Ontario has more dental hygiene jobs than any other province in Canada, and it does not have the highest pay. This piece sets out what the province actually pays in 2026, where the numbers come from, and why the gap with Western Canada exists.
The Headline Numbers
According to the Government of Canada Job Bank, registered dental hygienists in Ontario typically earn between $33.00 and $53.67 per hour, with a median of roughly $49.00.
In practice, the working majority sits in a narrower band. Most employed hygienists in the province report $42 to $50 per hour.
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Job Bank typical range:
$33.00–$53.67 per hour
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Job Bank median:
Approximately $49.00 per hour
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Where most hygienists sit:
$42–$50 per hour
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Temporary or casual shift rates:
Up to $70 per hour
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Annual income at $46 per hour for 37.5 hours weekly:
Approximately $89,700
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Annual income at $50 per hour for 37.5 hours weekly:
Approximately $97,500
Two caveats are worth stating plainly.
First, few Ontario hygienists work a true 40-hour week. Four-day schedules are common and cancellations erode billable hours, so annualised figures usually overstate real income.
Second, aggregator sites report wide variance because they mix part-time, casual and permanent roles into one average.
How Ontario Compares Nationally
Set against the rest of the country, Ontario sits mid-table on rate and top of the table on volume.
The CDHA’s 2025 compensation survey puts Alberta’s average effective hourly wage at $61.54 and British Columbia’s at $60.73. Both sit well above Ontario’s median, and that gap has widened since 2022.
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Alberta:
$50.00–$75.00 per hour — Highest in Canada
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British Columbia:
Approximately $60.73 per hour — Second highest
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Saskatchewan:
Approximately $48.06 per hour — Above the Ontario median
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Ontario:
$33.00–$53.67 per hour — Highest job volume
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Manitoba:
Approximately $42.95 per hour — Below the national median
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Nova Scotia:
Approximately $33.21 per hour — Lower end
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Quebec:
$30.00–$46.19 per hour — Lowest range
Why the Gap Exists
The explanation is structural rather than clinical. Three factors account for most of the difference.
Supply
Ontario has the largest concentration of dental hygiene programs and graduates in Canada. Where clinics have candidates to choose from, wages flatten.
Fee Guides
Alberta and British Columbia clinics bill more per hygiene appointment, which leaves more room in the chair-hour to pay the clinician.
Geography
Alberta’s large rural footprint makes travel premiums routine. Ontario’s population density concentrates most jobs in markets where no premium is required to fill them.
The corollary is worth noting: the same density that suppresses Ontario’s median also produces the shortest job searches in the country and the easiest path to assembling as many hours as a hygienist wants.
Regional Variation Within Ontario
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area has the highest volume of postings in Canada and the most competition for them.
Base rates cluster in the mid-to-high $40s. The premium in the GTA comes from temp and casual work rather than from permanent base pay.
Ottawa
Ottawa has a tighter market with less graduate supply than the GTA, which tends to firm up rates for experienced hygienists.
Northern and Rural Ontario
Rural and remote shifts commonly carry a premium of 10% to 20% over urban rates, reflecting the smaller pool of clinicians willing to travel.
On an hourly basis, a Northern Ontario temp shift can exceed a downtown Toronto permanent rate.
Ontario hygienists: Browse dental temp shifts by city, including Toronto and Ottawa. It is free to join, and you choose which shifts you take.
What Raises an Ontario Hygienist’s Effective Rate?
Years of experience matter less in dental hygiene than in most healthcare occupations. A clinician with three years and one with fifteen often bill the same appointment, and most wage growth happens in the first five years.
The variables that move the number meaningfully are:
- Temp and casual shifts where Ontario rates reach $70/hr against a $42–$50 permanent band.
- Rural or Northern coverage carrying a routine 10%–20% premium.
- Last-minute cancellation coverage which clinics pay most urgently to fill.
- Billable credentials such as local anaesthesia certification.
Of these, adding a single temp shift per week to a four-day permanent schedule produces the largest change for the least disruption. It commonly adds $10,000 or more a year without requiring the hygienist to change employers.
Dental hygienists can use Fairly Staffing to browse dental temp shifts and choose opportunities that match their location and availability.
Outlook
The Canadian Occupational Projection System forecasts 15,900 job openings for dental hygienists and dental therapists between 2024 and 2033, an average of about 1,590 a year.
Demand under the Canadian Dental Care Plan continues to grow, and compensation across the country has risen since 2023, with most estimates in the 8% to 14% range.
On the current trajectory, Ontario rates are likely to keep drifting upward, though the province’s graduate supply makes it unlikely to close the gap with Alberta in the near term.
Questions Readers Ask
What Is a Good Hourly Rate for a Dental Hygienist in Ontario?
At or above $50 per hour is strong for a permanent role. Below $42 is under market for an experienced hygienist.
How Much Do Dental Hygienists Make in Toronto?
Most GTA hygienists report the mid-to-high $40s per hour for permanent work, with temp shifts reaching considerably higher.
Is It Worth Relocating to Alberta for the Pay?
Alberta’s $50–$75 per hour range is genuinely higher.
Before relocating, it is worth modelling what adding temp shifts in Ontario would earn. For many hygienists, that closes a large part of the gap without moving.
Ontario clinics: Cover a cancellation the same day. Post your shift on Fairly Staffing. Hiring permanently? Read our guide to hiring a dental hygienist in Canada.