{"id":14380,"date":"2026-05-05T13:10:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T11:10:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/info.1doc.ch\/hygieniste-dentaire-independant-salarie-differences-suisse\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T17:21:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T15:21:17","slug":"independent-employed-dental-hygienist-differences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/info.onedoc.ch\/en\/blog\/dental-hygienists\/independent-employed-dental-hygienist-differences\/","title":{"rendered":"Independent or employed dental hygienist: What are the differences in Switzerland?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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When you work as a dental hygienist in Switzerland, you have two main options: working as an employee in an existing practice or organization<\/strong>, or practicing under your own professional responsibility<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

On paper, the difference may seem simple. In reality, it changes many things: your autonomy, your organization, your level of responsibility, and also how much administrative work takes up your day-to-day routine.<\/p>\n

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Two very different ways to practice<\/h2><\/header>

Employment: A more structured framework<\/h3><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1770815120673{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”]When you work as an employee, you join an organization that is already in place.<\/p>\n

The practice provides you with a framework, a team, infrastructure, and often an already established patient base<\/strong>. This allows you to focus more on your core work, with a more limited organizational workload. It is also a model that often feels more reassuring when you are starting out<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text]

Independence: More freedom, but also more responsibility<\/h3><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1770815154107{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”]Practicing under your own professional responsibility gives you greater autonomy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

You decide how you organize your work, your pace, your positioning, and how you develop your activity<\/strong>. This additional freedom also comes with more responsibilities<\/strong>. In addition, you also take on what the practice usually handles for an employee: setting up the practice, management, administration, equipment, liability insurance, etc. The administrative workload is therefore higher.[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” kd_background_image_position=”vc_row-bg-position-top” kd_background_overlay=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1770815445706{margin-top: 50px !important;margin-bottom: 50px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″ offset=”vc_hidden-xs”][vc_single_image image=”36163″ img_size=”” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2\/3″]

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Do you need a license to practice?<\/h2><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1778080835433{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}” el_class=”btf-a”]In Switzerland, the FOPH states that this authorization falls under the responsibility of the cantons, within the framework set out by the legislation on healthcare professions.[\/vc_column_text]

For independent practice<\/h3><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1770815222885{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”]If you practice under your own professional responsibility<\/strong>, authorization issued by the canton is generally required.[\/vc_column_text]

For employees<\/h3><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1770815257319{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”]For employed practice, the situation is less uniform, although in general a license to practice is also required<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

However, in the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Graub\u00fcnden, Lucerne, and Solothurn, for example, a license to practice is not required if a person from the same profession assumes responsibility and supervision. Since regulations may change, we recommend contacting the relevant cantonal health authority directly.[\/vc_column_text]

What are the requirements to practice under your own responsibility?<\/h2><\/header>[vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1778080848552{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}” el_class=”btf-a”]The first requirement is to have a recognized diploma<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

If you obtained your diploma in Switzerland, you can start the cantonal procedures. If you trained abroad, official recognition is required before you submit your application.<\/p>\n

You then need to put together an administrative file<\/strong>, with documents that vary depending on the canton but generally include:<\/p>\n