Dental Hygienist Salary in Nebraska (2026)

Worth knowing: Nebraska is distinctive among Plains states for hosting TWO in-state DDS-granting institutions — UNMC College of Dentistry Lincoln (the substantial UNMC College of Dentistry founded 1916 + the substantial UNMC College of Dentistry as the substantial only NE public DDS school + the substantial UNMC Lincoln campus on UNL Lincoln + the substantial UNMC ~50 DDS/yr + the substantial UNMC faculty practice + the substantial UNMC Lincoln public dental clinic + the substantial UNMC College of Dentistry as one of the substantial mid-cost US public dental schools) and Creighton University School of Dentistry Omaha (the substantial Creighton DDS founded 1905 + the substantial Creighton as the substantial private Jesuit Catholic DDS + the substantial Creighton ~85 DDS/yr + the substantial Creighton Health Sciences campus Omaha + the substantial Creighton dental clinic + the substantial Creighton international dental program + the substantial Creighton historic role in training Catholic dentists). This dual-school concentration supports a more robust NE academic + faculty practice + hospital-integrated dental career path than peer Plains states (KS + IA + SD + ND + WY + MT have at most one or zero in-state DDS schools). Metropolitan Community College Omaha + Central Community College Hastings + College of Saint Mary Omaha + Western Nebraska Community College Scottsbluff + the substantial cross-border Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs operate the four NE + cross-border dental hygiene degree programs, producing ~80 AS/BSDH RDH graduates annually combined. UNMC University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha (the substantial UNMC Omaha as the country's substantial NE flagship academic medical center + the substantial Nebraska Medicine Omaha + the substantial UNMC Eppley Cancer Institute + the substantial UNMC College of Medicine + College of Pharmacy + College of Nursing + College of Allied Health Professions + the substantial UNMC ~6K UNMC employees + the substantial UNMC pediatric + the substantial UNMC integrated dental) + CHI Health Omaha (CommonSpirit Health + the substantial CHI Bergan Mercy + Creighton University Medical Center Bergan + the substantial CHI Catholic integrated dental) + Nebraska Methodist Health System Omaha (the substantial Methodist Hospital + Methodist Women's Hospital + the substantial Methodist integrated dental) + Bryan Health Lincoln (the substantial Bryan Health Lincoln flagship + the substantial Bryan East + Bryan West) + Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha anchor NE hospital-based + integrated RDH employment. The dense Omaha + Lincoln + Bellevue private practice market drives the bulk of NE RDH career opportunity — senior RDH at Omaha + West Omaha + Dundee private practice clears $60-82K. The substantial West Omaha + Country Club + Dundee concierge dental (the substantial Berkshire + Union Pacific + ConAgra + Werner + Mutual of Omaha + Kiewit + First National Bank of Omaha executive market + the substantial Omaha Buffett Berkshire annual meeting + the substantial Omaha post-2020 corporate concierge) supports unique NE private dental specialty work — concierge RDH at West Omaha + Dundee clears $65-85K. NE RDH scope of practice is moderate — NE Board of Dentistry requires dentist supervision. NE progressive 2.46-5.84% (phasing to 3.99% flat by 2027 per LB 754) + NE 5.5% state sales tax + NE NO estate tax (NE repealed 2007) + NE IS a Right-to-Work state (signed 1947) + NPERS public pension anchor the NE RDH proposition.