Dental Assistant Salary
What is a Dental Assistant Salary
After completing the necessary training and coursework, the dental assistant salary can become quite attractive. While the starting dental assistant salary is not necessarily enormous, it is still certainly quite respectable. In addition, there are several ways that you can increase your dental assistant salary after you become employed in the field.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median dental assistant salary in May of 2004 was $13.62 per hour. The middle 50% of those working in the occupation had a dental assistant salary of anywhere from $11.06 to $16.65 per hour. The lowest 10% working in the field had a dental assistant salary of $9.11 or less per hour, while the highest 10% had an hourly wage of $19.97 or more per hour.
According to the American Dental Association, there are additional benefits that you will receive in this field in addition to your dental assistant salary. For example, the American Dental Association found that nearly all full time dental assistants receive paid vacation time from their employers. The American Dental Association also found that nine out of every person employed in the field receives dental coverage.
After getting employed in the field, you can increase your dental assistant salary in many ways. For example, if you take continuing education classes, you can learn a specialized skill that will allow you to increase your dental assistant salary. Branching out into other areas within the field can also help you increase your dental assistant salary. For example, after you complete additional education, you might choose to sell dental products or teach classes on dental assisting. By broadening your possibilities, you can significantly increase you dental assistant salary if you desire.
As with any career field, the greater your education, the greater your dental assistant salary will be. So, get some experience under your belt and take as many courses as you can and you will likely see your dental assistant salary grow significantly.
