Dental Assistants 
General Information
Description
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.
Business Breakdown
People in this career work in these sectors.
- Private, for profit86.52%
- Self-employed4.95%
- Private, not for profit4.91%
- State and local government1.89%
- Federal government1.56%
Workplace at a Glance
What you can expect to experience while on the job
- Responsibility
- Exposure to job hazards
- Physical activity
- Decision making
- Repetitiveness
- Level of competition
- Time pressure
Industry areas
- Health Science
Job Outlook
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Salary
Salary Information
Median Salary This is the median, or the midpoint, of the salary range for this career.
$44,820
State-by-state Salary
Gray states indicate no data available
Education & Interests
Most Common Education Levels
People in this career achieve this level of education.
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Post-secondary certificate 46%
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High school 28%
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Some college 17%
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Associate's degree 8%
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Master's degree 0%
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Doctoral degree 0%
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Bachelor's degree 0%
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Post baccalaureate 0%
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Less than high school 0%
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Post-doctoral training 0%
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Post-master's certificate 0%
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First professional degree 0%
PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS
You may find this career fulfilling if you consider yourself to be:
- Conventional — You have an interest in following procedures and regulations to organize information or data.
- Realistic — You have an interest in physically working with equipment, materials or structures.
- Social — You have an interest in helping, teaching, advising, assisting or providing service to others.
Not sure what characteristics best describe you? Take the RIASEC Test.
Skills at a Glance
Skills helpful in this career
- Verbal skills
- Critical thinking & problem solving
- Equipment operation & maintenance
- Math & science skills
- Technology design & control
- Leadership
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Administrative
- Administration and Management
- English Language
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