You posted the position six weeks ago. You received four applications, two candidates missed the interview, and your hygiene schedule is still half empty on Thursdays.
You are not necessarily doing anything wrong. The Canadian dental hiring market is genuinely competitive. However, there are several changes you can make to improve your results, and many of them can start working quickly.
Understand the Dental Hygienist Hiring Market
Statistics Canada’s Survey of Oral Health Care Providers found that 50.2% of dental offices had difficulty recruiting dental hygienists.
This is not simply a temporary hiring problem. It has become a normal operating challenge for many dental clinics across Canada.
The Canadian Dental Care Plan has enrolled millions of Canadians, increasing demand for dental services. At the same time, dental hygiene programs generally require two to three years to produce qualified graduates.
This means the shortage is unlikely to disappear quickly. Clinics that successfully hire dental hygienists are often the ones that have improved their hiring process, compensation, scheduling, and candidate experience.
Step 1: Review Your Compensation
Many unsuccessful dental hygienist searches begin with compensation that no longer reflects the current market.
A wage that was competitive in 2022 may not generate enough applications in 2026. Dental hygienist compensation has increased in many parts of Canada, especially in provinces and cities where qualified professionals are in high demand.
Competitive Dental Hygienist Pay by Province
| Province | Competitive Hourly Range |
|---|---|
| Alberta | $50 to $75 per hour, with provincial averages around $59 to $62 |
| British Columbia | $55 to $65 per hour, with a CDHA average of approximately $60.73 |
| Saskatchewan | Approximately $48 per hour |
| Ontario | $42 to $50 per hour, with Job Bank ranges between $33 and $53.67 |
| Manitoba | Approximately $43 per hour |
| Quebec | $30 to $46.19 per hour |
| Canada | A national median of approximately $45 per hour |
If your job posting offers less than the competitive range in your province, compensation may be the main reason you are not receiving qualified applications. For a deeper breakdown of the largest market, see our dental hygienist salary guide for Ontario.
Review the wage before changing your advertisements, interview process, or recruitment platform.
Step 2: Write a Better Dental Hygienist Job Posting
Many dental job postings use the same general description:
We are seeking a motivated dental hygienist to join our friendly team.
This type of description does not provide enough useful information for experienced candidates.
Dental hygienists reviewing job postings usually want answers to three important questions before they apply.
What Is the Pay Range?
Include the hourly wage or salary range directly in the job posting.
Candidates may assume that a posting without compensation information is offering a lower wage. Providing a clear range can help attract more qualified applicants and reduce unnecessary discussions later in the hiring process.
How Long Are the Appointments?
Appointment length is one of the most important quality of life considerations for dental hygienists.
If your clinic provides 60 minute hygiene appointments, mention this clearly. It can be a strong selling point for professionals who want enough time to provide proper patient care.
What Is the Schedule?
Clearly explain the available days, working hours, and whether flexible schedules or four day workweeks are possible.
Many dental hygienists choose temporary, part time, or flexible work because they want more control over their schedules.
Information about your friendly team, modern equipment, and positive environment can still be included, but compensation, appointment length, and scheduling should come first.
Step 3: Use Temporary Dental Hygienists Proactively
Temporary staffing should not be treated only as an emergency solution.
Many licensed dental hygienists have not left the profession. Instead, they have moved away from permanent full time employment with one clinic.
Scheduling concerns, limited autonomy, workplace stress, and burnout can encourage professionals to choose flexible work instead.
This creates a large group of qualified dental hygienists who may be available to work at your clinic, but may not want a permanent five day position.
Build a Reliable Group of Dental Temps
Dental clinics that regularly work with three or four trusted temporary professionals are better prepared for staff illness, vacations, unexpected absences, and busy periods.
When a regular team member calls out, the clinic can contact an experienced temp instead of cancelling an entire day of appointments.
More than 650 dental offices use Fairly to cover shifts with vetted dental professionals. Post a shift and connect with available dental hygienists and dental assistants in your area.
Step 4: Respond to Candidates Quickly
Speed is an important advantage in a competitive hiring market.
A qualified dental hygienist who applies to your clinic may also apply to several other clinics during the same week.
If your clinic takes ten days to schedule an interview, you may lose the candidate to another clinic that contacted them on the first day.
Improve Your Hiring Response Time
- Respond to every application within 24 hours.
- Contact strong candidates as soon as possible.
- Provide clear interview times and next steps.
- Offer a paid working interview instead of multiple formal interviews.
- Prepare the employment offer before the working interview is completed.
A faster hiring process does not always require a larger recruitment budget. It requires your team to treat hiring as an immediate operational priority.
Step 5: Fix the Reason the Position Became Vacant
If your clinic has replaced the same dental hygiene position several times within a few years, the position itself may need to be reviewed.
Common problems include:
- Appointment times that are too short.
- No protected administrative time.
- Insufficient sterilization support.
- Frequent last minute schedule changes.
- Limited flexibility for employees.
- Unclear expectations or responsibilities.
Dental professionals often communicate with each other. In many cities, the dental community is small enough that a clinic's workplace reputation can influence whether qualified candidates apply.
Improving working conditions may take more time than increasing the wage, but it can help prevent the clinic from repeating the same hiring process next year.
What Does an Unfilled Hygiene Day Cost?
Some clinic owners view a hygienist absence as a day of wages saved. In reality, an empty hygiene chair can cost significantly more than the employee's daily wage.
An unfilled hygiene day can result in:
- Lost hygiene production.
- Lost examination revenue for the dentist.
- Additional administrative work to reschedule patients.
- Longer patient recall intervals.
- Frustrated patients who may seek another clinic.
- Increased workload for the remaining team.
When these costs are considered, paying a higher hourly rate for temporary coverage may be more affordable than leaving the hygiene chair empty. Run the numbers for your own clinic with the ROI calculator.
Dental Hygienist Hiring Checklist
- Compare your compensation with current provincial rates.
- Include the wage range in your job posting.
- Clearly mention appointment length and scheduling.
- Build relationships with temporary dental professionals.
- Respond to strong candidates within 24 hours.
- Use paid working interviews when appropriate.
- Review the workplace conditions that caused the vacancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does It Take to Hire a Dental Hygienist in Canada?
A permanent dental hygienist search can take approximately six to twelve weeks. It may take longer in smaller cities or areas with fewer available professionals.
Temporary dental staffing platforms may help clinics find coverage for individual shifts much faster, depending on local availability.
How Much Should a Dental Hygienist Be Paid in 2026?
Compensation depends on the province, city, experience level, schedule, appointment length, and whether the position is permanent or temporary.
Competitive permanent rates may range from approximately $42 to $50 per hour in Ontario and from approximately $50 to $65 or more in Alberta and British Columbia.
Temporary dental hygienists may charge higher hourly rates because they provide flexible or short notice coverage.
Is It Cheaper to Hire Permanently or Use Dental Temps?
Permanent employees usually cost less per hour. However, temporary professionals can be more cost effective when the alternative is an empty hygiene chair and a full day of cancelled appointments.
The best approach for many clinics is to maintain a reliable permanent team while also building relationships with trusted temporary dental professionals.
Where Can Clinics Find Temporary Dental Hygienists?
Dental clinics can use specialized dental staffing platforms such as Fairly to post available shifts and connect with registered dental hygienists, dental assistants, administrators, and sterilization professionals.
Fill Your Next Dental Shift with Fairly
Short staffed this week? Post your available shift on Fairly and connect with vetted dental hygienists and dental assistants in your area.
Create your clinic account and start filling dental shifts faster.