Best Dental Hygiene Schools in Ohio – 2024

Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH

If you are interested in a lucrative career in Ohio that allows you to do your part to improve the overall health and wellbeing of an entire community, then dental hygiene is an excellent choice. In order to get started with this occupation, you will first need to find and complete your education so you can obtain the licensing and certification that allows you to practice. Below, we have ranked the best dental hygiene schools in Ohio, which can help you make better decisions about your education.

RECOMMENDED ONLINE HEALTHCARE SCHOOLS

5 Things that will Make Your Dental Hygiene Schooling Easier

Depending on the route you choose, you may be in school for a little over two years or closer to six years. Either way, there are some steps you can take to make your time pursing a dental hygiene program in OH easier.

1. Choose the best school. Be sure that you pick a school that offers the quality education you want at a distance you can live with.
2. Carve out time to study. Dental hygiene programs are not easy, so you will need to be sure that you have time to study every day.
3. Form study groups. Talk to others in your classes and form study groups. This makes studying more entertaining and helps you form friendships.
4. Try some online courses. These days, many of the dental hygiene programs out there offer at least some of your courses online.
5. Take care of yourself. Be sure that you are eating right, staying hydrated, and getting plenty of rest.

Dental Hygiene Program Length & Cost in Ohio

If you opt for an associate degree, you will be in school for 20 to 30 months and pay as much as $39,970. A bachelor’s degree takes a total of four years and costs up to $73,110. A master’s degree takes an additional one to two years and costs another $21,730 to $67,120.

WHAT ARE THE BEST DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAMS IN OHIO?

(Based on our Ranking Methodology, below are the 10 best Dental Hygiene programs in Ohio. The list includes both campus-based and online programs.)

1. Ohio State University-Main Campus, Columbus

Entry Level:
Baccalaureate Degree Completion:
Master’s:

2. Youngstown State University, Youngstown

3. Columbus State Community College, Columbus

4. James A Rhodes State College, Lima

5. Cuyahoga Community College District, Cleveland

6. Sinclair Community College, Dayton

7. Lorain County Community College, Elyria

8. Stark State College, North Canton

9. University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College, Blue Ash

VIEW OUR RANKING METHODOLOGY

Dental Hygienist Career Information For Ohio - 2024

How Many Dental Hygienists are Currently Employed in OH?

Where do Dental Hygienists Work in Ohio?

Of the 8,320 dental hygienists in Ohio, 7,880 of them – or 95% - work in dentists’ offices. The other 5% work for the local, state, or federal government or in doctors’ offices, where they provide consumers with value and convenience.

Regardless of the industry you choose, you will have numerous options available to you. If you want to work in a dentist’s office, for example, you might choose to work with the general public or with a dentist who has dedicated his or her practice toward helping children. You may provide low-cost oral exams and cleanings to kids in a public health department or in local schools if you work for the government, and if you work in a doctors’ office, you will offer cleanings and oral healthcare education to ensure people get the absolute best care possible in a single visit.

What is the Average Salary of a Dental Hygienist in Ohio?

The average annual dental hygienist salary in Ohio is $74,220 a year, which is equal to $35.68 an hour or $6,190 a month. Your salary will fluctuate a great deal based on several factors, as well. For example, when you are just entering the workforce, you will earn much less than someone who has served as a dental hygienist for 20 years or more. It is also worth noting that dental hygienists who have graduate degrees earn significantly more than their undergraduate counterparts due to the various skills and abilities these graduate programs teach.

Type	Salary
Hourly	$35.68
Monthly	$6,190
Annual	$74,220
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Salary Based on Years of Experience

Dental Hygienist Average Salary Comparison: Ohio vs. National

The national average income for dental hygienists is $84,860 a year, but in Ohio, you will earn $74,220. This is$10,640 (12.54%) less than the national average.

Ohio	National	Difference
		Number	%
$74,220	$84,860	-$10,640	-12.54%
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Job Outlook

Though your salary might be somewhat lower than the national average, your overall job outlook is exciting. In 2020, there were 8,670 dental hygienists across the state, but by 2030, there will be 9,170. This is an additional 500 new dental hygienists, representing growth of 5.77%.

Ohio’s state-subsidized healthcare has expanded since 2018, and private health insurance has become more accessible to people across the state at the same time. This means that more people in OH now have access to dental insurance, which will spur them to seek cleanings. What’s more, thanks to the internet and the information age, people in Ohio are more aware than ever of how their oral health can affect their overall physical health.

Employment		Employment Growth (2020-2030)
2020	2030	Number	Percent
8,670	9,170	+500	+5.77%
(Source: careeronestop)

Annual Job Openings

New	Replacement	Annual Job Openings (New + Replacement)
50	550	600
(Source: careeronestop)

Metro Wise Employment & Salary Data

One of the most important decisions you can make about your future career as a dental hygienist has to do with your specific work location. You should choose a location that balances job opportunities with a high salary for the best possible results. As an example, metro areas like Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland-Elyria are home to most of the state’s dental hygienists. The salaries you can earn in these areas range from $73,360 to $81,710, as well. However, if you choose to work in a smaller area, such as Springfield, not only will there be fewer job opportunities, but your income will also be much lower. On average, dental hygienists in Springfield, OH earn an annual salary of $69,120.

Though Ohio offers a relatively low cost of living when compared to many of the other states across the country, you should also take this into consideration when choosing the area where you will work. Cincinnati, for example, has a much higher cost of living at the local level than places like Lima, Toledo, and even Dayton.

Useful Dental Hygienist Organizations & Associations in Ohio

Ohio Dental Hygienists' Association (ODHA)

The Ohio Dental Hygienists’ Association, or ODHA, is dedicated to advancing and securing the dental hygiene profession by advocating for stringent standards across the board, pushing for high-quality education in OH, and helping the dental hygienists in the state achieve their full potentials. Membership benefits include legislative representation, newsletters with the latest information related to the occupation, access to professional contacts and exclusive networking, and much more.