Solo Practice
1 Dentist, $750K-$1M Production
- Dental Hygienists
- 2
- Dental Assistants
- 2
- Front Desk
- 1-2
- Office Manager
- 1 (can be combined)
- Total Staff
- 5-7
General Dental
General Dental Staffing Guide
Build the right team for your general dental practice with industry-standard ratios, compensation benchmarks, and proven hiring strategies.
2:1
Hygienist:Dentist Ratio
22-28%
Staff Cost Target
$150-200K
Revenue/Employee
Recommended Team Structure
Two-Doctor Practice
2 Dentists, $1.5M-$2M Production
- Dental Hygienists
- 3-4
- Dental Assistants
- 4-5
- Front Desk
- 2-3
- Office Manager
- 1
- Treatment Coordinator
- 1
- Total Staff
- 11-14
2:1
Hygienists per Dentist
22-28%
Staff Cost (% of Collections)
<15%
Turnover Target
$150-200K
Revenue/Employee
2024-2025 Compensation Benchmarks
| Position | Hourly Range | Annual Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienist | $32-$58 | $66,000-$120,000 | Median $45/hr (BLS 2024) |
| Dental Assistant (CDA) | $22-$28 | $47,000-$58,000 | Certification adds ~$3.50/hour |
| Dental Assistant (Entry) | $17-$22 | $36,000-$46,000 | X-ray certified preferred |
| Front Desk/Receptionist | $16-$24 | $33,000-$50,000 | Experience with dental software |
| Treatment Coordinator | $20-$30 | $42,000-$62,000 | Sales/presentation skills |
| Office Manager | $50,000-$80,000 | $50,000-$80,000 | Varies with practice size |
| Insurance Coordinator | $18-$26 | $37,000-$54,000 | Insurance knowledge critical |
Dental Hygienist
- Hourly:
- $32-$58
- Annual:
- $66,000-$120,000
Median $45/hr (BLS 2024)
Dental Assistant (CDA)
- Hourly:
- $22-$28
- Annual:
- $47,000-$58,000
Certification adds ~$3.50/hour
Dental Assistant (Entry)
- Hourly:
- $17-$22
- Annual:
- $36,000-$46,000
X-ray certified preferred
Front Desk/Receptionist
- Hourly:
- $16-$24
- Annual:
- $33,000-$50,000
Experience with dental software
Treatment Coordinator
- Hourly:
- $20-$30
- Annual:
- $42,000-$62,000
Sales/presentation skills
Office Manager
- Hourly:
- $50,000-$80,000
- Annual:
- $50,000-$80,000
Varies with practice size
Insurance Coordinator
- Hourly:
- $18-$26
- Annual:
- $37,000-$54,000
Insurance knowledge critical
Hiring Reality Check
- • 76% of practices report hygienist hiring as "extremely challenging"
- • 90% say overall recruitment is "extremely" or "very" difficult
- • Wages rising 5-8% yearly due to shortage
- • Add 20-30% to salary figures for total benefits cost
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, DentalPost Salary Survey 2024
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