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The Dental Assistant Salary
The dental assistant salary will vary according to a number of factors such as education level, the specific industry in which he or she works and the city and state in which he or she works. The national average salary for a dentist assistant typically ranges from around $11 to $16 per hour or between $24,000 and $35,000 a year. This salary can also vary with other opportunities such as bonuses and overtime hours that will increase the salary but may lower when taking into account sick days, vacations and other such instances.
Interestingly, those with a Bachelor of Science in biology tend to start with the lowest salaries ranging from $10 and $15 an hour. A person with an Associate of Applied Science commands a slightly higher salary between $11 and $17. Those with a certificate of completion may earn an hourly rate between $12 and $15 while a certified dental assistant can earn slightly more at $12 to $17. However, a high school diploma by itself can merit an hourly salary of $12 to almost $18.
The five most popular industries for dental assistants include dental prosthetic services, family dentistry, healthcare, pediatric offices and orthodontics. Practically all of the industries begin with a salary of more than $11 to nearly $17 per hour. Interestingly, all top five cities for the highest hourly rates in the country for dentist assistants are located in North Carolina. These cities are Raleigh, Cary, Greensboro, Burlington and Charlotte. Furthermore, the North Carolina cities Asheville and Winston-Salem are also in the top ten.
Five of the most popular employers of dental assistants include Aspen Dental, Castle Dental, Pacific Dental Services Incorporated, Western Dental Services Corporation and Western Dental Services, Inc. This industry is overwhelming female with women comprising about 96% of all workers. A little less than half of them have between one and four years of experience when they begin to work. Almost half also have dental benefits with their jobs. A little more than one-third have medical benefits. Only about 10% have vision coverage and a large number of dental assistants have no benefits at all.