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Job outlook for certified registered dental assistants in the United States
Certified registered dental assistant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected certified registered dental assistant job growth rate is 8% from 2018-2028.
About 30,100 new jobs for certified registered dental assistants are projected over the next decade.
Certified registered dental assistant salaries have increased 11% for certified registered dental assistants in the last 5 years.
There are over 309,652 certified registered dental assistants currently employed in the United States.
There are 56,676 active certified registered dental assistant job openings in the US.
The average certified registered dental assistant salary is $38,723.
Are certified registered dental assistant jobs in demand?
Certified registered dental assistant job and salary trends over time
Certified registered dental assistant jobs over time
Certified registered dental assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 309,652 | 0.09% |
| 2020 | 278,408 | 0.08% |
| 2019 | 313,488 | 0.09% |
| 2018 | 304,203 | 0.09% |
| 2017 | 300,724 | 0.09% |
Average certified registered dental assistant salary over time
Certified registered dental assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $38,723 | $18.62 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $37,689 | $18.12 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $36,354 | $17.48 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $35,385 | $17.01 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $34,736 | $16.70 | +2.7% |
Certified registered dental assistant jobs by state
Most common states for certified registered dental assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,219 | 18% |
| 2 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 766 | 18% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,480 | 17% |
| 4 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 980 | 16% |
| 5 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 655 | 15% |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 577 | 15% |
| 7 | Alaska | 739,795 | 105 | 14% |
| 8 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,687 | 13% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 173 | 13% |
| 10 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,089 | 12% |
| 11 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 827 | 12% |
| 12 | New York | 19,849,399 | 2,098 | 11% |
| 13 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 619 | 10% |
| 14 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 462 | 10% |
| 15 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 313 | 10% |
| 16 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 298 | 10% |
| 17 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 72 | 10% |
| 18 | Vermont | 623,657 | 64 | 10% |
| 19 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 2,552 | 9% |
| 20 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 438 | 9% |
Certified Registered Dental Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of certified registered dental assistant experts
Farmingdale State College
Daniela Taranto
What general advice would you give to a Certified Registered Dental Assistant?
Daniela Taranto: Generally dental assistants like the gratification in helping patients. In calming the anxious child, putting a smile of a lonely geriatric patient's face, listening to their family stories, gaining essentially a stranger's trust and helping them feel safe in what can be a scary environment for them. What they may dislike is some dental specialties such as oral surgery may be more graphic than others, and not everyone can withstand the occasional gore that accompanies a difficult extraction or surgery. So, knowing yourself and your own limits is important when selecting what type of practice, you may consider working in.
What Certified Registered Dental Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Daniela Taranto: Post Covid-19 dental professions have seen a jump in salaries in my opinion. During Covid there was a sense of many leaving the profession, and post it seems that dental professional jobs have consistently been in high demand. The hours are often flexible, with many full and part-time options, evenings, or weekends. The flexibility is great for college students and parents as well. Becoming a dental assistant is a great career path for those considering any career in the dental field. It can be a steppingstone and exposure to other professions such as dentist, dental specialist, dental hygienists. as well as insurance, dental coding, and administrative positions.
What will help Certified Registered Dental Assistants increase their earning potential?
Daniela Taranto: A Dental Assistants responsibility can vary by state, or by certifications earned. But in general, they include preparing dental operatories for a wide range of dental procedures including Composite restorations (fillings), Endodontic procedures (root canals), surgical procedures including extractions and dental implants, Periodontal procedures including dental cleanings, and deeper scaling and root planing, Prosthetic/Cosmetic dental work including crowns, bridges, dentures, or cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening or veneers. Once the DA has prepared the operatory, they stay and work directly with the dentist using four-handed dentistry to facilitate an efficient and effective workflow. In addition to having extensive knowledge on these procedures and their armamentaria, DA's are often responsible for adhering to a high level of infection control procedures. Preparing instruments for sterilization and operating the varying machines that are used to achieve that is also part of the DAs daily responsibilities. Furthermore, dental assistants are also trained in a variety of dental materials. They can mix and prepare cements, alginates, and other impression materials. New technology offers dental assistants to obtain digital scans of patients' oral cavity as well. They can work in and are needed in all dental practices. The occupation of a DA offers the option to make a career out of it by earning additional certifications for expanded functions, or use it as a steppingstone towards a career in dental hygiene, or dentistry. Other responsibilities can include front desk work as well, scheduling appointments, answering phones, and other administrative tasks. The role of the dental assistant is vital to successful dental practices.
What general advice would you give to a Certified Registered Dental Assistant?
Carrie Miller BS, CLDA: Dental Assisting is a licensed dental profession dedicated to oral health care for patients of all ages. As a vital member of the dental team, dental assistants actively support the dentist and the hygienist while also independently performing procedures. Some of their day-to-day responsibilities include ensuring patient comfort, preparing patients and the work area for treatments, assisting with oral surgeries, sterilizing dental instruments, handing instruments to the dentist during procedures, evacuating oral cavities, making dental impressions, instructing patients in proper oral hygiene, taking and processing dental X-rays, installing fixed prosthodontics, maintaining inventory, scheduling patient appointments, and working with patients on billing and payment.
What Certified Registered Dental Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Carrie Miller BS, CLDA: Dental assisting offers several advantages that make it an attractive career choice. The demand for dental assistants has been consistently high due to factors such as population growth, aging demographics, and expansion of dental services. Additionally, the flexibility in scheduling and the opportunity to work in healthcare, a sector with constant demand, make it a stable and rewarding career path. Dental assisting provides both job security and personal fulfillment, making it a great option for those considering a career in healthcare.
What will help Certified Registered Dental Assistants increase their earning potential?
Carrie Miller BS, CLDA: Some reasons why dental assistants like their job include the ability to help others, the variety of duties they handle, and the chance to learn something new through continuing education. However, some dental assistants dislike their job due to staff shortages leading to additional duties and more hours, as well as feeling unappreciated for the range of tasks they perform.
What Certified Registered Dental Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Aaron Benitez CDA, RDA, RDHAP, MSDH: In the Dental Assisting program at West Los Angeles College, the advice that we give our students includes several topics. The main recommendation is to take the California's Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) exam. Other advice includes, creating a professional resume (cloud based and on paper), always be respectful of other's time and having a professional mindset. These are qualities that are timeless.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Certified Registered Dental Assistants?
Carol Donohue: Before the pandemic, the Bureau of Labor Statistics rated dental assisting as one of the fastest growing careers, and it has continued to increase as many dental assistants have left to stay home with young children or elderly parents/relatives. Most dental offices report that they are extremely busy and trying to catch up from the work that was put on hold due to the pandemic. At one point dental offices were only seeing emergencies only. As the medical field continues to expand, opportunities for stable employment in this rewarding industry are within reach