# Dental Assistants

> Perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and providing patients with instructions for oral healthcare procedures. May perform administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/dental-assistants
- SOC code: 31-9091.00
- Career family: Healthcare support
- Median annual pay: $48,070 (10th percentile $37,130, 90th percentile $62,250)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +7.4%
- Openings a year: 53,000
- Typical entry education: Postsecondary certificate
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CRS)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 58 |
| Investigative (I) | 43 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 56 |
| Enterprising (E) | 6 |
| Conventional (C) | 74 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 89/100)
- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 87/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 86/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 84/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 80/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 79/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 78/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 76/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 76/100)
- Scheduling Work and Activities (importance 75/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Learning, Instructing, Monitoring, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Critical Thinking

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, Medicine and Dentistry, English Language, Administration and Management, Administrative, Computers and Electronics, Sales and Marketing, Production and Processing, Personnel and Human Resources, Psychology

## Also called

Certified Dental Assistant (CDA), Certified Registered Dental Assistant, Dental Aide, Dental Assistant (DA), Dental Nurse, Dental Office Assistant, Dental Specialist, Dentist Attendant, Expanded Dental Assistant, Expanded Duties Dental Assistant

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Dental Support Services and Allied Professions](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5106) (CIP 5106, 553 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of the Pacific](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-the-pacific-3061) | Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $93,453 | $86,150 | $24,950 |
| [West Coast University-Orange County](https://www.collegesref.com/college/west-coast-university-orange-county-3204) | Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $83,943 | $85,797 | $28,250 |
| [Lake Washington Institute of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/lake-washington-institute-of-technology-1427) | Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $106,697 | $85,286 | $15,900 |
| [MCPHS University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/mcphs-university-1630) | Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $70,434 | $83,253 | $25,000 |
| [Foothill College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/foothill-college-989) | Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | not reported | $82,028 | $23,000 |
| [Community College of Denver](https://www.collegesref.com/college/community-college-of-denver-668) | Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | not reported | $81,896 | not reported |
| [University of Hawaii at Manoa Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-hawaii-at-manoa-main-campus-2915) | Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $76,939 | $79,863 | not reported |
| [Loma Linda University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/loma-linda-university-1516) | Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $82,823 | $79,207 | $20,000 |

## Related careers

- [Dental Hygienists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/dental-hygienists): $98,100 median pay
- [Medical Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/medical-assistants): $45,690 median pay
- [Ophthalmic Medical Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/ophthalmic-medical-technicians): $45,570 median pay
- [Surgical Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/surgical-assistants): $66,800 median pay
- [Endoscopy Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/endoscopy-technicians): $48,430 median pay
- [Dental Laboratory Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/dental-laboratory-technicians): $49,610 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.