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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