Patient Care
Lab Work
Front Office Operations
What is a Dental Assistant?
Dental assistants work with dentists, dental hygienists, and office staff to help keep a dental office running smoothly including:
- Ensure that patients are comfortable in the dental chair
- Prepare patients and the work area for treatments and procedures
- Sterilize dental instruments
- Process x-rays and complete lab tasks, under the direction of a dentist
- Keep records of dental treatments
- Schedule patient appointments
- Work with patients on billing and payment
Dental Assistant vs Dental Hygienist
When considering a career in a dental office, you may be wondering what is better: dental assistants or dental hygienists? The fact of the matter is that the two roles are very different. A dental assistant works closely with a dentist to help with patient care. A dental hygienist, on the other hand, works closely with patients to do the bulk of the work of a routine dental appointments.
Dental hygienists are more hands-on with patients and have training in coronal polishing, tartar removal, and other skills that affect oral health. Learn more about how to become a dental hygienist.
Why Become a Dental Assistant?
Dental assisting is an exciting career that combines the service elements of health care with the operational structure of an office. It is a growing career choice for many, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting employment will grow 11% between 2018 and 2028.1 In 2018 there were 346,000 dental assistants in America and another 38,700 jobs are expected to be added from 2018 to 2028.
In May 2019, according to the BLS, the median national wage for dental assistants was $40,080, or $19.27 per hour.2 The lowest 10% earned less than $27,980, and the highest 10% earned more than $56,930. This median wage is both higher than the median wage of jobs overall ($39,810) and other health care support roles ($35,860).
The median national salary for dental assistants in the top work environments were:
- Government $42,960
- Offices of dentists $40,120
- Offices of physicians $37,570