Dental Hygienist

Dental HygienistFull-Time

Listed compensation

$51.18-$70.24/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Department Overview

The School of Dentistry shares the mission of the Oregon Health & Science University to provide educational programs, basic and clinical research, and quality patient care and community programs. We strive to foster an environment of mutual respect where the free exchange of ideas can flourish. The dental school prepares graduates in general dentistry and the dental specialties to deliver compassionate and ethical oro-facial health care.

Function/Duties of Position

The OHSU School of Dentistry is looking for a registered Dental Hygienist for the OHSU Dental Clinics located at the OHSU Russell Street Dental Clinic in North Portland.

The Dental Hygienist, under the supervision of a licensed dentist, trains patients in dental hygiene and renders preventive and therapeutic oral prophylaxis.

Some employees in this class provide chair side dental assistance and, if licensed for expanded functions, may take patient x-rays and administer local anesthetic agents.

Required Qualifications

  • Licensed by the Oregon Board of Dentistry as a Dental Hygienist
  • Demonstrable record of reliable attendance, punctuality and proven successful performance at past and present employers
  • Demonstrated exemplary tact, discretion, confidentiality and diplomacy
  • Demonstrated ability to read, write and understand written and oral instructions in English
  • Demonstrated record of exemplary customer service Experience

Preferred Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene
  • Minimum 1 year of dental hygiene experience
  • Experience working in a public health dental clinic
  • Teaching/Education of hygiene students Nitrous Certification

Why Apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals.

As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations.

We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact askhr@ohsu.edu

Key Responsibilities

The Dental Hygienist provides preventive and therapeutic oral prophylaxis and trains patients in dental hygiene under the supervision of a licensed dentist. They may also provide chair-side assistance, take patient x-rays, and administer local anesthetic agents if licensed for expanded functions.

Requirements

Candidates must be licensed by the Oregon Board of Dentistry as a Dental Hygienist and demonstrate reliable performance and excellent customer service skills. A Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene and at least one year of experience are preferred.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Patient educationX-ray administrationLocal anesthetic administrationPublic health dentistry

Dental Hygiene Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Oregon is 103.4 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$126k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $122k in an average-cost state. 62.0% of Oregon clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 40 active Dental Hygienist listings this role was benchmarked against, 45% have no call, 43% require no weekends.

What does the Dental Hygienist market look like in Oregon?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$106k–$146kDental Hygienist median $125k (middle half $115k–$125k)20 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$122k in purchasing powerOregon index 103.4 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Dental Hygienist listings in Oregon104 active5,813 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 45% no call · 43% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedOregon healthcare professional listings: 26% state a sign-on bonus (median $10k) · 16% offer loan repayment104 active listings, Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Dental Hygienist Jobs

19 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

19 jobs · 12 employers
4
<$105k
1
$125k
8
$130k-155k
2
$156k
4
$183k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

19 jobs · 12 employers
401k / retirement match
100%
CME allowance
68%
Sign-on bonus
63%
Loan repayment
11%
Relocation assistance
11%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Dental Hygienist - Stillwater

Park Dental · West Lakeland, Minnesota

$60-$88/hr
#2

Licensed Dental Hygienist - Edinbrook

Park Dental · Brooklyn Park, Minnesota

$60-$88/hr
#3

Licensed Dental Hygienist - Riverdale

$60-$88/hr
#4

Licensed Dental Hygienist - Champlin

$60-$88/hr
+ 17 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.9this job 1.5
Better work-life than 20% of Dental Hygienist listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 2,151 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Portland

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$523k
Typical market rent
$1,719/mo
Residents’ average commute
24 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
105.4
State income tax
Up to 9.9%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.