Registered dental assistant demographics and statistics in the US
Registered dental assistant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates registered dental assistant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our registered 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 registered dental assistants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 316,554 registered dental assistants currently employed in the United States.
- 91.0% of all registered dental assistants are women, while 9.0% are men.
- The average registered dental assistant age is 37 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of registered dental assistants is White (47.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (31.6%), Asian (9.0%) and Black or African American (6.1%).
- Registered dental assistants are most in-demand in Los Angeles, CA.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for registered dental assistants.
- 4% of all registered dental assistants are LGBT.
On this page
Registered dental assistant demographics by:
Registered dental assistant gender statistics
91.0% of registered dental assistants are women and 9.0% of registered dental assistants are men.
- Female, 91.0%
- Male, 9.0%
Registered dental assistant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 91.0% |
| Male | 9.0% |
Registered dental assistant gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$40,324
Female income
$38,632
Registered dental assistant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in registered dental assistant positions over time. Currently, 91.0% of registered dental assistants are female.
Registered dental assistant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.73% | 95.27% |
| 2011 | 5.45% | 94.55% |
| 2012 | 5.72% | 94.28% |
| 2013 | 5.38% | 94.62% |
| 2014 | 6.43% | 93.57% |
| 2015 | 6.83% | 93.17% |
| 2016 | 5.47% | 94.53% |
| 2017 | 7.07% | 92.93% |
| 2018 | 6.68% | 93.32% |
| 2019 | 7.33% | 92.67% |
| 2020 | 6.37% | 93.63% |
| 2021 | 8.96% | 91.04% |
Registered dental assistant related jobs gender ratio
We compared registered 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% |
| Registered Dental Assistant | 9% | 91% |
| Dental Officer | 79% | 21% |
| Donations Attendant | 81% | 19% |
| Delivery Technician | 88% | 12% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Registered dental assistant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among registered dental assistants is White, which makes up 47.7% of all registered dental assistants. Comparatively, 31.6% of registered dental assistants are Hispanic or Latino and 9.0% of registered dental assistants are Asian.
- White, 47.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 31.6%
- Asian, 9.0%
- Black or African American, 6.1%
- Unknown, 4.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Registered dental assistant race
| Registered dental assistant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 47.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 31.6% |
| Asian | 9.0% |
| Black or African American | 6.1% |
| Unknown | 4.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Registered dental assistant race and ethnicity over time
See how registered dental assistant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Registered dental assistant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 57.65% | 7.07% | 6.55% | 26.20% |
| 2011 | 54.70% | 7.14% | 6.29% | 28.47% |
| 2012 | 52.93% | 8.08% | 7.05% | 28.97% |
| 2013 | 55.06% | 7.30% | 7.35% | 27.19% |
| 2014 | 54.39% | 7.11% | 7.35% | 28.35% |
| 2015 | 54.32% | 6.87% | 6.43% | 29.10% |
| 2016 | 53.83% | 6.19% | 7.38% | 29.26% |
| 2017 | 51.74% | 6.74% | 7.86% | 30.85% |
| 2018 | 52.79% | 7.04% | 7.30% | 29.45% |
| 2019 | 50.64% | 5.21% | 8.71% | 31.72% |
| 2020 | 49.29% | 6.56% | 7.73% | 30.86% |
| 2021 | 47.68% | 6.13% | 8.99% | 31.61% |
Registered dental assistant wage gap by race
According to our data, white registered dental assistants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino registered dental assistants have the lowest average salary at $39,808.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $40,563 |
| White | $40,681 |
| Black or African American | $39,972 |
| Asian | $40,602 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $39,808 |
Average registered dental assistant age
See how the average age of registered dental assistants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Registered 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 |
Registered dental assistant age breakdown
The average age of registered dental assistants is 40+ years years old, representing 42% of the registered dental assistant population.
Registered dental assistant age breakdown
| Registered Dental Assistant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 42% |
| 30-40 years | 27% |
| 20-30 years | 29% |
Registered dental assistant educational attainment
The most common degree for registered dental assistants is associate degree, with 33% of registered dental assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 18% and bachelor's degree degree at 14%.
- Associate, 33%
- Bachelor's, 18%
- High School Diploma, 14%
- Diploma, 12%
- Other Degrees, 23%
Registered dental assistants by degree level
| Registered dental assistant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 33% |
| Bachelor's | 18% |
| High School Diploma | 14% |
| Diploma | 12% |
| Other Degrees | 23% |
Registered dental assistant jobs you might like
Registered dental assistant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, registered dental assistants with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $40,627 annually. With a Associate degree, registered dental assistants earn a median annual income of $40,462 compared to $39,147 for registered dental assistants with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $39,147 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $40,627 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,462 |
Registered dental assistant employment statistics
Most registered dental assistants work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where registered dental assistants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where registered dental assistants work.
Registered dental assistant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 38% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 3% |
Registered dental assistant jobs by company type
Employees with the registered dental assistant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most registered dental assistants prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Registered dental assistant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 7% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 83% |
| Government | 6% |
Registered dental assistant jobs by industry
The most common industries for registered dental assistants are health care, professional and education.
Registered dental assistant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 61% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Education | 5% |
| Government | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Registered dental assistant turnover and employment statistics
Registered dental assistant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for registered dental assistants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Registered dental assistant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Registered 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 registered dental assistant tenure
The average registered dental assistant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,873 registered dental assistants resumes in Zippia's database.
Registered dental assistant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 20% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Registered dental assistant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of registered 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Dental Assistant | 4.40% | - |
| Ophthalmic Aide | 5.81% | 41,626 |
| Venipuncturist | 7.76% | 9,115 |
| Senior Medical Transcriptionist | 8.65% | 44,673 |
| Certified Pharmacist Assistant | 9.41% | 118,993 |
| Laboratory Animal Caretaker | 9.55% | 45,979 |
| Registered Massage Therapist | 13.02% | 31,389 |
Similar registered dental assistant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Ophthalmic Aide | 5.81% | 41,626 |
| Venipuncturist | 7.76% | 9,115 |
| Senior Medical Transcriptionist | 8.65% | 44,673 |
| Certified Pharmacist Assistant | 9.41% | 118,993 |
| Laboratory Animal Caretaker | 9.55% | 45,979 |
| Registered Massage Therapist | 13.02% | 31,389 |
Foreign languages spoken by registered dental assistants
The most common foreign language among registered dental assistants is Spanish at 52.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Polish at 29.1% and Tagalog is the third-most popular at 3.6%.
- Spanish, 52.5%
- Polish, 29.1%
- Tagalog, 3.6%
- French, 2.7%
- Portuguese, 1.8%
- Other, 10.3%
Registered dental assistant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 52.5% |
| Polish | 29.1% |
| Tagalog | 3.6% |
| French | 2.7% |
| Portuguese | 1.8% |
| Other | 10.3% |
