Dental Assistant Salary: Your Earnings and Career Guide

A dental assistant assists a dentist during dental procedures and provides patient care including checking vitals, educating patients on oral health, and taking radiographs. Dental assistants may also perform office management tasks and handle patient communication and appointment scheduling. 

If you feel comfortable going to your dentist, chances are you can thank your dental assistant. Professionals in this role work alongside dentists and dental hygienists to keep equipment clean and sterile, explain procedures, and answer patient questions. Learn more about the role of a dental assistant, what you can expect in terms of salary, factors that affect salary, and details about job outlook. 

What is a dental assistant?

A dental assistant aids a dentist or dental hygienist during dental procedures and provides patient care, including checking vitals, educating patients on oral health, and taking radiographs. Dental assistants may also perform office management tasks and handle patient communication and appointment scheduling.

Your duties and responsibilities as a dental assistant may vary slightly based on the industry and your employer. However, typical tasks of a dental assistant working in a traditional clinical setting may include: 

• Assisting a dentist with dental procedures 

• Ensuring a patient feels comfortable and informed 

• Conducting clerical tasks for the management and operations of a dentist's office

• Communicating with patients about scheduling, medications, billing, or other matters 

• Informing patients of aftercare instructions regarding procedures  

• Sterilizing equipment and dental tools

• Taking and processing radiographs for dentists 

Read more: What Is a Dental Assistant? Your Career Guide

How much does a dental assistant make?

The average annual salary for a dental assistant in the US varies. When comparing figures on five job listing sites, the average annual salary for dental assistants in the US ranges from $37,730 to $72,341. These amounts include the following figures [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]:

Factors that affect a dental assistant's salary

A variety of factors can affect your salary as a dental assistant. Some of the main indicators of salary include your education, experience level, the industry you work in, and your geographic location. 

Education

If you earn the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) certification, you can expect to earn about $3,551  more per year on average than a dental assistant without a CDA [6, 4]. Holding a CDA certification will also serve you well if you plan on remaining in this profession long-term. 

Experience

The longer you work as a dental assistant, the more you can typically earn. While this factor may not make as significant an impact on your annual salary as other factors like certification, many employers will compensate experienced dental assistants slightly more than those newer to the profession.

To get an idea of different ranges in pay according to experience, look at these base pay figures from Glassdoor [4]: 

• 0–1 year: $36,000 to $50,000

• 1–3 years: $39,000 to $55,000

• 4–6 years: $48,000 to $71,000

• 7–9 years: $49,000 to $75,000

• 10–14 years: $50,000 to $79,000

• 15 or more years: $53,000 to $88,000

Industry

Dental assistants most commonly work in dental offices but can also work in other industries, which can affect salary. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), dental assistants working in outpatient care centers or government agencies make more in average annual salary than dental assistants working in medical or dental offices, as evidenced below [7]. 

Annual mean wage of dental assistants by industry

• Medical offices: $44,930

• Dental offices: $47,280

• Outpatient care centers: $49,570

• Government agencies: $50,770

Location

Where you work within the US will impact your salary. The top three highest-paying states within the US for all jobs are Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Alaska. Among some of the lowest-paying states are West Virginia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Cost of living likely factors into salary swings by location, but there's also a correlation between the concentration of dental assistants and salary. Areas with higher employment rates of dental assistants and a higher need for these professionals may pay slightly more, especially within densely populated metropolitan areas. 

According to Indeed, these nine cities offer the highest annual salaries on average for dental assistants [5]:

• Portland, OR: $87,817

• New York, NY: $79,031

• Chicago, IL: $68,023

• Columbia, SC: $66192

• Milwaukee, WI: $64,970

• Dallas, TX: $63,778

• Las Vegas, NV: $62,946

• Houston, TX: $62,174

• San Antonio, TX: $60,457

How do you become a dental assistant?

To become a dental assistant, complete a CODA-accredited dental assistant program, which usually takes one to two years. Then, check with your state's dental board to find out if it requires you to take the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) exam or become licensed. You can also earn certifications to enhance your skills and boost your resume.

Get more details here: What Is a Dental Assistant? Your 2024 Career Guide

Job outlook

The job outlook for dental assistants appears promising when looking ahead to the next decade. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 7 percent growth rate for this profession from 2022 to 2032, which reflects a fairly rapid rate of growth when compared to similar professions [3].

Getting started on Coursera

Dental assistants play an important role in patient care. Knowing more about this job and the salary of a dental assistant can help you decide if this career path works for you. 

To further assess your interest in dental assistance or possibly more advanced dentistry roles, consider taking Dentistry 101, an online course offered by the University of Michigan on Coursera. The course provides an introduction to the field of dentistry and offers information on different paths you can take in the field. Working roughly two hours per week, you should complete this beginner-level course within three to four weeks.