Dental-hygiene helpers often work in a dental office. It is an environment where they help patients receiving orthodontic dental care. Normally, the job of an assistant dental worker is to prepare equipment and materials for the orthodontist. They also have the legal jurisdiction to manage dental records.
A dental assistant can as well help prospective clients to relax perfectly when treatment is being carried out. They also help patients to maintain a level of comfort before any dental process is performed. The job position calls for helping the orthodontist by installing orthodontic mouth gear and any other needed casts.
Click the following link to learn how to become a dental assistant.
Dental Assistant Salary
The average dental assistant salary is $38,660.
One major factor that can affect the earning potential of an assistant dental worker is the geographic region. For instance, assistant dental workers in the eastern 
region of the US such as North Carolina and Georgia earn between $18.00 and $21.00 per hour.
These wage rates cannot be compared to other regions in the US. Research from Bureau of Labor Statistics proves that assistant dental workers either accredited or not will earn about $38,660 per year. When applying certain earning factors, studies have shown that a dental assistant of the low end earns less than $26,940 annually.
For an assistant on the higher end, they can earn above $54,800 nationally. On this note, it is clear that a dental assistant starting salary may range from anything between $11 and $23.82. This simple preview can help you solve any problem on the nagging question, how much do dental assistants make?
Top 5 Paying States
| Flag | State | Employment per 1000 Jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | New Hampshire | 2.09 | $21.43 | $44,580 |
 | Alaska | 3.02 | $20.94 | $43,550 |
 | Minnesota | 2.00 | $20.75 | $43,160 |
 | Massachusetts | 2.17 | $20.00 | $41,590 |
 | North Dakota | 1.57 | $19.71 | $40,990 |
Top Paying Industries
| Industry | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialty Hospitals | 0.05 | $19.50 | $40,550 |
| Insurance Carriers | – | $19.41 | $40,370 |
| State Government | 0.07 | $19.16 | $39,850 |
| Federal Executive Branch | 0.20 | $18.97 | $39,460 |
| Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 0.04 | $17.93 | $37,300 |
Dental Assistant Job Description
You may ask, what do dental assistants do?
The primary responsibilities of an assistant dental worker are highly important to know. It is the legal duty of an dental assistant to prepare a patient for x-rays.
They as well process the whole task through the knowledge they have acquired in training. When talking about adjusting orthodontic equipment in the patient’s mouth, only an assistant dental worker can carry out this task effectively.
A dental assistant will have to clean and maintain patient’s teeth before the arrival of the orthodontist.
The assistant may as well perform administrative obligations such as ordering supplies and processing payments just to mention a few.
We will also help you discover the type of environment that is required for this kind of service.
It is important to know that dental assistants work in offices. The environment has to be sterile and properly clean. This is to help patients get properly relaxed and balanced before the orthodontist arrive.
Workers in this sector will have to wear gloves, facial masks and safety glasses. The gear will protect an assistant dental worker from being infected by potential illnesses that the patient may have. Studies have shown that most dental assistants usually work 40 hours on a weekly basis. However, some other assistants may be required to work on weekends as well.
Normally, becoming an assistant dental worker does need formal training like doctors need. In case you are willing to pursue a career in this profession, enrolling for a diploma program will also help.
In most cases, a diploma program for assistant dental workers will take up to one year in completion. You also need basic administrative knowledge and good communication skills to maintain this position. As a job, you can work in any orthodontic office where dental operations are performed.
Job Outlook Of Dental Assistant
The outlook and projected growth is fantastic for dental assistants. It’s expected that during the period of 2016 – 2026, 64,600 new dental assistants will be required, which means that the growth rate is 19%, much bigger than the national average of .
Dental Assistant Salary by State
| Flag | State | Employment per 1000 Jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Alabama | 1.85 | $14.73 | $30,650 |
| Alaska | 3.025 | $20.94 | $43,550 |
 | Arizona | 2.564 | $17.70 | $36,830 |
 | Arkansas | 2.124 | $15.14 | $31,490 |
 | California | 3.15 | $18.32 | $38,100 |
 | Colorado | 2.614 | $18.87 | $39,250 |
 | Connecticut | 2.379 | $19.61 | $40,790 |
 | Delaware | 1.768 | $18.15 | $37,750 |
 | Florida | 2.146 | $16.88 | $35,100 |
 | Georgia | 2.435 | $16.64 | $34,600 |
 | Hawaii | 2.726 | $16.58 | $34,480 |
 | Idaho | 3.041 | $15.93 | $33,130 |
 | Illinois | 2.304 | $17.21 | $35,800 |
 | Indiana | 1.901 | $17.30 | $35,980 |
 | Iowa | 1.928 | $17.66 | $36,740 |
 | Kansas | 1.983 | $17.87 | $37,170 |
 | Kentucky | 2.434 | $16.02 | $33,320 |
 | Louisiana | 1.989 | $14.34 | $29,830 |
 | Maine | 1.946 | $18.37 | $38,210 |
 | Maryland | 2.115 | $18.60 | $38,690 |
| Massachusetts | 2.168 | $20.00 | $41,590 |
 | Michigan | 2.248 | $16.50 | $34,330 |
| Minnesota | 2.001 | $20.75 | $43,160 |
 | Mississippi | 2.056 | $14.92 | $31,030 |
 | Missouri | 1.885 | $16.53 | $34,380 |
 | Montana | 2.586 | $15.97 | $33,210 |
 | Nebraska | 1.992 | $15.87 | $33,010 |
 | Nevada | 2.316 | $17.24 | $35,870 |
| New Hampshire | 2.09 | $21.43 | $44,580 |
 | New Jersey | 2.352 | $19.11 | $39,740 |
 | New Mexico | 2.983 | $15.31 | $31,840 |
 | New York | 2.122 | $17.09 | $35,550 |
 | North Carolina | 2.168 | $18.40 | $38,270 |
| North Dakota | 1.565 | $19.71 | $40,990 |
 | Ohio | 1.952 | $17.26 | $35,890 |
 | Oklahoma | 2.63 | $15.21 | $31,630 |
 | Oregon | 2.717 | $19.67 | $40,920 |
 | Pennsylvania | 2.216 | $16.22 | $33,750 |
 | Rhode Island | 1.823 | $17.18 | $35,730 |
 | South Carolina | 1.862 | $16.71 | $34,760 |
 | South Dakota | 1.872 | $15.61 | $32,480 |
 | Tennessee | 2.063 | $16.66 | $34,650 |
 | Texas | 2.115 | $16.44 | $34,190 |
 | Utah | 3.836 | $13.78 | $28,670 |
 | Vermont | 1.777 | $18.68 | $38,860 |
 | Virginia | 2.337 | $17.77 | $36,960 |
 | Washington | 3.378 | $19.37 | $40,290 |
 | West Virginia | 1.754 | $14.08 | $29,280 |
 | Wisconsin | 2.116 | $17.26 | $35,900 |
 | Wyoming | 2.079 | $16.12 | $33,540 |
Top paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Employment per 1000 jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester, NH | 2.11 | $23.91 | $49,740 |
| San Francisco/San Mateo Redwood- CA – Metropolitan Division | 2.46 | $23.01 | $47,870 |
| Haverhill / North Andover / Amesbury, – MA / NH – NECTA Division | 2.23 | $22.97 | $47,780 |
| Rochester, MN | 2.34 | $22.28 | $46,330 |
| Santa Rosa / Petaluma, – CA | 3.38 | $22.28 | $46,330 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas
| Area | Employment per 1000 jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Alaska – nonmetropolitan area | 1.96 | $23.99 | $49,900 |
| Southeast Minnesota – nonmetropolitan area | 2.07 | $23.16 | $48,170 |
| Other New Hampshire – nonmetropolitan area | 2.09 | $22.93 | $47,690 |
| Southwestern Washington – nonmetropolitan area | 1.75 | $21.37 | $44,450 |
| Southeast Minnesota – nonmetropolitan area | 1.85 | $21.29 | $44,280 |
