Salary and Benefits: What to Expect as a Dental Assistant
Dental assistants can look forward to a positive salary and job outlook for this year and the next seven years. In fact, if the report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics is to be believed, employment for dental assistants is expected to grow at 36 percent – much faster compared with other jobs.
The future really looks promising for those who want to be in this profession. However, before you get into this job, do you really know what to expect as a dental assistant? More importantly, is a dental assistant salary enough to support you and your family?
As a dental assistant, your job is basically divided into two categories: clerical and clinical. Clerical tasks include the following:
- Filing and organizing client’s information
- Setting and scheduling appointments
- Manage the payment system
- Answering the phone and managing inquiries
- Follow up on clients
Being a dental assistant, your primary duty is to assist a dentist so your duties might include a lot of clerical or administrative tasks so as to allow the dentist to focus on the actual procedures and not the day-to-day management of the clinic. You might also be tasked to do the following clinical jobs:
- Sterilize equipment
- Prep clients
- Getting an impression of the teeth
- Perform x-rays on a client’s teeth
You will be limited to simple, preparatory dental procedures as a dental assistant. Of course, you will be assisting the dentist when she/he performs more complex procedures, sort of like a nurse on standby just in case she/he needs something. In fact, you can think of a dental assistant as a secretary and a nurse, all rolled into one. Now these tasks might be easy enough for you to handle, but can you handle the average income a dental assistant gets?
What’s The Average Dental Assistant Salary?
Dental assistants are paid fairly well and with more and more people taking good care of their teeth as well as more and more people having a proactive approach in dental hygiene, you are guaranteed employment for the next few years. However, the big question is, will this job provide you with the best compensation for your skills and time?
It’s time to talk about the money. At the end of the day, the important question is: How much does a dental assistant earn? How much you’ll earn as a dental assistant will actually depend on where you plan to work. The dental assistant alary will vary per state as pay is dependent on many factors like cost of living, demand, supply, etc. Even in the same state, you cannot expect to earn as much as dental assistants in big cities or highly urbanized places.
To give you a ball park figure though, the average salary for dental assistants figure is at $32,000 annually, with the lowest salary estimated at $20,500 while the highest-paid dental assistants were recorded to receive $44,000 in a year. Is this enough for you? That is one major thing that you have to consider when thinking of taking up this career. Salary is very important in choosing a career since you want to find a career that offers the best earning potential for you. You don’t want to be stuck in a career that will not be enough to support your need or your family’s.
The dental assistant salary in California is near the top at $35,900. There are other factors that of course affect how much you’ll be earning as a dental assistant, like if you are fresh out of training of if you have already gained enough experience. Just use this as a guide in helping you set expectations so that you can better manage your finances once you start in your profession. Also, the fact that a state has a high average income for dental assistants mean that it is best to practice there. Consider Alaska for example, it might have the highest average income for dental assistants but it also has a high cost of living plus the area might not be to your and your family’s liking. Just make sure to do your research before you decide where to practice your profession.
Dental Assistant Benefits to Go Along with Salary
Now, do you get anything in terms of benefits? Do dental assistants get to enjoy great benefits? Your benefits as a dental assistant might actually be dependent on your employment status as well as your work setup. Health and travel benefits are things that you would have to discuss with your future employer. Encouragingly enough, 86 percent of certified dental assistants get to enjoy paid vacation benefits as well as health benefits according to the Dental Assisting National Board. If this is so, then chances are that you will enjoy the same.
Many employers of dental assistants also offer tuition assistance for those who want to become a registered dental assistant or are researching how to become a dental hygienist. The employer may also pay for the required CPR certification for the dental assistant.
Dental Assistant Salary Vs Dental Hygienist Salary
There is a HUGE difference in pay between dental assistants and dental hygienists. Dental assistants can be trained on the job, or may go through a certification course. Licensing is not required for those who are working as a dental assistant. Because of the minimal requirements, very few dental assistants earn a salary over $45,000.
A dental hygienist has to undergo extensive training, as well as significant education. Education for a dental hygienist begins with prerequisites such as Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Chemistry, and general education classes. After that, they enroll in a 2 year dental hygienist program. There are currently 28 dental hygiene schools in California.
Because of all of that training and education, the starting dental hygienist salary is now just over $50.00 per hour! Of course, that starting pay shows just how rigorous it can be to become a dental hygienist. That’s why many begin their careers as dental assistants and work their way through school.