--- title: "Dental hygienist pay in Missouri: what BLS data shows" description: "BLS data for May 2025 lists a median wage of $92,750 for Missouri dental hygienists, below the $98,100 national median. See the figures and ADA staffing data." url: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/blog/dental-hygienist-salary-in-missouri publisher: Copeland Consulting Services email: drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com contact: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact --- # Dental hygienist pay in Missouri: what BLS data shows The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists 3,810 dental hygienists in Missouri in May 2025, with a mean wage of $88,430 and a median of $92,750 a year, or $44.59 an hour. The national median is $98,100. Many hygienists work part time, so annual figures do not fit every job. Team and leadershipPublished October 26, 20264 min read The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes wage data for dental hygienists by state. The data year here is May 2025. This post gives the Missouri figures, compares them with national figures and adds ADA findings on hygienist staffing. It does not set pay for any office. ## What do dental hygienists earn in Missouri? Missouri dental hygienists had a median wage of $44.59 an hour, or $92,750 a year, in May 2025. The mean wage was $42.52 an hour, or $88,430 a year. The BLS counts 3,810 hygienists in the state. The median is the middle wage: half earned more and half earned less. Measure, May 2025 Missouri United States Employment 3,810 222,740 Annual mean wage $88,430 $98,990 Annual median wage $92,750 $98,100 Hourly mean wage $42.52 $47.59 Hourly median wage $44.59 $47.16 These rows come from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) tables for “Dental Hygienists (29-1292).” In Missouri the median is higher than the mean. The Missouri median sits about $5,350 below the national median. ## How reliable is the Missouri estimate? The Missouri wage estimate for hygienists has a relative standard error of 2.8 percent, so it is fairly tight. The employment count has a relative standard error of 15.2 percent, so the head count is less certain. A relative standard error is a statistics measure of how much a sample-based estimate may differ from the true value. ## Why do annual figures not fit every hygienist? Part-time work is common in this field. The BLS handbook says nearly all dental hygienists work in dentists’ offices and many work part time. The wage tables do not show hours worked. An annual figure therefore does not show what a person who works two or three days a week earns in a year. Read the hourly figure when comparing part-time roles. Read the annual figure only as a rough scale. ## What do hygienists need to work in Missouri? The BLS says hygienists typically need an associate’s degree in dental hygiene, and programs usually take 3 years. All states require licenses, and requirements vary by state. In most states a degree from an accredited program and passing written and clinical examinations are required. For current Missouri rules, check the Missouri Dental Board. Supervision and what a hygienist may do vary by state; the [scope of practice](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/scope-of-practice) entry explains the term. The [dental hygienist](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-hygienist) entry defines the role. ## What does ADA data say about hiring hygienists? The ADA Health Policy Institute says the average wage for dental office staff, including hygienists, is down from a few years ago after adjusting for inflation. It also reports that 91 percent of dentists who were actively recruiting a hygienist said it was very or extremely challenging. The report cites data from the first quarter of 2026. Read together, the two findings describe a market where staff pay has lost ground to inflation and recruiting is hard. The post on [the dental hygienist shortage](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/blog/dental-hygienist-shortage) goes deeper. ## What can wage tables not tell a reader? Use the points below to read the data with care. - Tables report wages, not benefits, bonuses or paid time off. - A statewide figure hides gaps between metro and rural areas. - Experience, duties and schedule do not show up. - Survey estimates carry sampling error. - The data describes May 2025, not today. An office setting pay should compare its own duties, local market and current offers. Employment law and overtime questions belong with an employment attorney or the U.S. Department of Labor. The [employee retention](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/employee-retention) entry covers why pay is only one part of keeping a team. ## What does the national picture look like? Nationally, the BLS reports that the lowest 10 percent of dental hygienists earned less than $74,880 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $126,050 in May 2025. In offices of dentists, the median was $98,280. In offices of physicians it was $91,160, and in government it was $80,830. The BLS counts 225,300 dental hygienist jobs in 2025 in the handbook, and projects 8 percent growth from 2025 to 2035. It gives these reasons: demand for dental services is expected to increase as the older adult population grows and as people keep more of their original teeth. It also expects demand to grow as state laws increasingly allow hygienists to work at the top of their training. The OEWS table counts 222,740 national hygienist jobs, while the handbook counts 225,300. The two figures come from different BLS products, so quote the source and year with any number. ## What questions help when comparing offers? A wage table cannot answer these. The offer must. 1. Is the pay hourly, by day or a share of production? 2. How many days a week are offered, and can the schedule change? 3. What benefits come with part-time work? 4. How long is each appointment, and how many patients are on the schedule? 5. What supervision rules apply in the office? Questions about classification, overtime and pay structure belong with an employment attorney or the U.S. Department of Labor. ## Next step The [hiring and keeping a dental team guide](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/guides/hire-and-keep-a-dental-team) gathers workforce data, pay data and hiring basics. To discuss team and practice management, [contact Dr. Copeland about consulting](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact?topic=consulting). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the average dental hygienist salary in Missouri? For May 2025, the BLS lists an annual mean wage of $88,430 and a median of $92,750 for Missouri dental hygienists. The hourly figures are $42.52 for the mean and $44.59 for the median. Half of Missouri hygienists earned more than the median. ### How does Missouri compare with the national wage? The national median for dental hygienists is $98,100 and the national mean is $98,990 for May 2025. The Missouri median of $92,750 is lower. The data does not give a reason, and wages vary across the state. ### Is it hard to hire a dental hygienist? The ADA Health Policy Institute reports that among dentists actively recruiting or who had recently recruited a dental hygienist, 91% said it was very or extremely challenging. The report cites data from the first quarter of 2026. ## Terms on this page - [Missouri Dental Board](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/missouri-dental-board) - [Employee retention](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/employee-retention) - [Scope of practice](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/scope-of-practice) - [Dental hygienist](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-hygienist) - [Dental team](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-team) - [Production](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/production) - [ADA](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/ada) ## Sources 1. [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Missouri, May 2025](https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/2900000/2025) 2. [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national, May 2025](https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/0000000/2025) 3. [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Dental Hygienists, Occupational Outlook Handbook](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-hygienists.htm) 4. [ADA Health Policy Institute: Dental Hygienist Shortage](https://www.ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute/dentist-workforce/dental-hygienist-shortage) Written by Copeland Consulting Services and checked against the sources above on October 26, 2026. Rules, data and guidance change, so check the linked page before you act on it. ## Keep reading - [How to hire and keep a dental teamDental team hiring is hard because the supply of assistants and hygienists is tight. ADA Health Policy Institute research links retention to workplace culture, work-life balance and fair pay. Write job ads and interview questions around the job's duties, and ask an employment attorney before you finalize hiring and pay policies.](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/guides/hire-and-keep-a-dental-team) - [Dental hygienist shortage: what ADA data shows in 2026ADA Health Policy Institute data published in April 2026 shows only 60% of dentists have an adequate number of dental hygienists on staff. Among dentists recruiting a hygienist, 91% called it very or extremely challenging. Enrollment is up 16% since 2020, but office staffing has stayed flat.](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/blog/dental-hygienist-shortage) - [Dental assistant pay in Missouri: what BLS data showsThe Bureau of Labor Statistics lists 6,760 dental assistants in Missouri in May 2025, with a mean wage of $46,790 and a median of $45,970 a year, or $22.10 an hour. The national median is $48,070. Pay in one office depends on duties, skills and local labor markets.](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/blog/dental-assistant-salary-in-missouri) - [Dental team burnout: assistants and hygienistsResearch on dental team burnout is thinner than research on dentists. A 2022 survey of Nova Scotia hygienists found 36.2% met burnout criteria during the first COVID-19 wave. A 2024 review reports that dentist and assistant relationships, workload and pay predicted exhaustion in one assistant study.](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/blog/dental-team-burnout) - [AI in the dental practice: what it does, what studies show and what to checkAI in dentistry mostly means software that reads images or handles office tasks. Studies of radiograph tools show promising accuracy but often rest on weak designs. Some image tools are regulated by the FDA as prescription devices. Any tool that touches patient data raises HIPAA questions you should settle before use.](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/guides/ai-in-the-dental-practice) - [Buying a dental practice: steps, financing and due diligenceBuying a dental practice usually runs in six stages: define your goals, get financing, value the practice, sign a letter of intent, complete due diligence, and close. Lenders, attorneys and accountants each own part of the work. This guide explains the steps and lists questions to ask. It is not legal, tax or financial advice.](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/guides/buying-a-dental-practice) ## Talk with Dr. Copeland [Contact Dr. Copeland](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact)[Email](mailto:drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com)