41.50 $ | I've been an associate hygienist at a busy pediatric and family practice for three years. I work roughly 38 hours per week; this salary is my gross reported income for 2024. |
| 11/28/2023 | Lead Hygienist - Large Practice | 40.0 h | 110,000 $ | 110,000 $ | 9,167 $ | 52.88 $ | I lead the hygiene department in a large downtown practice, handling staffing and quality control. I'm full-time at 40 hours weekly and the amount above is my annual gross pay for 2023. |
| 09/11/2023 | Self-Employed Dental Hygienist | 45.0 h | 120,000 $ | 106,667 $ | 8,889 $ | 51.28 $ | I operate as a self-employed hygienist providing contract hygiene days to several practices and manage my own scheduling. I average about 45 hours/week including admin work; the salary is my gross take. |
| 05/30/2023 | Periodontal Hygienist - Senior | 40.0 h | 98,000 $ | 98,000 $ | 8,167 $ | 47.12 $ | I focus on perio maintenance and assist the periodontist on complex cases. I work full-time (40 hours) at a specialty office and this is my annual pre-tax salary for 2023. |
| 02/16/2023 | Part-Time Hygienist | 28.0 h | 52,000 $ | 74,286 $ | 6,190 $ | 35.71 $ | I'm part-time (28 hours/week) working evenings and some Saturdays in a dental office. I have four years' experience and the salary reflects my annual gross earnings. |
| 12/05/2022 | Private Practice Hygienist | 40.0 h | 85,000 $ | 85,000 $ | 7,083 $ | 40.87 $ | I'm employed full-time at a small private practice and handle both routine and some specialized periodontal care. I've been here five years and this is my gross yearly income. |
| 08/23/2022 | Clinical Lead Dental Hygienist | 42.0 h | 102,000 $ | 97,143 $ | 8,095 $ | 46.70 $ | I manage the hygiene team at a large multi-specialty clinic and take on administrative duties in addition to clinical work. I typically work about 42 hours per week; salary is annual gross. |
| 04/12/2022 | Dental Hygienist - School Program | 30.0 h | 64,000 $ | 85,333 $ | 7,111 $ | 41.03 $ | I work in a school-based dental program and average about 30 hours per week during the school year. This is my annual gross pay and the role is public-health focused. |
| 11/29/2021 | Senior Clinical Hygienist | 40.0 h | 93,000 $ | 93,000 $ | 7,750 $ | 44.71 $ | As a senior clinical hygienist in a large practice, I oversee protocols and handle complex perio cases. I work 40 hours weekly and this is my annual gross salary reported for 2021. |
| 07/14/2021 | Associate Hygienist - Private Practice | 40.0 h | 77,000 $ | 77,000 $ | 6,417 $ | 37.02 $ | I'm an associate hygienist in a privately owned practice. I'm full-time at 40 hours per week and have taken on more responsibilities recently; the salary above is pre-tax annual pay. |
| 03/08/2021 | Clinic Hygienist | 35.0 h | 69,000 $ | 78,857 $ | 6,571 $ | 37.91 $ | I work full-time (35 hours) at a community clinic and have been here three years. My role includes patient education and charting; salary is my annual gross pay for the reported year. |
| 12/03/2020 | Dental Hygienist | 36.0 h | 72,000 $ | 80,000 $ | 6,667 $ | 38.46 $ | I'm a mid-level hygienist working 36 hours weekly at a private practice. I have about six years of experience and this salary reflects income during 2020 when hours were slightly reduced. |
| 09/21/2020 | Lead Dental Hygienist | 40.0 h | 88,000 $ | 88,000 $ | 7,333 $ | 42.31 $ | I serve as the lead hygienist in a busy multi-dentist practice, supervising scheduling and mentoring newer hygienists. I work 40 hours a week and this is my reported yearly salary. |
| 04/09/2020 | Part-Time Dental Hygienist | 22.0 h | 47,000 $ | 85,455 $ | 7,121 $ | 41.08 $ | I'm a part-time hygienist working 22 hours a week at a small suburban office to balance family responsibilities. I do clinical work only; this is my annual gross salary. |
| 10/01/2019 | Periodontal Hygienist | 38.0 h | 78,000 $ | 82,105 $ | 6,842 $ | 39.47 $ | I specialize in periodontal maintenance and scaling/root planning at a specialty office. I'm full-time at about 38 hours per week and have been in this role four years; salary is gross. |
| 06/14/2019 | Travel Dental Hygienist | 40.0 h | 92,000 $ | 92,000 $ | 7,667 $ | 44.23 $ | I contract as a travel hygienist and have been doing regional contracts; this year I averaged 40 hours a week across assignments. My annual gross pay from those contracts is shown here. |
| 02/28/2019 | Dental Hygienist - Public Health Clinic | 36.0 h | 65,000 $ | 72,222 $ | 6,019 $ | 34.72 $ | I work at a community dental clinic providing care to underserved populations. I'm full-time at 36 hours a week, and this is my reported yearly pay after a recent but modest raise. |
| 11/05/2018 | Senior Dental Hygienist | 40.0 h | 82,000 $ | 82,000 $ | 6,833 $ | 39.42 $ | As a senior hygienist with eight years' experience, I work full time (40 hours) at a larger dental practice and occasionally lead CE training sessions. This is my annual gross salary. |
| 05/18/2018 | Dental Hygienist | 40.0 h | 73,000 $ | 73,000 $ | 6,083 $ | 35.10 $ | I'm a full-time hygienist at a private practice and have been employed here five years. I work 40 hours per week and perform both hygiene and some expanded duties; salary shown is before taxes. |
| 11/07/2017 | Associate Dental Hygienist | 32.0 h | 59,000 $ | 73,750 $ | 6,146 $ | 35.46 $ | I work as an associate hygienist in a busy family practice and have been here two years. I'm part-time at 32 hours weekly due to childcare, and this is my reported annual income. |
| 03/22/2017 | Staff Dental Hygienist | 38.0 h | 68,000 $ | 71,579 $ | 5,965 $ | 34.41 $ | I've been a staff hygienist at a mid-size clinic for three years in a full-time role. I work roughly 38 hours a week and handle most prophylaxis and patient education; this is my annual gross salary. |
| 09/12/2016 | Dental Hygienist - Part-Time | 24.0 h | 42,000 $ | 70,000 $ | 5,833 $ | 33.65 $ | I'm a part-time dental hygienist at a small private practice and have been here about a year. I work 24 hours a week doing routine cleanings and some periodontal maintenance; this is my gross annual pay. |
Seattle’s position as the economic hub of the Puget Sound—anchored by technology, life sciences, and a large healthcare ecosystem—creates steady demand for preventive oral healthcare. Dental practices in the city and throughout the broader Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue metro area typically report consistent patient volumes, with a mix of commercially insured families and Medicaid-covered patients, and a strong focus on prevention and periodontal maintenance. This environment generally supports a healthy hiring market for licensed Dental Hygienists.
National forecasts from public sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics point to faster-than-average growth for dental hygiene roles over the coming decade. Seattle often mirrors or slightly outpaces national trends because of population growth, high rates of employer-sponsored dental benefits in the region’s professional workforce, and an emphasis on evidence-based care. Practices commonly seek hygienists who are comfortable with modern workflows, patient education, and collaborative care alongside dentists and specialists.
The local labor market in Seattle tends to favor candidates with strong periodontal therapy skills, familiarity with digital radiography and charting, and experience with expanded hygiene services. In Washington, licensed Dental Hygienists can administer local anesthesia and nitrous oxide, and they may practice in certain public health settings under general supervision. A restorative endorsement—available in Washington after additional training—can make candidates more competitive in practices that utilize hygienists to place and finish restorations under a dentist’s supervision.
Employers around Seattle frequently post for both full-time and part-time schedules, with many practices offering flexible hours or seeking coverage for expanded evening or weekend appointments. Demand is visible across the urban core and the Eastside (such as Bellevue, Redmond, and Kirkland), as well as in South King County communities where population growth continues. Community health centers also recruit regularly due to high patient need and mission-driven service to underserved populations.
Seattle’s culturally and linguistically diverse communities mean bilingual hygienists are often in demand. Employers also value strong patient communication, comfort with periodontics and sealants, and a preventive care mindset aligned with caries risk assessment and periodontal risk reduction. Infection control rigor and familiarity with technologies like intraoral scanners, electronic health records, and periodontal charting software are commonly requested.
Dental Hygienists in Seattle are hired by a range of organizations, including private practices, multi-site dental groups, academic clinics, and federally qualified health centers. Well-known employers and practice settings in the Seattle area include:
Many independent general and specialty practices—particularly periodontics and pediatric dentistry—also hire hygienists. Job postings are frequently found in neighborhoods with dense residential growth and convenient transit access, and in adjacent suburban markets where patient panels are expanding.
Career paths for Dental Hygienists in Seattle are diverse. Clinicians can pursue roles in general dentistry, periodontics, pediatrics, or public health, with opportunities to become lead hygienists, hygiene coordinators, or quality and training specialists within larger organizations. Hygienists with a restorative endorsement can broaden their daily scope in practices that utilize expanded functions, and those with interests in education may find part-time instructor roles at local colleges or clinical teaching opportunities within university-affiliated clinics.
Public health offers meaningful avenues to serve high-need populations through school-based sealant programs, community outreach, and integrated primary care-dental models. Many employers support continuing education and evidence-based practice, and Seattle’s active professional community—through local study clubs and the Washington Dental Hygienists’ Association—provides networking, mentorship, and upskilling opportunities. For hygienists relocating to Seattle, Washington’s licensing pathways and the region’s broad mix of practice settings typically make it feasible to find roles aligned with preferred patient populations, technologies, and schedules.
Overall, the Seattle market tends to offer stable demand, modern practice environments, and multiple employment settings. Candidates who bring strong clinical fundamentals, patient-centered communication, and comfort with digital tools usually find a variety of opportunities across the city and the greater metro area.
The average salary for a Dental Hygienist in Seattle is 89,733 $ per year on a 40-hour basis, or 7,478 $ 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 Seattle. They show reported cities or jobs with their difference from the average.
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