Official pay data
Updated 11 October 2026
Salary guide
Official annual estimates for the whole country, mapped to the closest published occupation.
United Kingdom · gross annual earnings estimate
25th percentile
£26,955
Median
£29,931
75th percentile
£36,120
This ASHE benchmark covers full-time employee jobs, not self-employed income or part-time jobs. ASHE gross earnings include basic pay, overtime, incentive pay such as bonuses and commissions, shift premiums, and other cash pay. They are before deductions, exclude payments in kind, and are not take-home pay or the whole benefits package. Compare the benchmark with an offer on the same working-hours and annual-pay basis.
This is a country-level occupation benchmark, not a local offer estimate. Pay can differ by location, employer, duties, and working pattern.
Source: ONS, 2025-04-30. Mapped to Medical and dental technicians; the occupation is broader than the page role. Figures are estimates, not advertised salaries.
This guide uses the national benchmark for Medical and dental technicians, a broader occupation than Dental Hygienist. It is a useful comparison for a hygienist role because the work includes preventive dental care, patient education, referrals and record keeping. It does not isolate dental hygienists, so use it to frame an employee offer rather than treat it as an exact hygienist salary.
Benchmark fit
The benchmark is labelled Medical and dental technicians rather than Dental Hygienist. It has practical overlap with dental hygiene work, including preventive treatment, oral-health advice, referral where further treatment is needed and patient records. Because the published occupation is broader, its figures are a national reference point, not a dental-hygienist-only rate.
Nearby titles: Dental hygienist is the occupational audience for this guide..
Dental therapy is a related job that a dental hygienist may move into with experience and further training; it is not presented as the same occupation. The broader benchmark should not be used to erase that distinction.
Role scope
A dental hygienist helps prevent cavities and gum disease through dental hygiene care, patient education and referral when a client needs further treatment.
Clean and polish teeth, and apply dental sealants to protect against decay. · Demonstrate brushing and flossing techniques and promote oral healthcare to children and adults. · Refer clients to a dentist when further treatment is needed. · Update and maintain patient records.
Preventive dental care and advice for clients. · Maintained patient records and referrals where further treatment is needed.
Dental therapy is a related job a hygienist may move into with experience and further training, rather than the same occupation.
Read the range
When comparing an offer with the benchmark, first check that the job is genuinely centred on dental-hygiene work: preventive care such as cleaning and polishing teeth, patient oral-health education, referrals for further treatment and record keeping. A title alone will not show whether the duties fit that comparison.
One quarter of employees earn below this figure.
Half of employees earn below this figure and half above it; it is not the arithmetic midpoint of the displayed range.
One quarter of employees earn above this figure.
Location
Supplementary regional medians are available for selected UK regions, alongside the national benchmark.
| Region | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| East | Not published | £27,172 | Not published |
| East Midlands | Not published | £24,969 | Not published |
| London | Not published | £33,227 | Not published |
| North East | Not published | £33,294 | Not published |
| North West | Not published | £28,842 | Not published |
| Scotland | Not published | £30,314 | Not published |
| South West | Not published | £29,465 | Not published |
| West Midlands | Not published | £28,231 | Not published |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | Not published | £27,745 | Not published |
Regional figures are supplementary. This remains a country-level occupation benchmark, and an individual offer can differ by location, employer, duties and working pattern.
Beyond salary
Compare the offer on the same annual-pay and working-hours basis as the benchmark. Then separate fixed pay from cash payments that depend on overtime, shifts, bonuses or commission, and assess benefits under their own terms.
Ask for the contracted annual pay and hours so that you can make a like-for-like comparison with the benchmark.
Ask whether overtime, bonuses, commission, shift premiums or other cash payments are offered, and what rules determine payment.
Ask for the terms of any pension, health cover, leave or equity separately. Payments in kind are outside the cash-earnings measure.
Offer review
Questions
Source
Source: ONS, 2025-04-30. The figures cover Medical and dental technicians (3213) and full time employee jobs. Updated 11 October 2026. This broad occupation benchmark may not match every Dental Hygiene vacancy.
Put the benchmark to work
Use the salary range as context. Tailor your CV around the experience that supports your target level.
