Release Date: February 2010

One dentist in three has cut their dental hygienist working hours, with the slow economy leaving less demand for dental hygiene services.

Another 11% have reduced the number of dental hygienists they employ, and 5% have cut compensation.

“Hygiene is the fuel that feeds the fire," said a California dentist.

How much hygienists are paid is an important dental management decision. "Upon doing a practice analysis, we found we overpaid our hygienist by $13,000," said one dentist. "We paid more in hourly plus benefits than we collected!"

“Our hygienist was paid salary and now she is paid hourly," said one doctor. Offered another, “Instead of any raises, we put our hygienists on a bonus system based on achieving a minimum daily production."

Here’s more of what dentists had to say on hygienists and tooth cleaning appointments: