Salary
In May 2004, the US Department of Labor reported median hourly earnings of dental assistants were $13.62, while the middle 50 percent earned between $11.06 and $16.65 an hour, the lowest 10 percent earned less than $9.11, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $19.97 an hour. Salaries vary depending on education, experience, and location.
Hours worked per week
Dental assistants reported an average of 35- to 40-hour workweek, which may include work on Saturdays or evenings.
Education required
While many dental assistants learn their skills on the job, an increasing number are trained in dental-assisting programs offered by community and junior colleges, trade schools, or technical institutes. Many excellent accredited online programs are now available. Take a look at eLearningYellowPages.com for an extensive directory of online dental assisting programs.
Most accredited programs take 1 year or less to complete and lead to a certificate or diploma, while two-year programs offered in community and junior colleges lead to an associate degree. A number of private vocational schools offer 4-month to 6-month courses in dental assisting, but the Commission on Dental Accreditation does not accredit these programs.
Growth Prospects
Job prospects for dental assistants are expected to be excellent, with employment expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations through the year 2014. Dental assisting is expected to be one of the fastest growing occupations over the 2004-14 projection period.
Dental Assistant Responsibilities
Dental assistants duties include a variety of patient care, office, and laboratory duties. They may work chairside as dentists examine and treat patients, make patients as comfortable as possible in the dental chair, prepare them for treatment, and obtain tdental records. Assistants hand instruments and materials to dentists and keep patients’ mouths dry and clear by using suction or other devices. They also sterilize and disinfect instruments and equipment, prepare trays of instruments for dental procedures, and instruct patients on postoperative and general oral health care.
Dental assistants may also prepare materials for impressions and restorations, take dental x rays, and process x-ray film as directed by a dentist. In addition, under the supervision of a dentist, they may also remove sutures, apply topical anesthetics to gums or cavity-preventive agents to teeth, remove excess cement used in the filling process, and place rubber dams on the teeth to isolate them for individual treatment.
Assistants with laboratory duties make casts of the teeth and mouth from impressions, clean and polish removable appliances, and make temporary crowns, while those with office duties schedule and confirm appointments, receive patients, keep treatment records, send bills, receive payments, and order dental supplies and materials.
Dental assistants should not be confused with dental hygienists, who are licensed to perform different clinical tasks.
*Source: US Dept. of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook 
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
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