OPT Registered Dental Hygienist Jobs
Registered Dental Hygienist jobs on OPT are available at private dental practices, community health clinics, and hospital dental departments across the U.S. Your OPT period gives you up to 12 months of work authorization, with a 24-month STEM extension unavailable for this field since dental hygiene CIP codes don't qualify.
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Get Access To All Jobs$60-$65 per hour plus commission
(Competitive Hourly Compensation plus bonus) Registered Dental Hygienist – Fantastic Career Opportunities
- High-end compensation in the industry—guaranteed base plus bonuses for strong performance
- Large, diverse patient base of all payor types
- General, specialty and orthodontic services offered in all offices.
- Established organization committed to quality and patient experience.
- Growth through training, professional development, company-sponsored CE, etc.
- Great clinical and administrative teams in every office
- A team approach to providing patients with a great experience.
- Geographic diversity throughout Southern California
- Digital state-of-the-art practice management system, instruments, and equipment
What We Are Looking For In A Hygienist & Qualifications
- You must have a hygiene degree/certificate from an accredited program and a state license.
- An individual passionate about helping others.
- An outgoing, personable individual with a cheerful attitude and demeanor
- An intelligent, sensible, and instinctive individual with good communication skills
- An individual who wants to be part of a high-caliber, high-quality team committed to satisfying patients and providing them with a great experience.
- An individual with excellent clinical skills
- An individual who wants to learn, grow, and advance in their career.
- An individual willing to work full-time or part-time.
Your Responsibilities Include
- Great interaction with patients to promote trust and the optimal patient experience.
- Collaborating with an entire office team, from the dentists to the receptionists, to promote trust, connection and relationships with patients and one another.
- Learning how PPO, HMO, and other dental plans work and providing guidance to patients to optimize their benefits.
- Proactively addressing patient concerns and providing insight and comfort to patients with regard to their dental treatment.
Support We Provide To Our Hygienists
- Beautiful, state-of-the-art offices equipped with modern systems, equipment and supplies.
- Full back-office support by Specialty Managers, Specialty Assistants, Floor Supervisors, RDAs, DAs, X-Ray Techs and Sterilization Clerks
- Excellent, high-caliber instruments
- Reliable, quality supplies from the most reputable, dependable companies
- Regulatory and facility compliance
- Steady flow of patients of all payor types
Experienced and New Candidates Welcome
If you’re experienced, we’ll welcome you into our family and culture and support you in growing clinically and operationally so that you can be the best that you can be and grow to your greatest potential.
If you’re new, we’ll work with you, train you, and coach you with guidance and leadership from highly experienced, capable and excellent dentists. You’ll also benefit from training programs, regular chart reviews, one-on-one coaching, company-sponsored CE courses, and many other things we offer to help you become an excellent provider and operator.
Who And Where We Are
For more than 30 years, West Coast Dental has served Southern California with a commitment to high quality general and specialty dental and orthodontic care and a great patient experience for every patient.
West Coast Dental, including its affiliate Magicland Children’s Dental, represents a dynamic fast-growing group of over 45 dental offices—in greater Los Angeles, Orange County, the Inland Empire, and Northern San Diego—that offer the full range of general and specialty care, including orthodontics, to patients of all kinds—private, PPO, Medi-Cal, and HMO.
We are expanding throughout our markets and expect significant growth and opportunities for all of our employees and partners.
Benefits We Offer
- Paid Time Off
- Sick Pay
- Holiday Pay
- Medical coverage
- Supplemental vision coverage
- Comprehensive dental benefit for employees and dependents.
- 401k plan participation
$60-$65 per hour plus commission
(Competitive Hourly Compensation plus bonus) Registered Dental Hygienist – Fantastic Career Opportunities
- High-end compensation in the industry—guaranteed base plus bonuses for strong performance
- Large, diverse patient base of all payor types
- General, specialty and orthodontic services offered in all offices.
- Established organization committed to quality and patient experience.
- Growth through training, professional development, company-sponsored CE, etc.
- Great clinical and administrative teams in every office
- A team approach to providing patients with a great experience.
- Geographic diversity throughout Southern California
- Digital state-of-the-art practice management system, instruments, and equipment
What We Are Looking For In A Hygienist & Qualifications
- You must have a hygiene degree/certificate from an accredited program and a state license.
- An individual passionate about helping others.
- An outgoing, personable individual with a cheerful attitude and demeanor
- An intelligent, sensible, and instinctive individual with good communication skills
- An individual who wants to be part of a high-caliber, high-quality team committed to satisfying patients and providing them with a great experience.
- An individual with excellent clinical skills
- An individual who wants to learn, grow, and advance in their career.
- An individual willing to work full-time or part-time.
Your Responsibilities Include
- Great interaction with patients to promote trust and the optimal patient experience.
- Collaborating with an entire office team, from the dentists to the receptionists, to promote trust, connection and relationships with patients and one another.
- Learning how PPO, HMO, and other dental plans work and providing guidance to patients to optimize their benefits.
- Proactively addressing patient concerns and providing insight and comfort to patients with regard to their dental treatment.
Support We Provide To Our Hygienists
- Beautiful, state-of-the-art offices equipped with modern systems, equipment and supplies.
- Full back-office support by Specialty Managers, Specialty Assistants, Floor Supervisors, RDAs, DAs, X-Ray Techs and Sterilization Clerks
- Excellent, high-caliber instruments
- Reliable, quality supplies from the most reputable, dependable companies
- Regulatory and facility compliance
- Steady flow of patients of all payor types
Experienced and New Candidates Welcome
If you’re experienced, we’ll welcome you into our family and culture and support you in growing clinically and operationally so that you can be the best that you can be and grow to your greatest potential.
If you’re new, we’ll work with you, train you, and coach you with guidance and leadership from highly experienced, capable and excellent dentists. You’ll also benefit from training programs, regular chart reviews, one-on-one coaching, company-sponsored CE courses, and many other things we offer to help you become an excellent provider and operator.
Who And Where We Are
For more than 30 years, West Coast Dental has served Southern California with a commitment to high quality general and specialty dental and orthodontic care and a great patient experience for every patient.
West Coast Dental, including its affiliate Magicland Children’s Dental, represents a dynamic fast-growing group of over 45 dental offices—in greater Los Angeles, Orange County, the Inland Empire, and Northern San Diego—that offer the full range of general and specialty care, including orthodontics, to patients of all kinds—private, PPO, Medi-Cal, and HMO.
We are expanding throughout our markets and expect significant growth and opportunities for all of our employees and partners.
Benefits We Offer
- Paid Time Off
- Sick Pay
- Holiday Pay
- Medical coverage
- Supplemental vision coverage
- Comprehensive dental benefit for employees and dependents.
- 401k plan participation
See all OPT Registered Dental Hygienist Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Registered Dental Hygienist
Verify your state license before applying
Every state requires a separate dental hygiene license, and licensure timelines range from two to eight weeks. Start the application before your OPT start date so you can begin working the moment your EAD arrives.
Target private practices over large hospital systems
Independent dental offices make hiring decisions faster and with less HR bureaucracy. A solo or group practice owner who needs coverage is far more likely to hire an OPT candidate than a hospital credentialing committee.
Be upfront about your OPT end date early
Dental practices plan staffing months ahead. Disclosing your authorization window in the first conversation avoids wasted interviews and builds trust. Practices willing to sponsor H-1B visa later need lead time to prepare.
Highlight your national board scores prominently
NBDHE and WREB scores are universally recognized across state lines. Strong scores signal clinical competency to employers who may be unfamiliar with your dental school, making them one of your most persuasive credentials on applications.
Research H-1B sponsorship history before accepting offers
Not all dental employers will sponsor you after OPT expires. Use public DOL disclosure data to check whether a practice or dental group has filed H-1B Labor Condition Applications in the past before investing time in their hiring process.
Browse OPT-friendly dental hygienist roles on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate filters jobs by visa sponsorship willingness, saving you from applying to practices that won't support your authorization. Focusing your effort on receptive employers is the fastest way to convert OPT time into a long-term position.
Registered Dental Hygienist OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Registered Dental Hygienist on OPT?
Yes, F-1 OPT authorizes you to work as a Registered Dental Hygienist as long as the role directly relates to your dental hygiene degree. You'll need a valid EAD card and a state dental hygiene license for the state where you practice. OPT employment must be at least 20 hours per week to maintain valid F-1 status.
Does dental hygiene qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension?
No. Dental hygiene programs fall under CIP code 51.0602, which is not on the STEM Designated Degree Program List maintained by the Department of Homeland Security. This means your OPT authorization is capped at 12 months. Planning your H-1B or other long-term visa strategy before your OPT expires is essential.
Can I work at multiple dental offices during my OPT?
Yes, you can hold multiple concurrent positions during OPT. Each job must relate to your dental hygiene degree, and the combined hours across all employers must reach at least 20 hours per week. You do not need to report each employer to your DSO in advance, but you should keep records of all employment for your OPT documentation.
How do I find dental hygienist employers willing to sponsor visas after OPT?
Start by browsing Migrate Mate, which surfaces dental hygienist jobs from employers open to visa sponsorship. Beyond that, check DOL OFLC disclosure data to identify practices and dental groups that have previously filed Labor Condition Applications for H-1B workers. Multi-location dental service organizations are generally more experienced with immigration sponsorship than solo practitioners.
What happens if my state dental hygiene license takes longer than expected to process?
You cannot legally practice dental hygiene without a state license, even if your EAD is valid. If your license is delayed beyond your OPT start date, you cannot begin clinical work. Contact your DSO immediately if this happens, as remaining unemployed for more than 90 cumulative days during OPT will terminate your F-1 status. Consider beginning the licensure process as early as possible.