Dental Assisting Job Outlook

Dental Assisting Job Outlook
by Nikki Randall

According to the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics survey done in May 2013, the dental assisting career is on the rise. Employment for assistants is expected to grow at 25% over the period from 2012-2022…14% over the average growth rate for all the jobs in the nation! The median salary for assistants was recorded at $34,900 per year (or $16.78 per hour). That is more than the salaries for veterinary, medical and nursing assistants can expect according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most dental assistants start at the bottom of the range and work their way up, depending on which certifications they receive.
Attending a dental assisting school and obtaining your radiography license will put you at the higher end of the pay grade. There are several certificate and licensing programs available to dental assistants. The most important job an assistant has is to take dental radiographs (x-rays) for the dentist they work for. They will need to go to a program that has lecture and clinical components in order to sit for a radiography exam which will allow them to obtain their license from the state. There are also expanded functions certificates and continuing education courses for dental assistants.
If you are interested in becoming a dental assistant, do some research to find out more about it and then sign up for a class!
Visit these websites:
DANB- www.DANB.org
http://www.danb.org/The-Dental-Community/Dental-Assistants/About-Dental-Assisting.aspx
ADAA- www.dentalassistant.org
DA HUB- www.dentalassistantshub.com
About Careers- http://careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/p/dent_assistant.htm

Citation:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Dental Assistants, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-assistants.htm (visited December 20, 2014).