Dental Assistants: Career Overview
Perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and providing patients with instructions for oral healthcare procedures. May perform administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes.
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What Do Dental Assistants Take On?
The core tasks performed by dental assistants span:
- Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.
- Record treatment information in patient records.
- Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies.
- Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.
- Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.
- Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist.
- Instruct patients in oral hygiene and plaque control programs.
- Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.
What Dental Assistants Need to Know
Successful dental assistants combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Dental Assistants Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Certified Dental Assistant (CDA)
- Certified Registered Dental Assistant
- Dental Aide
- Dental Assistant (DA)
- Dental Nurse
- Dental Office Assistant
- Dental Specialist
- Dentist Attendant
Job Outlook
There are about 535,056 dental assistants working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +5.0% over the projection horizon.
Dental Assistants Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $25,445 |
| Hourly median | $12.23 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $22,000 |
| 75th percentile | $30,690 |
| 90th percentile | $35,934 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Dental Assistants Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | $64,630 |
| Massachusetts | $57,960 |
| Oregon | $57,720 |
| Washington | $57,040 |
| District of Columbia | $56,500 |
| Alaska | $55,950 |
| Maine | $51,340 |
| North Dakota | $51,310 |
| Vermont | $51,020 |
| Connecticut | $50,820 |
| New Hampshire | $50,260 |
| Arizona | $49,000 |
| California | $48,910 |
| North Carolina | $48,710 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,290 |
| Maryland | $48,280 |
| New Jersey | $48,070 |
| Rhode Island | $48,060 |
| Wisconsin | $48,000 |
| Indiana | $47,980 |
| Iowa | $47,820 |
| Colorado | $47,770 |
| South Dakota | $47,680 |
| Illinois | $47,430 |
| Ohio | $47,330 |
| Florida | $47,060 |
| Michigan | $47,030 |
| New York | $47,020 |
| Nevada | $46,970 |
| Virginia | $46,910 |
| Nebraska | $46,660 |
| Kentucky | $46,520 |
| Delaware | $46,090 |
| Tennessee | $46,090 |
| South Carolina | $45,930 |
| Montana | $45,820 |
| Georgia | $45,600 |
| Missouri | $45,220 |
| Hawaii | $44,870 |
| Oklahoma | $44,450 |
| Wyoming | $42,770 |
| Texas | $42,270 |
| Kansas | $39,840 |
| Idaho | $39,460 |
| New Mexico | $38,840 |
| Louisiana | $38,150 |
| Arkansas | $37,680 |
| West Virginia | $37,330 |
| Utah | $37,320 |
| Alabama | $37,280 |
| Mississippi | $37,130 |
| Virgin Islands | $36,350 |
| Guam | $35,640 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,690 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for dental assistants differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $54,400 | 4.7% | 0.97 |
| Far Western US | $50,788 | 21.1% | 1.27 |
| Plains States | $49,939 | 6.4% | 0.93 |
| Middle Atlantic | $47,785 | 13.5% | 0.90 |
| Great Lakes | $47,457 | 13.6% | 0.98 |
| Southeast | $45,177 | 23.0% | 0.94 |
| Southwest | $43,445 | 12.0% | 0.95 |
| Rocky Mountains | $42,740 | 5.1% | 1.29 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Dental Assistants
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $65,360 | 3,640 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $64,600 | 2,840 |
| Rochester, MN | MN | $62,990 | 290 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $62,700 | 7,100 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $62,620 | 680 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $60,890 | 7,490 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $60,220 | 550 |
| Mankato, MN | MN | $60,160 | 120 |
Top Industries Employing Dental Assistants
The largest employers of dental assistants are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 361,300 | $47,250 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 4,360 | $49,220 |
| Educational Services | 3,220 | $47,000 |
| Manufacturing | 160 | $50,560 |
| Finance and Insurance | 100 | $53,430 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Medical software: Henry Schein Dentrix (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of dental assistants tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Contact With Others
- Physical Proximity
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Telephone Conversations
Education and Training
Entry-level dental assistants positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Chiropractors (Supplemental)
- Dentists, General (Supplemental)
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (Supplemental)
- Orthodontists (Supplemental)
- Prosthodontists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Supplemental)
- Dermatologists (Supplemental)
- Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Students preparing for dental assistants commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 31-9091.00 (Dental Assistants).
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