Dental Hygienist salary in Scottsdale, AZ

The median pay for a dental hygienist in Scottsdale, AZ is $49.29 an hour — about $102,520 a year full time. That figure comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ (2025). Half of the roles pay more than this and half pay less, so treat it as the middle of the market rather than a target.

Most dental hygienists in Scottsdale, AZ earn between $46.16 an hour and $58.61 an hour — that is the 10th to the 90th percentile. The spread usually reflects experience, shift, certifications and employer size more than anything else.

Pay at the bottom of the range — roughly what someone starting out can expect — is around $46.16 an hour in Scottsdale, AZ. A quarter of dental hygienists earn below $47.79 an hour, so the first year or two typically sits in that band.

The top 10% of dental hygienists in Scottsdale, AZ earn about $58.61 an hour or more, roughly 1.2× the median. Getting there usually means experience plus something specific — advanced certification, supervisory responsibility, or specialising in higher-paying work.

Dental hygienists clean teeth, screen for oral disease and educate patients on care. It requires an accredited degree and state licence, and is among the better-paid roles reachable with a two-year qualification. Day to day, that means clean teeth and remove plaque and calculus, screen for oral health problems, take and interpret dental X-rays and apply preventive treatments.

The usual route is: (1) complete an accredited dental hygiene programme (about 3 years), (2) pass national and state board examinations, (3) obtain your state licence, (4) build a regular patient base — many hygienists work part-time across practices. Employers typically look for associate degree in dental hygiene from an accredited programme, national board and state clinical exams and state hygienist licence.

Yes. Working as a dental hygienist requires formal certification or licensing — specifically state hygienist licence and local anaesthesia certification in some states. Requirements are set at state level in most cases, so check your own state's rules before committing to a programme.

There are currently 6 open dental hygienists in Scottsdale, AZ listed on LocalWork. Consistent demand tied to preventive dental care. Part-time and flexible arrangements are common and widely available.