You Just Graduated from Hygienist School. Salary: $38,000 or less

You graduate hygienist school, excited to get your first job—only there is nothing available...aside from temporary fill-in work. The market has been saturated and you'll have to wait until someone dies or retires to get a steady part-time gig. Maybe you should move to Alaska, they have teeth there too (for the most part).

First Full-Time Job. Salary: $57,000

You finally get a steady job working as a hygienist for a busy dental practice. Only problem is your boss works you to death and you have to turn out twelve patients a day four days a week. By the end of the first month, your hands are gnarled in knots and your neck and back are in pain. You spend way too much time hunched over patients for long stretches. At this rate, you'll burn out before the year's over.

Back in the Market. Salary: $75,000

Things got cushy with your old boss and you've been his favorite hygienist for over ten years. Only now he's retiring and the new guy has his own staff moving in. Time to polish the old résumé and get back out there.

Lifer. Salary: $85,000

You've been working for the same dentist in the same office since you graduated dental school a million years ago. You have regular patients who adore you and feel a big part of their lives. You've gone to your patients' weddings, bar mitzvahs, and sadly a few funerals. You're proud to be an integral part of a team that keeps your patients' teeth healthy.

Dental Hygienist for Famous Folks. Salary $100,000

You partner up with the Dentist to the Stars in Beverly Hills. Your office is luxe, you can have all the hand-made cappuccino creations you want and a personal masseuse who gives you hand and shoulder rubs between patients. You put four kids through private school and vacation on Maui twice a year. Twice. A. Year.