Temp Hygienist Markup Just Hit 35%. Your Budget Is Broken

Temp Hygienist Markup Just Hit 35%. Your Budget Is Broken

Temporary hygienist agencies (Temp Dent, Care Staffing, and local regional providers) are charging $55-75 per hour for W2 temps. Your full-time hygienist costs $42-52 per hour loaded. The spread was 10-15%. It's 30-35% now.

Staffing shortage is real. Burnout is real. Hygienists leaving dentistry continues. But agencies are pricing like they're booking nurses for emergency surgery, not cleanings.

The real issue: You're budgeting for staffing scarcity like it's temporary. It isn't. And every month you delay hiring full-time, your temp costs compound. A 1.5-day-per-week temp (12 hours monthly) at $65/hour costs $9,360 annually. A full-time hygienist with benefits costs $48-60K. But temps also reduce your hygiene hours, which means fewer new patients entering your funnel.

This math breaks between three and six months of temp usage. The answer isn't better temp agencies. It's recruiting direct, offering $48-52K salary, and accepting the 4-6 week onboarding cost. Your cash flow will recover faster.

Agencies are price-setting based on desperation. Stop being desperate.