Dental Assistants

At a Glance

Median Salary
$36,407

Local Jobs
505

Entry-Level Education
Certification

Occupation Profile

Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures. Record treatment information in patient records. Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies and provide postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist.

By The Numbers

Median Annual Earnings

$36,407

Median Annual Earnings are the midpoint earned by 50 percent of workers who are the lowest paid and 50 percent of workers who are the highest paid in a particular occupation

Local Jobs

505

Jobs are any position in which a worker provides labor in exchange for monetary compensation (note: one individual may hold multiple jobs)

Entry-Level Education

Certification

This is the most common education level requested in entry-level job listings.

Daily Tasks

Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.
Record treatment information in patient records.
Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies.
Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.
Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist.
Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.
Instruct patients in oral hygiene and plaque control programs.
Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.
Apply protective coating of fluoride to teeth.
Schedule appointments, prepare bills and receive payment for dental services, complete insurance forms, and maintain records, manually or using computer.
Make preliminary impressions for study casts and occlusal registrations for mounting study casts.
Pour, trim, and polish study casts.
Fabricate temporary restorations or custom impressions from preliminary impressions.
Clean and polish removable appliances.

Occupational Skills

What skills are necessary for Dental Assistants?

Hard Skills

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
Coronal Polishing
Dentistry
Dynamic Business Process Management
Front Office
Patient Education And Counseling
Patient Preparation
Patient Treatment
Radiography
Sterilization

Soft Skills

Communications
Customer Service
Innovation
Interpersonal Communications
Leadership
Multilingualism
Operations
Self-Motivation
Spanish Language
Verbal Communication Skills

Hard skills are specific, learnable, measurable, often industry- or occupation-specific abilities related to a position.

Soft skills can be self-taught and usually do not necessitate a certain completed level of education. They are essential in many industries and occupations.

Education Programs

Del Mar College