Dental Hygienist Information

One of the fastest growing industries in North America is the health care field and this includes dentistry. Our society places great importance on physical appearance and taking care of our teeth is no exception. A good smile is a vital component to a perfect presentation and placed at the opportune time can change many things. Being a Dental Assistant could very well be in your future, but here are some statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2010 to help you make that decision.

Dental Assistant salary statistics

As with any profession, salaries are usually based on your experience, where you work and who you work for and most people entering into a new career with little experience but their formal training generally start at the lowest salary. With Dental Assistant salaries, hourly wages range from $10.90 an hour to $22.64 which annually is $22,680 to $47,090 considering you are working at full time hours. The mean hourly Dental Assistant salary works out to $16.41 and $34,140 annually taking many things into consideration. With time and experience your pay will increase. How much does a dental assistant make also depend on the different location/industries

Highest paying industries for a Dental Assistant are specialty hospitals with a mean annual wage of $38,650, Federal Executive Branch at $38,130 mean annual wage, state governments with a mean annual wage of $35,650, psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals at $35,610 and general medical and surgical hospitals at $35,610 as well. These are mean wages of $18.58 down to $17.12 respectively.

Top paying states for Dental Assistant salaries are the District of Columbia with a mean hourly wage of $22.90 and a mean annual wage of $47,630, Alaska at $20.20 and $42,020, New Hampshire at $20.02 and $41,640, Minnesota at $19.79 and $41,170 and Connecticut at $19.32 and $40,180.

When searching for employment it is prudent to enter your search well armed with the necessary information beforehand. Take all things into consideration. For example, you may not be making as much as you had thought , but think about things like what are the chances for advancement, are you working where you want to work, is there a good benefit package, etc. These things are sometimes just as important as your salary.

Where you will work

If you are single and want to move around while being gainfully employed, it’s a good idea to know ahead of time which states hire the most Dental Assistants. You may have a family and wish to remain where you are so look for the companies in your area who hire Dental Assistants and have the highest concentration.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, dentist’s offices are typically who hire the most Dental Assistants, however don’t limit your options, there are other places who employ them. Other options are physician’s offices, the Federal executive Branch, Colleges, Universities and professional schools and employment services from the highest to lowest numbers hired within each industry.

States with the highest levels of employment and their mean hourly and annually dental assistant salary respectively are California at $16.97 and $35,290, Texas at $15.29 and $31,800, New York at $16.55 and $34,430, Florida at $15.96 and $33,210 and Illinois at $16.00 and $33,270.

Description and Duties

Being a Dental Assistant means just that, you will be required to assist him or her when the need arises and your duties could vary considerably. Your job will be to escort your patient into the dentist’s office and make them comfortable and to begin preparing them for the dentist. This could possibly include taking x-rays, keeping them informed, applying topical anaesthetics, preparing the dental instruments, placing dental dams, etc. You will also be required to assist the dentist during the procedure, handing instruments, rinsing and suctioning the patient’s mouth when it’s necessary, preparing filling and dental impression materials, making sure the area remains sterile. This is crucial when working inside people’s mouths as bacteria are very easily transferred and it is a good portion of your job to ensure a clean environment. After the procedure is completed, it will be your job to clean the area and sterilize the equipment, again ensuring it is sterile for the next patient

If you can live within a Dental Assistant salary, you will have the option of working in any state you choose. As you can see on the bureau of labor statistics website, the demand for Dental Assistants will grow in the next several years and salary could be affected as a result. It could be in your future.

• Dental Assistant Salary – What affects it?
• How to Become a Dental Hygienist
• Dental Hygienist Job Description
• Dental Hygienist Salary
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