Dental Assistants Career, Salary and Skills
Dental Assistants have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $48,070 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 387,790. Wage data is published for 441 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
31-9091.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
Post-Secondary Certificate
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$48,070
Hourly median
$23.11
Employment
387,790
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.88 | 3.38 |
| Speaking | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Instructing | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Service Orientation | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Active Learning | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Writing | 3.00 | 3.00 |
Typical tasks
- Pour, trim, and polish study casts.
- 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.
Technology
- Email software
- Henry Schein Dentrix
- Kodak Dental Systems Kodak SOFTDENT Practice management software PMS
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Open Dental
- Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft
- Quicken
- The Systems Workplace TDOCS
- Web browser software
Dental Assistants salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Dental Assistants Salary in CAMedian $50,110 · Employment 56,220
- Dental Assistants Salary in TXMedian $45,430 · Employment 33,230
- Dental Assistants Salary in FLMedian $47,620 · Employment 26,620
- Dental Assistants Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $46,900 · Employment 21,090
- Dental Assistants Salary in New York, NYMedian $48,430 · Employment 20,870
- Dental Assistants Salary in NYMedian $48,110 · Employment 19,800
- Dental Assistants Salary in ILMedian $48,610 · Employment 13,740
- Dental Assistants Salary in WAMedian $58,090 · Employment 13,050
- Dental Assistants Salary in OHMedian $47,970 · Employment 12,150
- Dental Assistants Salary in PAMedian $47,930 · Employment 12,080
- Dental Assistants Salary in MIMedian $48,820 · Employment 11,990
- Dental Assistants Salary in NCMedian $50,380 · Employment 11,450
Related careers
- ChiropractorsNational median $79,200
- Ophthalmologists, Except PediatricNational median $300,080
- DermatologistsNational median $328,730
- CardiologistsNational median $496,010
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except PediatricNational median $358,550
- Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeonsNational median $352,220
- Pediatric SurgeonsNational median $559,030
- ProsthodontistsNational median $311,180
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.