The average dental assistant salary varies considerably, depending upon the specific duties and responsibilities of each assistant.

Dental assistant salary ranges vary quite a bit across the nation. However, the fact remains that these are tremendous positions, particularly for anyone interested in attending dental school to become a dental hygienist or a dentist. Dental assistant careers are an excellent way to gain experience in the field, develop familiarity with the industry and to learn hands-on about many dental procedures.

What factors play a role in dental assistant salary?

Quite a few factors go into determining the salary granted to a dental assistant. You will find one of the biggest is the number of dental procedures the assistant must help with, as opposed to the amount of office work required of them. Generally, the more dental work done, the higher the dental assistant’s salary will be. Conversely, the more general office work done, the lower the pay will be. Of course, assistants who work a large amount in both spheres will be well compensated.

Dental assistant salaries are determined by the number and complexity of assigned duties, tasks and responsibilities. Some dental offices are much more likely to assign an assistant to help with complicated dental procedures, while other offices might employ a dental hygienist to assist the dentist in these areas.

Of course, many aspects of life in a dental office can be handled by a capable dental assistant. Duties such as seating patients and helping to ensure their comfort can be easily taken care of, while other duties such as updating patient records, sterilizing equipment and making molds of teeth taken from dental impressions can likewise be handled with great ease.

Average dental assistant salary

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary in this field was a staggering $32,000, which is much more than entry-level positions in other fields. In addition, most assistants earned approximately $15.50 an hour, though those in higher brackets earned upwards of $16 an hour. Alaska ranked in the highest pay brackets, with the median income for a dental assistant coming in at $40,000 or more.

If you want to enjoy a career as a dental assistant, you will find courses designed to help you get started, but you can also find options for on-the-job training with many dentist’s offices.

Additional resources

The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides quite a bit of information about dental assistant salaries.
PreMedGuide.com can help you with the best dental assistant schools.
You can find information about average dental assistant salaries at CollegeGrad.com.

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