Becoming a Dental Assistant not only prepares you for a
wonderful career working in the dental field, is also pays very well. Since
this area of employment is anticipated to be one of the most in demand over the
next six years, your chances of securing a great job with great pay and
benefits is very likely.
The Median hourly rate of pay for Dental Assistants is
$13.62. This is well above the minimum wage established in most states. In
addition to a great hourly wage, many Dental Assistants will receive bonuses if
the dental office is doing well, health insurance, and discounted dental
procedures. Almost all Dental Assistants receive paid vacation days, sick days,
and paid Holidays.
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However, earning such a high hourly wage comes with a great
level of responsibility. Dental Assistants perform duties relating to patient
care, office sanitation, lab duties, and assisting the dentist and hygienist
with a variety of procedures. Dental Assistants need to be alert, pay attention
to detail, and have effective communication skills. They must also be able to
provide patients with comfort measures both before and after procedures are
completed.
Dental Assistants are easily confused with Dental
Hygienists. Compared to hygienists, who have a median rate of pay of $23.65 per
hour, a Dental Assistant is not making a very good hourly wage. However, they
are very different professions. A Dental Assistant does just that, assists the
dentist and hygienist with providing the best quality care for all patients. A
hygienist takes care of cleaning teeth and generally has a steady stream of
patients who come in every six months for routine cleaning procedures.
The amount of pay a Dental Assistant earns depends on many
factors. The cost of living in your area will be the greatest influence. The
amount of revenue the dental office you work for generates will also be a
deciding factor. New dentists might have to pay less than established dentists
will clientele because they don’t have the traffic coming into the office.
However, it is very possible your pay will increase as more patients are drawn
to that dental office.
Your level of experience will also be a consideration. You
may have to accept a position that pays less than average to get your foot in
the door and gain some hands on experience. However, with the demand for Dental
Assistants, you should have no problem securing employment. Many dental offices
want to keep quality Dental Assistants. They may offer to start you at a lower
entry level pay, with the understanding that your performance will be reviewed
in 90 days or other time frame. Based on your performance, you pay will be
adjusted at that time.
It is important to understand that certified and uncertified
Dental Assistants complete the same types of tasks. However, those who are
certified earn several dollars more per hour than those who aren’t certified.
Therefore, it makes perfect sense to take the certification exam early on in
your career as a Dental Assistant.
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