Certified dental assistant demographics and statistics in the US
Certified dental assistant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates certified dental assistant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our certified dental assistant estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about certified dental assistants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 316,554 certified dental assistants currently employed in the United States.
- 93.3% of all certified dental assistants are women, while 6.7% are men.
- The average certified dental assistant age is 37 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of certified dental assistants is White (56.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (21.5%), Black or African American (8.4%) and Asian (7.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 4% of all certified dental assistants are LGBT.
- Certified dental assistants are 85% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
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Certified dental assistant demographics by:
Certified dental assistant gender statistics
93.3% of certified dental assistants are women and 6.7% of certified dental assistants are men.
- Female, 93.3%
- Male, 6.7%
Certified dental assistant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 93.3% |
| Male | 6.7% |
Certified dental assistant gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$40,611
Female income
$38,908
Certified dental assistant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in certified dental assistant positions over time. Currently, 93.3% of certified dental assistants are female.
Certified dental assistant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.49% | 96.51% |
| 2011 | 4.03% | 95.97% |
| 2012 | 4.23% | 95.77% |
| 2013 | 3.98% | 96.02% |
| 2014 | 4.77% | 95.23% |
| 2015 | 5.07% | 94.93% |
| 2016 | 4.05% | 95.95% |
| 2017 | 5.25% | 94.75% |
| 2018 | 4.96% | 95.04% |
| 2019 | 5.45% | 94.55% |
| 2020 | 4.73% | 95.27% |
| 2021 | 6.69% | 93.31% |
Certified dental assistant related jobs gender ratio
We compared certified dental assistants with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, delivery technician and donations attendant have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Pathology Transcriptionist | 3% | 97% |
| Radiology Transcriptionist | 5% | 95% |
| Certified Registered Dental Assistant | 5% | 95% |
| Certified Dental Assistant | 7% | 93% |
| Dental Officer | 79% | 21% |
| Donations Attendant | 81% | 19% |
| Delivery Technician | 88% | 12% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Certified dental assistant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among certified dental assistants is White, which makes up 56.4% of all certified dental assistants. Comparatively, 21.5% of certified dental assistants are Hispanic or Latino and 8.4% of certified dental assistants are Black or African American.
- White, 56.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 21.5%
- Black or African American, 8.4%
- Asian, 7.8%
- Unknown, 5.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Certified dental assistant race
| Certified dental assistant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 56.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.5% |
| Black or African American | 8.4% |
| Asian | 7.8% |
| Unknown | 5.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Certified dental assistant race and ethnicity over time
See how certified dental assistant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Certified dental assistant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.33% | 9.35% | 5.41% | 16.09% |
| 2011 | 63.38% | 9.42% | 5.14% | 18.36% |
| 2012 | 61.61% | 10.37% | 5.90% | 18.85% |
| 2013 | 63.74% | 9.58% | 6.20% | 17.08% |
| 2014 | 63.07% | 9.39% | 6.21% | 18.24% |
| 2015 | 63.00% | 9.15% | 5.29% | 18.99% |
| 2016 | 62.51% | 8.47% | 6.24% | 19.15% |
| 2017 | 60.42% | 9.03% | 6.72% | 20.74% |
| 2018 | 61.46% | 9.32% | 6.16% | 19.34% |
| 2019 | 59.32% | 7.49% | 7.57% | 21.61% |
| 2020 | 57.97% | 8.85% | 6.59% | 20.75% |
| 2021 | 56.36% | 8.41% | 7.84% | 21.50% |
Certified dental assistant wage gap by race
According to our data, white certified dental assistants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino certified dental assistants have the lowest average salary at $40,092.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $40,852 |
| White | $40,971 |
| Black or African American | $40,257 |
| Asian | $40,892 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $40,092 |
Average certified dental assistant age
See how the average age of certified dental assistants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Certified dental assistant age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 38.5 | 37.5 |
| Unknown | 37 | |
| Asian | 35 | 39 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 27 | 33 |
| White | 31 | 38 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 38 |
Certified dental assistant age breakdown
The average age of certified dental assistants is 40+ years years old, representing 42% of the certified dental assistant population.
Certified dental assistant age breakdown
| Certified Dental Assistant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 42% |
| 30-40 years | 27% |
| 20-30 years | 29% |
Certified dental assistant educational attainment
The most common degree for certified dental assistants is associate degree, with 31% of certified dental assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 16% and diploma degree at 15%.
- Associate, 31%
- Diploma, 16%
- Bachelor's, 15%
- High School Diploma, 13%
- Other Degrees, 25%
Certified dental assistants by degree level
| Certified dental assistant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 31% |
| Diploma | 16% |
| Bachelor's | 15% |
| High School Diploma | 13% |
| Other Degrees | 25% |
Certified dental assistant jobs you might like
Certified dental assistant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, certified dental assistants with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $40,916 annually. With a Associate degree, certified dental assistants earn a median annual income of $40,751 compared to $39,426 for certified dental assistants with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $39,426 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $40,916 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,751 |
Certified dental assistant employment statistics
Most certified dental assistants work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where certified dental assistants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where certified dental assistants work.
Certified dental assistant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 27% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 29% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 4% |
Certified dental assistant jobs by company type
Employees with the certified dental assistant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most certified dental assistants prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Certified dental assistant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 5% |
| Private | 85% |
| Government | 4% |
Certified dental assistant jobs by industry
The most common industries for certified dental assistants are health care, professional and manufacturing.
Certified dental assistant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 54% |
| Professional | 11% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Government | 4% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Certified dental assistant turnover and employment statistics
Certified dental assistant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for certified dental assistants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Certified dental assistant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Certified dental assistant unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.40% |
| 2011 | 6.02% |
| 2012 | 6.48% |
| 2013 | 4.50% |
| 2014 | 3.59% |
| 2015 | 3.37% |
| 2016 | 2.86% |
| 2017 | 2.92% |
| 2018 | 2.56% |
| 2019 | 2.55% |
| 2020 | 4.23% |
| 2021 | 4.10% |
Average certified dental assistant tenure
The average certified dental assistant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,873 certified dental assistants resumes in Zippia's database.
Certified dental assistant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 16% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 14% |
Certified dental assistant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of certified dental assistants that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Dental Assistant | 4.40% | - |
| Lead Medical Assistant | 5.81% | 163,228 |
| Clinical Phlebotomist | 7.76% | 63,582 |
| Transcriptionist | 8.65% | 270 |
| Prescription Clerk | 9.41% | 66,325 |
| Research Animal Attendant | 9.55% | 92,247 |
| Masseuse | 13.02% | 12,638 |
Similar certified dental assistant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Medical Assistant | 5.81% | 163,228 |
| Clinical Phlebotomist | 7.76% | 63,582 |
| Transcriptionist | 8.65% | 270 |
| Prescription Clerk | 9.41% | 66,325 |
| Research Animal Attendant | 9.55% | 92,247 |
| Masseuse | 13.02% | 12,638 |
Foreign languages spoken by certified dental assistants
The most common foreign language among certified dental assistants is Spanish at 57.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Polish at 12.7% and French is the third-most popular at 4.8%.
- Spanish, 57.1%
- Polish, 12.7%
- French, 4.8%
- Portuguese, 3.2%
- Urdu, 3.2%
- Other, 19.0%
Certified dental assistant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 57.1% |
| Polish | 12.7% |
| French | 4.8% |
| Portuguese | 3.2% |
| Urdu | 3.2% |
| Other | 19.0% |
