Healthcare
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.
Median salary (BLS)
$48,070
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$37k – $62k
Job outlook
+6% (faster than average)
AI exposure
Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $93,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.
Plan a path to Dental Assistants
Education
Typical entry: Associate degree
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Dental Assistants
Entry / Junior
$37,130
~2 yrs to advance
Dental Assistants
Established
$48,070
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Dental Assistants
Senior
$55,160
Key skills
A typical day
- •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.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Healthcare
Explore all- Johns Hopkins University7% admit · $93,000 grad pay
- Harvard University4% admit · $119,000 grad pay
- University of Michigan18% admit · $87,000 grad pay
- Duke University6% admit · $105,000 grad pay
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill19% admit · $73,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.