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    • Dental Assistant Salary Survey
    1. Front Office

    Dental industry survey reveals disparity in dental assistant salaries – with infographic

    July 23, 2014
    National survey of DentalPost users reveals state of dental industry jobs

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for a dental assistant is $34,500 per year. However, according to a new DentalPost Survey, the average annual salary for a full-time dental assistant is closer to $27,000, revealing a 20% disparity in annual wages. In order to uncover dental industry employment trends and inform potential job seekers on workplace realities, DentalPost, an online and mobile job board for the dental industry, shares the results of its recent salary survey in this “Dental Assistant Salary Stack-Up” infographic.

    “At DentalPost, it’s our job to keep our finger on the pulse of the dental job market, and share information about the potential of that market with our users,” says Tonya Lanthier, DentalPost Founder and CEO. “Through our dental assistant survey, we learned that while workplace realities may differ slightly than industry reports, the dental assistant occupation remains one of the fastest growing in the dental industry, and talent continues to be in high demand.”

    The survey polled more than 500 DentalPost users on topics including salary information, workplace benefits, and employment longevity, in order to provide firsthand, unbiased information about the dental assistant occupation. The survey revealed that the average full-time dental assistant works between 36 and 37 hours per week and earns between $24,000 and $27,000 per year, depending on experience.

    In contrast, the average part-time dental assistant works between 24 and 26 hours per week, earning between $19,000 and $22,000 per year. Thirty percent of those who responded are the sole providers of their household. Of the employees who responded, 4% hold a bachelor’s degree, 49% have attended college, 26% hold an associate’s degree, and 18% hold a high school diploma or equivalent degree.

    People from nearly all parts of the country took part in the survey, with an emphasis on the eastern part of the U.S. The survey also reveals average time worked for employers, as well as numberr of employers, and what the most common benefits are among dental assistants.

    Tonya Lanthier
    Tonya Lanthier, RDH, began her career as a dental hygienist in 1995. Her love for dentistry was a driving force in the founding of DentalPost.net in 2005, as an easy-to-use platform to help dental professionals and dental practices connect. Tonya is a delegate for the Atlanta Dental Hygiene Society, serves on the planning committee for the Gala for Smiles, and volunteers for the Georgia Mission of Mercy and the Ben Mansell Clinic. Tonya lives in Atlanta and is the mother of twin girls.