Dental assistant are those people who assist dentists or other dental auxiliary and provide their help in various tasks as needed by the dentist and they can earn a high dental assistant salary . Some routine tasks done by a dental assistant include cleaning the instruments, assisting the dentist while treating a patient, developing radiographs as requested by the dentist. It is because the assistance provided by these dental assistants that the dentists can concentrate more on the patient properly and give the best results. The dental assistants become the helping hand of these dentists and perform most of the tasks essential during a dental procedure.
Talking about U.S. there are many states where a dental assistant can find work without the requirement of a qualification, while in few other states being certified is a compulsion. A lot of people in the U.S. are going for this job as the educational qualification requires is very low. You just need to be a graduate or at many places even high school pass will do. But at the same time you can make a good amount of income from this job. To be certified, a dental school must enroll itself with The commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Taking a degree from these licensed colleges will yield you a Certified Dental Assistant (CDA). Once the accredited dental program is completed, every dental assistant must pass the exam conducted by the Dental Assisting National Board’s (DANB). The test is termed as the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) examination. There are many accredited dental schools in the country which offer these degrees, diploma and certificate programs which offer some of the best training available and assist in building the career of a student. Sanford Brown College, Ultimate Medical Academy, US Career Institute, Allied College, American School of Nursing and Remington College are some of the best schools in the country. There are plenty of other colleges around the country as well from where you can gain accreditation. You just need to select the college that suits you the best.
Dental Assistant Salary
 Dental Assistant Salary |
Dental Assistant Salary:
Dental Assistant Salary Data by BLS.gov(2008). |
But of what worth is all this, if you don’t earn good at the end of the day, right? Well don’t be worried, getting a job in the dental and oral health care industry will give you a stable career paths and a lucrative monthly income. According to recent studies, it is believed that the most in-demand job in the dental industry is that of a dental assistant. The demand for dental assistants is getting higher by the day and more and more people are choosing dental assistance as a long term career option. As you gain experience in the field there will be a good increase in the salary of a dental assistant. The average dental assistant salary is supposed to be around $34,000 per year. The amateurs and the new-comers in the field of dental assistance generally get around $26,000 – $30,000 per year. But people with experience and talent can definitely get more than $46,500 annually.
Certified Dental Assistant Salary
Certified dental assistant salary is generally based on an hourly basis. Different cities of United States have different registered dental assistant salary and the assistants there are paid accordingly. A dental assistant in New York City makes the most at $17.00 per hour. The city of Charlotte comes in second where a dental assistant can earn up to $16.42 per hour. The third place goes to Las Vegas where a dental assistant can make up to %15.49 for an hour’s work. The cities following these three cities are Atlanta at $14.93, Chicago at $14.59 and Tulsa at $13.74 for an hour work. But the salary for a dental assistant may differ in various regions. There are numerous factors such as experience, location, formal training and education that influence the salary of a dental assistant.
- It depends on your experience – This is the most important aspect for deciding the amount that you will earn once you become a dental assistant. The first timers are definitely not given high amounts during the starting phase of their career. But as you gain in experience and become more professional in this field you salary will increase. A dental assistant’s salary is directly proportional to his experience. The more he gains in experience the higher his salary will go. The hourly wage of first timers is usually not more than $11.00. But people who have been working in this industry for a long time and have gained quite a lot experience can easily earn up to $20.00 per hour or even more.
- The city you are located in – Even the city you are located in matters a lot. If you are located in the New York City you can easily earn up to $17.00 per hour as it is the highest paid city in U.S. and dental assistants in this get as much as that normally. But if you are located in a smaller city, a city like Pennsylvania you will only earn up to $13.00 for an hour work as that is what the dental assistants generally get in this city. But there can be exceptions though as this not the only factor that matters.
- Education – Education is really very important when it comes to the salary. People who get certified from an accredited dental school earn more in compare to the people who get their certification through various online programs or by just training under a dentist. Some employers even give importance to your school qualifications and take that into consideration too while deciding on your salary.
- Certification – You need to be a certified dental assistant and for that you will have to sit for the Dental Assisting National Board’s (DANB) Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) examination and clear it. Certified dental assistants will definitely earn more than the ones who are not certified.
So if you make it to a good and secure position in this field, you will definitely have a high dental assistant salary and can lead a luxurious and secured life.
