Occupation salary profile

Dental Assistants

SOC 31-9091 BLS OEWS May 2025

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.

National median · BLS
$48,070
▲ +1.63% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$50,200
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
387,790
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Dental Assistants

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$37,130
25th$44,340
Median (50th)$48,070
75th$58,090
90th — top pay$62,250

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Dental Assistants

BLS projects employment of dental assistants to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 53,000 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
388,600 → 417,400
+28,800 jobs
Projected change
+7.4%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
53,000
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
No related experience required
Self-employed
0.1% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a postsecondary certificate (nondegree award) →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Dental Assistants

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening3.9
  • Speaking3.4
  • Reading Comprehension3.3
  • Active Learning3.1
  • Instructing3.1
  • Monitoring3.1
  • Service Orientation3.1
  • Social Perceptiveness3.1
  • Complex Problem Solving3.0
  • Critical Thinking3.0
Top knowledge areas
  • Customer and Personal Service4.5
  • Medicine and Dentistry4.4
  • English Language3.8
  • Administration and Management3.5
  • Administrative3.5
  • Computers and Electronics3.3
  • Sales and Marketing3.3
  • Production and Processing3.1
Software and technology used
Henry Schein DentrixMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareEmail softwareKodak Dental Systems Kodak SOFTDENT Practice management software PMSOpen DentalPatterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoftQuickenThe Systems Workplace TDOCSWeb browser software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What dental assistants do

  • Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.
  • Record treatment information in patient records.
  • Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies.
  • Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.
  • Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.
  • Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist.
  • Instruct patients in oral hygiene and plaque control programs.
  • Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.
Also called
Certified Dental Assistant (CDA)Dental Assistant (DA)Expanded Duty Dental Assistant (EDDA)Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)Certified Registered Dental AssistantExpanded Dental AssistantExpanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA)Oral Surgery AssistantOrthodontic Assistant (Ortho Assistant)Surgical Dental Assistant
More job titles for this occupation (11)
Dental AideDental NurseDental Office AssistantDental SpecialistDentist AttendantExpanded Duties Dental AssistantExpanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA)General Practical Dental AssistantOrthodontic Dental AssistantOrthodontist AssistantPediatric Dental Assistant

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.