How To Become A Dental Assistant Teacher: What It Is and Career Path

What is a dental assistant teacher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Aaron Benitez CDA, RDA, RDHAP, MSDH,

Carol Donohue

A dental assistant teacher usually works in universities, colleges, or technical schools. They educate and guide students in certificate and training programs.

Their primary role is to gear up and equip the students with the knowledge they need to be certified and successful dental assistants. They teach proper oral hygiene, appropriate use of dental tools, and pointers for dental procedures. They also design lesson plans and conduct research. They must pay great attention to details and possess excellent interpersonal skills to communicate well with their students.

Pursuing a career path as a dental assistant teacher requires a two-year associate degree. However, this requirement may vary depending on the education level of the school or academic institution. Some schools do not consider advanced degrees as a mandatory condition for employment.

The median salary of a dental assistant teacher is $19.71 an hour, which is equivalent to an annual earning of $41,003.

What general advice would you give to a dental assistant teacher?

Aaron Benitez CDA, RDA, RDHAP, MSDH

Dental Assisting Faculty, Articulation Officer, Website

In California, it is an exciting time to be a Dental Assistant. The industry has been gradually adding more technologically advanced procedures like 3-D printing, intra-oral scanning, along with Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistance. A Dental Assistant needs to possess the traditional knowledge to be able to learn these new advanced procedures. In order to make themselves more competitive, the Dental Assistant must possess the knowledge and hands-on experience of these new procedures.
Also, since in California the minimum wage is increasing beyond the amount that a starting Dental Assistant could potentially earn, learning new advanced techniques is more relevant.

ScoreDental Assistant TeacherUS Average

Salary

3.1

Avg. Salary $39,097

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.8

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.75%

Asian 9.96%

Black or African American 7.09%

Hispanic or Latino 23.24%

Unknown 4.97%

White 54.00%

Gender

female 80.90%

male 19.10%

Age - 36

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 36

Stress level

6.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.4

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a dental assistant teacher

Explore dental assistant teacher education requirements

Most common dental assistant teacher degrees

Bachelor's

27.2 %

Associate

22.1 %

High School Diploma

21.0 %

Start to develop specific dental assistant teacher skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	48.67%
Treatment Procedures	14.13%
Dental Assistants	9.62%
Oral Health	9.54%
CPR	4.42%

Complete relevant dental assistant teacher training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New dental assistant teachers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a dental assistant teacher based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real dental assistant teacher resumes.

Gain additional dental assistant teacher certifications

Dental assistant teacher certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific dental assistant teacher certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for dental assistant teachers include Dental Assistant (RDA) and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).

More About Certifications

Research dental assistant teacher duties and responsibilities

Help dentist to manage dental and medical emergencies by maintaining CPR certification, emergency drug and oxygen supply.
Work with patients by assisting dentists and supporting hygiene students in restoration procedures along with several other dental procedures.
Provide direct customer service daily; greet and prepare patients for dental examinations, build charts, and document preliminary information.
Assist in oral surgery under local and twilight anesthesia in a private practice setting.Primary IV starter and administer anesthetics on command.

Prepare your dental assistant teacher resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your dental assistant teacher resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a dental assistant teacher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable dental assistant teacher resume templates

Build a professional dental assistant teacher resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your dental assistant teacher resume.