So you have decided to become a dental assistant? You are well on your way to becoming qualified and begin your career as an assistant. But before you do that, you need to know how much money you can expect when starting off. This is why we set out and create this blog post to show you how much the average dental assistant makes.
As a dental assistant, you’ll need to be able to complete all of the duties required for this position. You may be asked to take x-rays, start IVs and take blood samples. The average salary for dental assistants is $32,900, which equates to $15.20 an hour.
The position of dental assistants has been around for a while. However, the increase in demand for dental services and the recent research that shows the importance of dental health has made this particular job rating high. But just how much can you earn if you pursue a career as a dental assistant? More than you’d think. I will share with you some information regarding salary, education and history of dental assistants; intended to give you an idea if this is the right career choice for you.
What is the average salary for dental assistant
Introduction
The American Dental Association (ADA) defines a dental assistant as “a key member of the dental care team who performs many tasks, ranging from patient care and taking x rays to recordkeeping and scheduling appointments. Their duties vary by state and by the dentists’ offices where they work.” If you’re interested in becoming a dental assistant, one of the first questions on your mind may be: How much do dental assistants make? According to PayScale, the national average salary for a dental assistant is $33,742 per year.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for dental assistants is $35,980.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) defines the average salary as the amount of money earned by the middle 50% of workers in a given profession. In this case, it is $35,980. However, this number does not tell us much about what dental assistants earn on average.
We can get a better idea by looking at the median salary for dental assistants: The median is the midpoint of all salaries, meaning that half of all dental assistants earn more than this amount and half earn less than this amount. The BLS reports that as of 2015—the most recent year for which data are available—the median annual salary was $32,420 across all industries and occupations that employ dental assistants.
The job outlook for dental assistants is growing much faster than other occupations.
The job outlook for dental assistants is growing much faster than other occupations. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of jobs in this field will increase by 30% between 2016 and 2026, compared to 14% growth across all occupations.
The BLS expects employment of dental assistants to grow from 441,600 jobs in 2016 to 516,300 jobs in 2026—a difference of more than 75,000 new positions over 12 years (and roughly 60% faster than average).
You can make a great living as a dental assistant
As a dental assistant, you can expect to make in upwards of $50,000 per year. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average annual pay for dental assistants is $50,010 per year.
What’s more? According to U.S News & World Report, employment opportunities are expected to grow by 15% from 2016 through 2026.* It’s also worth noting that many dentists prefer hiring experienced workers so they can save on training costs and time spent getting up to speed on new procedures and equipment used in their practice. So if you’re able to show off your skillset , you’ll be well positioned for advancement within your career path!
Conclusion
If you’re thinking about becoming a dental assistant, it’s good to know that you can make a decent living. The average salary is $35,980 per year and the job outlook is growing much faster than other occupations. You also have room for advancement if you want to get into another position with more responsibility or take on some of your own patients.
