2013 New England U.S. dental assisting salary survey

2013 New England U.S. dental assisting salary survey

(Statistics are for Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)

(National averages or percentages are in the parentheses to allow for comparison)

• Most common hourly rates: $21, $22 ($18)
• % who earn $30 or more an hour: 6% (6%)
• % who last received a raise more than a year ago: 56% (56%)
• % who believe raises occur at fair intervals: 47% (41%)
• % who would recommend dental assisting as a profession: 78% (73%)
• % who envision continued employment as a dental assistant three years from now: 81% (71%)

Selected comments from New England U.S.:

Connecticut:

• The salary of a dental assistant should be comparable to hygiene since we do more.
• I wish assistants were paid more, because without a good assistant, the office would fall apart!

New Hampshire:

• Working as a CDA and having the responsibilities we have should at least make 18 an hour.
• It seems that even with my CDA, CPFDA, and I'm working on my CRFDA, it does not raise my pay.
• Value is not important to the profession any longer. Patients would rather take a vacation than finish a crown
• Very good outlook here in New Hampshire

Rhode Island:

• I think that all assistants should be certified in order to work just as a hygienist has to be licensed. Too many abuse what a non-certified assistant can actually do! The general public has no idea.

Vermont:

• We are used to make the dentist money. A very undervalued profession. I am now too old to change, so I stick with it
• I feel that there will not be enough good dental assistants out there. Potentially good people will want more than this low salaried profession

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