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Career overview · SOC 31-9091

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.

Also called: Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) · Certified Registered Dental Assistant · Dental Assistant (DA) · Expanded Dental Assistant · Expanded Duty Dental Assistant (EDDA) · Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA)

Median pay (national)
$47,300
$36,190–$61,780 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
375,430
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+6.4%
~52,900 openings/yr
Typical entry
Postsecondary nondegree award

What the numbers say

Refit analysis ·Pay for dental assistants shows a relatively narrow range: the top 10% earn $61,780 versus $36,190 at the bottom 10% — 1.7x. The median of $47,300 leaves roughly 31% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +6.4% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 52,900 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, Minnesota pays the most for this role (median $64,630, +37% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $23,690 — a 173% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Henry Schein Dentrix as in-demand technologies for this role.

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Top skills employers ask for

Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Learning
  • Monitoring
  • Writing
  • Critical Thinking
  • Learning Strategies
  • Mathematics
  • Science

What they actually do

Core O*NET tasks for this role.

  • Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.
  • Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies.
  • Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.
  • Pour, trim, and polish study casts.
  • Record treatment information in patient records.
  • Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.
  • Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.
  • Apply protective coating of fluoride to teeth.
  • Fabricate temporary restorations or custom impressions from preliminary impressions.
  • Clean and polish removable appliances.

Tools & technology

  • Henry Schein Dentrix
  • Kodak Dental Systems Kodak SOFTDENT Practice management software PMS
  • Open Dental
  • Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft
  • Quicken
  • The Systems Workplace TDOCS
  • Web browser software
  • Email software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software

Knowledge areas

  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • English Language
  • Administration and Management
  • Administrative
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Sales and Marketing
  • Production and Processing