What is a Dental Assistant?
Dental Assistants are a vital part of any dentist's office. Dental Assistants provide valuable office support including phone calls, scheduling appoints and paperwork. However, Dental Assistants play an important clinical role during procedures. They Assist the Dentists during a variety of treatment procedures. These procedures include Dental Sealants, Coronal Polish, Prosthodontics, Whitening, and Oral Surgery. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the field of Dental Assistants is expected to grow 19% which is much higher than average. The growth will create 60,000 jobs from 2016-2026.
What a day in the life of a Dental Assistant like?
The typical workday of a Dental Assistant would start off at arriving at the office around 8 in the morning, review the patient schedule for the day and assist with procedures as needed. The Dental Assistant will also spend a lot of time educating patients on Oral Hygiene and any necessary post-procedure care they may need to be aware of. The Dental Assistant also takes patient history and vitals. While also ensuring that the patient is comfortable during the procedure.
Pay of Dental Assistants
Dental Assistant on average can earn a salary of $38,660 as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The pay of Dental Assistants ranges from $26,940 to $54,800 when factoring in experience and area of employment. In New Jersey, the average pay of dental assistants is much higher than the national average at $43,110, with the top 10% of Dental Assistants earning over $60,000 a year!
Reference
31-9091 Dental Assistants. (2019, March 29). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes319091.htm#st