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Lightwave Dental
Hickory, North Carolina

Travel Dental Hygienist

Dental HygienistFull-Time

Listed compensation

$65-$70/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

About Our Practice

Come join us at CarolinasDentist in Asheville where we provide positively-different dentistry! We are a hardworking, fun, outgoing team, who strive to give our patients the best experience all while maintaining an upbeat, yet relaxing atmosphere. We are up to date on all the latest technology and offer both general and cosmetic dentistry including Invisalign. We are looking for an energetic, self-driven team member to join our growing practice.

This position is a travel role. You will be a full time/perm employee that will be assisting at our CarolinasDentist offices through the area. That will include Winston Salem, Asheville and the Charlotte areas.

Position Summary

The dental hygienist is responsible for performing licensed hygiene procedures, educating patients, and management of the nonsurgical periodontal program as directed by the dentist.

Responsibilities

Establish and Maintain Continued Patient Care Relationships

Verify/document patient health history and educate patients about oral hygiene/health/disease as well as procedures and services offered

Perform clinical hygiene functions including but not limited to: exposing/evaluating diagnostic x-rays, taking and recording blood pressure, adult/child prophylaxis, non-surgical periodontal therapy, and co-assessing possible restorative treatments with the doctor

Determine needs and perform sealant placement, Arestin, and fluoride treatments as needed

Qualifications

  • Dental hygiene certification from accredited dental hygiene school
  • Current hygiene license where employed
  • Maintain annual OSHA, HIPAA, BLS and infection control training as required by law
  • Experience with dental software

Benefits Offered

  • Competitive Pay: Receive pay that matches your experience and performance.
  • Comprehensive Insurance: Enjoy peace of mind with health, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Future Planning: Secure your financial future with our 401k retirement savings plan.
  • Time for You: Paid time off and holidays to recharge.
  • Growth and Learning: Unlock your potential with opportunities for professional development and growth.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Patient educationX-ray exposureBlood pressure monitoringArestin applicationOSHA complianceHIPAA complianceBLS certification

Dental Hygiene Career Context

The cost-of-living index for North Carolina is 94.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$140k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $149k in an average-cost state. 59.2% of North Carolina clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 40 active Dental Hygienist listings this role was benchmarked against, 53% have no call, 48% require no weekends.

What does the Dental Hygienist market look like in North Carolina?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$135k–$146kDental Hygienist median $92k (middle half $83k–$104k)12 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$149k in purchasing powerNorth Carolina index 94.3 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Dental Hygienist listings in North Carolina200 active5,778 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 53% no call · 48% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedNorth Carolina healthcare professional listings: 36% state a sign-on bonus (median $15k) · 6% offer loan repayment200 active listings, Nov 2026
New Dental Hygiene listings740 in the last 30 days466 the 30 days before (+59%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Dental Hygienist Jobs

23 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

23 jobs · 15 employers
7
<$130k
8
$130k-150k
2
$156k
6
$183k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

22 jobs · 15 employers
401k / retirement match
100% this job
CME allowance
73%
Sign-on bonus
59%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Dental Hygienist - Minnetonka

Park Dental · Minnetonka, Minnesota

$60-$88/hr
#2

Licensed Dental Hygienist Float - East Metro

Park Dental · Minnetonka, Minnesota

$60-$88/hr
#3

Licensed Dental Hygienist - Stillwater

$60-$88/hr
#4

Licensed Dental Hygienist - Edinbrook

$60-$88/hr
+ 21 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.

Lightwave Dental logo

About Lightwave Dental

Hospitals and Health Care
Woodbridge, Virginia
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

Competitive Pay
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Coverage
401k Retirement Savings Plan
Paid Time Off
Paid Holidays
Professional Development Opportunities

Living in Hickory

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$290k
Typical market rent
$1,522/mo
Residents’ average commute
21 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
88.5
State income tax
Up to 4.8%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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