How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make?

Have you ever asked yourself, “How much is a dental assistant paid?” Whether you’re looking to become a dental assistant or simply wondering how much they get paid, you’re not the only one. Dental assisting is a wide growing field and the payment varies by state, experience, and specialty. I’m going to cover everything you need to know about how much dental assistants make, what affects their salary and how you can maximize your earning potential in this article.

Having worked in the dental field myself, I know how critical a dental assistant is. These professionals do far more than pass instruments to the dentist. They monitor patient care, maintain office order and often have a hand in many elements, from x-rays to administrative duties. So, let us crunch some numbers and accurately analyze exactly what you can expect in terms of salary, benefits and job opportunities.

Factors That Influence How Much a Dental Assistant Makes

There are certainly several factors that range in play when things come to how much dental assistants make. The pay for a dental assistant is not a set amount, and it can differ by the:

Location: This matters a lot in your job. Dental assistants in larger cities and states with a higher cost of living tend to earn more than those in rural areas.
Experience: Just as in any job, the more experience, the higher the pay. In other words, someone who has 5 or 10 years experience is going to make more money than a new graduate.
Education and Certification: In my experience, dental assistants can earn more money when they seek out additional certifications or specialty training — such as in orthodontics or dental radiology.
Practice Size and Specialty: Medicine and Higher End Dentistry = Specialty office (oral surgery, ortho, period, etc → higher salary than general dentist office on average
Full-time vs. Part-time: A part-time dental assistant works fewer hours than a full-time dental assistant and will earn less. But not all part-time jobs have set hours, some of those positions are flexible, which could be a tempting exchange for some individuals.

Through my experience, I noticed having Certifications helped me in pay significantly. After getting certified in dental radiography, for example, my salary increased and I had more responsibilities in the office.

How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make on Average?

So, let’s get to the crux of the matter: how much does an average dental assistant make? Based on recent salary statistics, annual salaries for dental assistants in the United States generally range from $38,000 to $48,000 yearly. But there’s a lot of variability based on those other factors.

Here’s a breakdown:

Entry Level – Newly entered without experience, you can expect to make approx. $30,000-$35,000 per year. But that can matter a lot, depending on where you’re practicing and what kind of practice you’re working with.
Mid-Career: With a couple of years of experience, salaries can go up to between $40,000 and $45,000. You may have advanced in skill or scope of responsibility, and that should show in your paycheck.
Seasoned: For those 5+ years or with additional certifications, $50–60k/yr salaries can be more common, particularly in larger cities and specialty practices.
Top 10 percent: The highest earners, the specialists like orthodontists or surgeons, can earn $60,000 or more a year.

However, if salary maximizing as a dental assistant is the goal, certification programs are something you may want to consider. Earning qualification in Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) and Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) are good examples of certifications that can greatly improve your income potential. CDA Early in my career, I received my CDA certification, and it really did turn into a big factor in job and pay raises.

Hourly Pay: How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make Per Hour?

Salary is one way to measure how much a dental assistant makes, but another is hourly pay. Although many dental assistants are full-time employees, many also work part-time or on a flexible schedule, so you’ll get a feel for what the hourly rate is.

Entry-Level: As a starter job, you can expect to earn between $15-$18 an hour.
Mid-Career: After accumulating experience or taking on more responsibilities, you may see an hourly rate of approximately $20 to $25 an hour.
Experienced: With some seasoning, or additional certifications under their belt, you can expect a pay range of anywhere from $25 to $30 per hour, or more in specialized fields.

When I first got hired on as a dental assistant, I was making about $16 an hour. Eventually, I became skilled and started to take on some of these responsibilities as well (such as helping out in surgery, or keeping track of our patients’ records), and my pay increased to $22 an hour. I want to take up areas like dental radiography, so I could see myself earning a decent wage with those.

How Much Does a Dental Assistant Make in Different States?

Location has a massive effect on your salary, as I mentioned earlier. The cost of living and the demand for dental assistants lead to pay that varies quite a bit from state to state. Let’s consider how much a dental assistant earns in some key states:

California: California has some of the highest-paying jobs for dental assistants, as you would expect. The salary is between $50,000 and $60,000 per annum.
Texas: Dental assistants in Texas earn around $38,000 to $45,000 annually, with larger cities like Houston or Dallas possibly making more money.
Florida: In Florida, annual average salary will range from $40,000 to $47,000 but it may vary on market, location and experience.
New York: The annual salary of dental assistants in New York ranges from $45,000 – $55,000, and the pay is obviously at its highest when you consider that New York City has a higher cost of living.
Ohio: Ohio usually provides a lower range, typically $35,000 to $42,000 a year.

The discrepancy in state salaries is just a reminder of how vital geographical location can be in earning power. But never fear if you’re in a state where salaries on average are lower. There are always ways to increase your pay based on your experience and certifications.

Additional Benefits and Perks for Dental Assistants

In addition to their salaries, many dental assistants enjoy benefits that can comprise a substantial part of their total compensation package. So, here are some of the perks that can provide value for your role:

Health Insurance: Many full-time dental assistant jobs also provide health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance.
Paid time off: Most benefits packages for full-time dental assistants include vacation, sick and holiday pay.
Retirement Options: Certain practices provide retirement benefits in the form of a 401(k) or similar plan and may include employer-matching contributions.
Continuing education: If dental assistants seek to further their career, they may be financially supported for continuing education or certification programs.
Annual Bonuses and Gratuity: Bonuses are paid to dental assistants every year in some offices, especially if the practice is performing exceptionally well.

And from experience, I can tell you that the benefits can be just as good as the salary. My first-ever job as a dental assistant came with health insurance and paid time off, and that was a huge relief. I managed to take some continuing education opportunities along the way to increase earning potential over time.

How to Increase Your Earning Potential as a Dental Assistant

Below are some strategies to get you on the path towards increasing your salary and earning potential.

Get Certified: I can’t stress this enough—getting certifications such as Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) or Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) can make a huge difference in your pay.
Specialize: Typically, working in a specialty field, such as orthodontics or oral surgery, carries a higher pay rate. If you like dealing with specific patient needs, this is a good option.
Negotiate: If you are offered a position do not be afraid to negotiate your salary. The “worst” that can happen is they’ll say no and the best is that you’ll receive the pay you deserve.
Keep Abreast: Dental technology is always changing. As long as you are in touch with the latest tools and practices, you can increase your value and even your pay in any practice.

Working in an office that specializes, such as orthodontics, along with gaining certifications has helped me increase my earning potential, frankly. Also, the ability to handle extra duties and responsibilities translated into raises and promotions.

What Does the Future Hold for Dental Assistants?

Dental Assistants job opportunities will grow much faster than average in the coming years. Demand for qualified dental assistants only looks set to rise as the population ages but continues to seek dental care.

Dental assistants with advanced training will have the ability to take on more high-paying positions in the future as well. Dentists can expect the job opportunities and pay to follow a similar trend, with s growing field comes growing pay.

Final Thoughts on How Much Dental Assistants Make

The potential salary is definitely something to think about if you are considering a career as a dental assistant But it is key to remember that dental assisting is more than just a paycheck — it is one of the most rewarding jobs where you actually make a difference in people’s lives.

From what I have seen, dental assistants make anywhere from place something dependent on a combination of things: where you live, how much you know, what you studied to learn about teeth, and if you are willing to work with one specific part of them. A guideline is the national average wage for dental assistants.