{"id":28256,"date":"2025-09-26T12:00:54","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T17:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/?p=28256"},"modified":"2025-09-25T14:44:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:44:10","slug":"dental-hygienist-pay-up-20-since-2020-what-that-really-means-for-your-practice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/2025\/09\/26\/dental-hygienist-pay-up-20-since-2020-what-that-really-means-for-your-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cDental Hygienist Pay Up 20% Since 2020\u201d: What That Really Means for Your Practice"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/practiceperfectsystems.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-24452 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/PPS_Logo_May-2024-500px.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"438\" height=\"205\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/PPS_Logo_May-2024-500px.png 500w, https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/PPS_Logo_May-2024-500px-300x140.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><b>Why This Should Concern Every Dentist and Hygienist<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hygienist pay has risen 20% since 2020. That sounds great\u2014until you realize that hygiene collectible production (not projected, not on paper, but truly collectible) must also rise by 20% just to keep pace.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If reimbursements and fees haven\u2019t increased by that much\u2014and let\u2019s be honest, they haven\u2019t\u2014then hygiene risks becoming a loss leader rather than a profit center.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And if hygiene isn\u2019t profitable, opportunities for growth\u2014for both dentists and hygienists\u2014quickly dry up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIf a cleaning ends in bleeding, that\u2019s not maintenance\u2014it\u2019s a warning and an opportunity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Why \u201cDoing More of the Same\u201d Won\u2019t Work<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The solution isn\u2019t cramming more prophies into the schedule. It\u2019s rethinking the entire hygiene equation. Enter salivary testing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not because it makes you money directly\u2014it usually doesn\u2019t. In my own practice, it was break-even at best. But it builds something even more valuable: trust.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trust is the secret sauce that leads to case acceptance, and case acceptance is what actually grows revenue.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Periodontal Care: The Real Growth Driver<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The old rule of thumb? 25% of hygiene revenue should come from periodontal therapy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In today\u2019s enlightened practices, that percentage is much higher.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A D1110 becomes a D4910.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Twice-a-year visits become quarterly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bloody 60-minute prophies shrink into efficient 30\u201345 minute maintenance appointments.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And bloody prophies themselves? Let\u2019s call them what they are: a red flag.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>\ud83d\udca1 TLP TIP:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you brushed your hair and saw blood, you\u2019d run to a doctor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If a prophy ends in bleeding, it\u2019s not a \u201croutine cleaning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s a warning sign that demands treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>The Barriers: Fear and Perspective<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why do too many practices avoid recommending periodontal therapy?<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fear of No. Nobody likes rejection.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not wanting to be the \u201cbad guy.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both are solvable.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For fear of no: persuasion is a skill, not a personality trait. Dale Carnegie\u2019s timeless principles and Dr. Robert Cialdini\u2019s 7 Principles of Influence provide a roadmap.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For \u201cbad guy syndrome\u201d: it\u2019s all about perspective. What\u2019s worse\u2014recommending treatment that could prevent a stroke, or staying silent while inflammation rages?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Objection Buster:\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>\u201cI Don\u2019t Have Time.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This one\u2019s common. Hygienists often feel their schedule is already jammed\u2014how can they possibly add testing, education, and more periodontal care?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s the reframe:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shorter appointments in the long run. Once patients transition from bloody prophies to maintenance, visits become cleaner, quicker, and more efficient.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Better prepared patients. Salivary testing and diagnostics make conversations easier\u2014patients already \u201csee the evidence,\u201d so less time is wasted on persuasion.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Return on time invested. A few extra minutes now prevents countless hours of re-care, retreatment, and patient frustration later.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other words: you don\u2019t have time not to do this.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe hygienist or dentist who avoids hard conversations isn\u2019t protecting time\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">they\u2019re guaranteeing more problems later.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>When Fear and Perspective Are Solved, \u201cAll Boats Rise\u201d<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s the bigger picture: when hygienists and dentists master these two barriers\u2014overcoming fear of no and reframing the \u201cbad guy\u201d role\u2014acceptance doesn\u2019t just improve for perio and salivary testing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It improves across the board:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cosmetic dentistry<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Implant therapy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Occlusal therapy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sleep and airway treatments<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why? Because patients who experience clarity, confidence, and trust in hygiene are far more likely to say \u201cyes\u201d to other services. Hygiene becomes the gateway to comprehensive care.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s the true rising tide effect: solve the hygiene equation, and the entire practice grows with it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>The Takeaway<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Salivary diagnostics won\u2019t make your hygiene department profitable on their own. But they will:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Build trust in your recommendations<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increase case acceptance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shift hygiene from a liability into a growth engine<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open the door for all other services to thrive<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When combined with a physician communication system, it encourages referrals<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Combine that with modern periodontal protocols, and hygiene becomes the heartbeat of a thriving practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Special Offer for OralDNA adopters.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to overcome \u201cfear of no\u201d and master the art of ethical persuasion?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Liberated Practice has a limited number of Dr. Robert Cialdini\u2019s Ethical Influence Certification courses\u2014available to Oral DNA subscribers with a $500 discount.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is an investment in confidence, clarity, and case acceptance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/practiceperfectsystems.com\/cart\/?add-to-cart=3710&amp;quantity=1&amp;coupon=ETHICALORALDNA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Boost Your Influence Now!<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/get-started\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-28177 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/OralDNA_Banners-2-1024x293.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/OralDNA_Banners-2-1024x293.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/OralDNA_Banners-2-300x86.png 300w, https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/OralDNA_Banners-2-768x219.png 768w, https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/OralDNA_Banners-2-1536x439.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/OralDNA_Banners-2-2048x585.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why This Should Concern Every Dentist and Hygienist Hygienist pay has risen 20% since 2020. That sounds great\u2014until you realize that hygiene collectible production (not projected, not on paper, but truly collectible) must also rise by 20% just to keep pace. If reimbursements and fees haven\u2019t increased by that much\u2014and let\u2019s be honest, they haven\u2019t\u2014then <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/2025\/09\/26\/dental-hygienist-pay-up-20-since-2020-what-that-really-means-for-your-practice\/\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":126,"featured_media":28229,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,59,110],"tags":[278,151,178,112,76,152,43,3,46],"class_list":["post-28256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-periodontal-disease","category-practice-management","category-salivary-diagnostics","tag-dental-hygiene","tag-insurance-coding","tag-medical-dental-collaboration","tag-patient-education","tag-periodontal-disease","tag-practice-management","tag-prophy","tag-salivary-diagnostics","tag-salivary-testing"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Practice-Perfect-Systems_Featured-Image.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7W16z-7lK","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28256"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/126"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28256"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28256\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28261,"href":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28256\/revisions\/28261"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28256"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28256"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28256"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}