Dental Assistants
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.
Common Job Titles
- Certified Dental Assistant (CDA)
- Dental Assistant (DA)
- Expanded Duty Dental Assistant (EDDA)
- Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)
Wage Data According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Annual wage data for Dental Assistants (2024)
Estimated Total Employment (U.S.)
375,430
Wage Distribution by Percentile
Line chart of annual wages by percentile. U.S. is the solid line. 10th percentile: U.S. $36,190. 25th percentile: U.S. $39,520. 50th percentile: U.S. $47,300. 75th percentile: U.S. $56,910. 90th percentile: U.S. $61,780. Use the left and right arrow keys to move between percentiles.
- U.S.
| Metric | U.S. |
|---|---|
| 10% of workers earn the following or less | $36,190 |
| 10% of workers earn the following or more | $61,780 |
| Workers on average earn | $48,860 |
+ indicates wage is at or above the BLS reporting cap ($239,200/year)
Skills & Requirements
Key competencies for this occupation, ranked by importance
- Customer and Personal Service4.5/5
- Medicine and Dentistry4.4/5
- English Language3.8/5
- Administration and Management3.5/5
- Administrative3.5/5
Tools & Technology
Equipment and software commonly used in this occupation
In-Demand Technology
Frequently requested by employers in job postings
- Henry Schein Dentrix
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
Technology Skills
- Email software
- Kodak Dental Systems Kodak SOFTDENT Practice management software PMS
- Open Dental
- Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft
- Quicken
- The Systems Workplace TDOCS
- Web browser software
- Word processing software
Tools & Equipment
- Air abrasion units
- Air compressors
- Air/water syringes
- Amalgam carriers
- Amalgamators
- Apex locators
- Articulators
- Aspirating syringes