Career
Dental assistants
Help dentists care for patients chairside.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- 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.
- Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.
- Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on information & systems, then objects & tools?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Service Orientation.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
Under 2 years of education after high school (postsecondary nondegree award), for a median of $48,070 a year and 53,000 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Dental Assisting/AssistantCIP 51.0601
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Dental Hygienists$98,100 · +8.0%
- Medical Assistants$45,690 · +12.9%
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$45,570 · +21.4%
- Surgical Assistants$66,800 · +6.1%
- Endoscopy Technicians
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.