No, you don't make much money as a dental assistant. Dental assistants, like many professions, don't earn a living wage. Your earning potential as a dental assistant is influenced by many factors, such as where you live, the experience you have, and the type of office you work in. Since everyone wants to know how to earn more, we've analyzed the data to find the main things you can do to maximize your earning potential.
Regardless of the state in which you live, if you live in a small or large city, it can make a difference in your hourly wage. According to both surveys, dental assistants who work in a metropolitan area earn the most. Of course, the cost of living may be higher there, so it's worth taking a closer look at factors other than salary to see if it's worth moving. In addition, our survey shows that CDA certifiers also reported receiving more work benefits, such as paid vacations and holidays, compared to those who are not certified.
To learn more about the professional benefits of obtaining DANB certification, see why DANB certification matters. Dental assistants with more experience and more credentials tend to earn more per hour than those who are new to the field. For example, dental assistants with expanded functions (EFDA) tend to earn more because they have taken on additional responsibilities and can perform additional functions in the dental office. The allowed expanded roles and dental assistant job titles vary by state, but some examples of expanded role credentials you might obtain are EFDA, RDAEF, or EDDA, to name a few.
If you want to increase your salary by performing expanded functions, the first step is to review your state requirements. While general dental offices are the most common, consider exploring other types of offices. You may find that learning additional skills can lead to an increase in compensation. For example, looking for a position in a specialized office may be a good option.
In fact, the DANB salary survey shows that CDA certificates working in oral surgery and other specialties have the highest salaries. Research shows that those who request increases are more likely to receive them. But before you do this, it's important that you also do your homework to be prepared for this conversation with your employer. First, you'll want to describe all the ways you contributed to dental practice last year.
You'll also want to check the average salaries of dental assistants in your area. You can check the salaries of all dental assistants or the salaries of DANB CDA certificates. Once you've gathered your information, you can start thinking about how to ask your employer for a raise. Call or email us to let us know how we can help.
You want to work in dentistry but you don't want to be a dentist; you like people and you enjoy variety in your daily work. A career as a dental assistant might be what you need. Dental assistants provide administrative and clinical services in dental offices and support the dentist in her daily work. Each state regulates the practice of dentistry and dental assistants, so duties may vary.
You can receive on-the-job training or complete a formal dental assistance program, according to the U.S. Department of Health. UU. Because every state is different, contact your state dental board for specific information.
Routine dental assistant tasks in most states include administrative tasks, such as answering the phone, billing insurance companies, and scheduling appointments. Clinical tasks include sterilizing instruments, preparing trays for dental procedures, and assisting the dentist during procedures. Depending on the condition, you can also take x-rays, remove sutures, apply anesthetics, or process X-ray films. Most dental assistants work 35 to 40 hours a week.
The BLS reports that nearly 33 percent of dental assistants, as expected, worked for dentists. You could receive on-the-job training or complete a formal dental assistance program, according to the U. Many of these top 10 states are also seeing their dental assistants' salaries increase substantially over the past five years. In addition to location, choosing an urban or rural area could affect your salary as a dental assistant.
Read on for a full breakdown of where dental assistants make the most money and where they earn the least. Using occupational data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we analyzed and compiled a summary of the average salary of a dental assistant by state in the U. The 10 lowest states where dental assistants earn the least money are geographically located primarily in the U. .
