Hygienists send quotes before starting contract assignments, facility or school programs, and fee-based services like whitening or a periodontal treatment plan. Clients compare your rate to other temps and agencies, or your per-patient price to what a local office or competing mobile provider charges.
When to use estimates: Use estimates to provide project quotes and get client approval before starting work. Once approved, convert your estimate to an invoice with one click to collect payment.
Create an invoice for payment collection
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Invoice_1001_Client_2026-10-14.pdf
Scope of practice and what you are allowed to do vary by state and supervision level, and a clear list prevents disagreements about what was agreed.
The client needs to know whether a canceled or short day still triggers a minimum charge.
Whether you or the client provides handpieces, ultrasonic scalers, disposables, or a portable unit changes your price and your liability.
Mobile work can cost significant unpaid time, so it should be built into the quote or stated as a fee.
Some states require a supervising dentist or written agreement, and a quote should make clear who is responsible for what.
A client who cancels the morning of a clinic day should know in advance what they will owe.
Rates and your availability change, and a deposit secures your date for larger programs or whitening appointments.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Temp or contract hygiene coverage | per hour | $50-80 |
| Temp hygiene daily rate (full day) | per day | $400-650 |
| Adult prophylaxis (mobile or independent practice) | per visit | $90-175 |
| Periodontal maintenance | per visit | $110-200 |
| Scaling and root planing | per quadrant | $200-350 |
| Fluoride varnish or sealants | per patient / per tooth | $25-60 |
| Professional whitening (in-chair or take-home trays) | flat fee | $200-500 |
| Nursing home or school clinic day | per patient / per clinic day | $60-120 per patient |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
Offices often think in days, while you think in hours. Giving both makes it easy to compare to an agency rate and to explain a minimum.
Work out how many patients you can see per hour including setup, charting, and travel between rooms. A per-patient price that looks fine can lose money if the average patient takes longer than you expected.
For whitening, a flat fee with in-chair and take-home options is easier to approve than a list of parts. For multi-visit care, quote by visit or quadrant and state how many visits are expected.
If the patient or facility will submit to insurance, your price may be limited by what payers allow. Note whether your quote is a fee-for-service price or a contracted amount.
Quote an hourly or daily rate with a stated minimum, since the number of patients and the length of the day can change. Flat quotes work better for whitening or a defined program.
Quote per student or per clinic day, and state how many students you expect to see, supplies included, travel, and who handles consent forms. Programs often need the quote to match a grant or contract amount.
Yes, many independent hygienists charge a consult or assessment fee, or apply it toward the first treatment. State this in the quote so the client knows what is free and what is billed.
Use the Dental Hygienist invoice template to bill the client, or convert this estimate once it's approved.
Dental Hygienist invoice template