Occupations/31-9091.00
Dental Assistants
Perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and providing patients with instructions for oral healthcare procedures. May perform administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes.
Usually a certificate, vocational program, or associate degree — not a bachelor’s.
AI automation risk
38%
Mixed exposure
Human characteristics
71%
Strong human-characteristic mix
Task orientation
74%
Higher automation risk
A day in this job
- Mostly human
Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.
- Mostly routine
Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.
- Mostly human
Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.
Split from the wording of these tasks, shown next to the occupation’s AI risk. It is not a separate score for each task, and it is not a forecast that the job disappears.
Core tasks
- 01Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.
- 02Record treatment information in patient records.
- 03Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies.
- 04Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.
- 05Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.
- 06Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist.
Model drivers (O*NET 1–5)
- Repeating same tasks3.93
- Degree of automation1.93
- Time sitting2.58
- Originality (ability)2.62
- Conflict situations3.54
- Hands-on objects/tools4.31
- Outdoors / weather1.00
- Disease exposure3.69
- Decision freedom3.52
Top abilities
- Near Vision4.12
- Oral Expression4.00
- Oral Comprehension3.88
- Speech Recognition3.75
- Written Comprehension3.50
- Deductive Reasoning3.38
- Information Ordering3.25
- Written Expression3.12
Essential skills
- Reading Comprehension3.25
- Active Listening3.88
- Writing3.00
- Speaking3.38
- Mathematics2.12
- Science2.00
- Critical Thinking3.00
- Active Learning3.12
- Learning Strategies2.50
- Monitoring3.12
CIP matches
Schools offering related programs
12 of 28 shown
Earnings are College Scorecard medians for that program, 1 and 2 years after completion. A dash means the Department suppressed the cell or the campus is not in the field file.
| Institution | Program | Tuition | Admit | Grad 6-yr | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit | Dental Assisting/Assistant 51.0601 | $68,200 | 12% | 92% | 1 yr $73,446 2 yr $74,845 Bachelor's · CIP 51.06 |
Northern Virginia Community College Annandale, VA · Public | Dental Assisting/Assistant 51.0601 | $5,700 | 100% | 35% | 1 yr $65,320 2 yr $69,757 Associate · CIP 51.06 |
Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX · Public | Dental Assisting/Assistant 51.0601 | $13,200 | 63% | 83% | 1 yr $65,131 2 yr $57,995 Bachelor's · CIP 51.06 |
New York University New York, NY · Private nonprofit | Dental Assisting/Assistant 51.0601 | $60,400 | 12% | 88% | 1 yr $62,409 2 yr $56,415 Associate · CIP 51.06 |
Minnesota State University-Mankato Mankato, MN · Public | Dental Assisting/Assistant 51.0601 | $9,700 | 71% | 62% | 1 yr $60,485 2 yr $58,447 Bachelor's · CIP 51.06 |
Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH · Public | Dental Assisting/Assistant 51.0601 | $12,800 | 53% | 83% | 1 yr $56,693 2 yr $56,068 Bachelor's · CIP 51.06 |
Georgia State University Atlanta, GA · Public | Dental Assisting/Assistant 51.0601 | $9,200 | 67% | 56% | 1 yr $55,964 2 yr $50,439 Associate · CIP 51.06 |
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI · Public | Dental Assisting/Assistant 51.0601 | $17,700 | 18% | 93% | 1 yr $54,948 2 yr $50,856 Bachelor's · CIP 51.06 |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC · Public | Dental Assisting/Assistant 51.0601 | $9,000 | 17% | 91% | 1 yr $54,656 2 yr $53,775 Bachelor's · CIP 51.06 |
Community College of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA · Public | Dental Assisting/Assistant 51.0601 | $5,200 | 100% | 21% | 1 yr — 2 yr $50,606 Certificate · CIP 51.06 |
Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, MN · Public | Dental Assisting/Assistant 51.0601 | $9,800 | 71% | 61% | 1 yr $48,041 2 yr $49,918 Associate · CIP 51.06 |
Century College White Bear Lake, MN · Public | Dental Assisting/Assistant 51.0601 | $6,000 | 100% | 31% | 1 yr $42,123 2 yr $44,984 Associate · CIP 51.06 |