As reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dental Assistants earn an average of $42,510 per year, while Dental Hygienists earn an average of $81,360 per year. Therefore, the salary for Dental Hygienists is much higher than that of Dental Assistants.
Keep in mind, however, that the salary of an employee can be influenced by factors such as location and experience. For instance, Dental Assistants working in Minnesota (with a wage of $53,080 on average) may have higher salaries than those in Louisiana ($33,560). To provide another instance, Dental Hygienists in California have an average pay that is 112% higher compared to those in Alabama.
Dental Assistants vs Dental Hygienists overview
Dental Assistants and Dental Hygienists are two important jobs in the Health Care Services industry. There is a general interest in understanding the differences between these job titles, including the average earnings for each of them.
Dental Assistant job description
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.
Dental Assistant education and experience
About a half of Dental Assistants hold a Post-Secondary Certificate, 29% have a High School Diploma, and 17% hold a College Course Certificate. Regarding experience, 27% of Dental Assistant jobs require a 1 to 2 years of experience in the field. A smaller part of jobs (21%) require a previous experience of 3 to 6 months.
Dental Assistant average salary
Based on data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United States had a workforce of 347,170 Dental Assistants in 2021 and their average annual salary was $42,510. The lowest earning 10 percent made $29,580 or less, and the highest earning 10 percent made $59,540 or more per year. Compared to the previous year, the average salary has risen by 0.5%.
Do Dental Assistants make good money?
Dental Assistants are not typically well paid, as their average salary is 27% lower than the average salary in the United States ($58,260). Furthermore, they earn 40% less than the average pay of the Health Care Services industry ($70,360).
Dental Assistants are not typically well paid, as their average salary is 27% lower than the average salary in the United States ($58,260).
Dental Assistants job growth
In 2021, there have been 35,030 more Dental Assistant roles than the previous year nationwide, which marks a growth of 11.2%. The average job growth over the past 3 years has been 1%.
Dental Hygienist job description
Dental Hygienists administer oral hygiene care to patients. Assess patient oral hygiene problems or needs and maintain health records. Advise patients on oral health maintenance and disease prevention. May provide advanced care such as providing fluoride treatment or administering topical anesthesia.
Dental Hygienist education and experience
Most Dental Hygienists (75%) have completed an Associate's Degree. But additionally, among employees with this job title, there are also some with a First Professional Degree (13%) and a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (9%). In terms of experience, about a half of Dental Hygienist occupations require no previous experience. A smaller number of roles (20%) require a previous experience of 2 to 4 years.
Dental Hygienist average salary
As reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021, the number of Dental Hygienists employed in the United States was 207,190, and they earned an average of $81,360 per year. The bottom 10 percent had earnings of $60,100 or less, and the top 10 percent had earnings of $100,200 or more. The average salary has increased by 4.2% in comparison to the previous year.
Do Dental Hygienists make good money?
Dental Hygienists are typically paid well, since their mean salary is 40% above the average wage in the United States ($58,260). Moreover, they make 16% more than the mean earnings of the Health Care Services industry ($70,360).
Dental Hygienists are typically paid well, since their mean salary is 40% above the average wage in the United States ($58,260).
Dental Hygienists job growth
In 2021, there have been 12,360 more Dental Hygienist positions than the previous year across the nation, and that marks a rise of 6.3%. Over the past 2 years, job growth has averaged -2.9%.
FAQ
Do Dental Assistants or Dental Hygienists make more?
Dental Hygienists make 91% more than Dental Assistants. The average annual salary for Dental Assistants is $42,510, while Dental Hygienists earn $81,360 per year.
How long does it take to become a Dental Assistant vs Dental Hygienist?
Dental Assistants generally need a Post-Secondary Certificate. A Post-Secondary Certificate most often takes between 1 year and 2 years to complete. On the other hand, Dental Hygienists generally need an Associate's Degree. An Associate's Degree most often takes around 2 years to complete.
Is it harder to become a Dental Assistant vs Dental Hygienist?
It is not harder to become a Dental Assistant versus a Dental Hygienist, since both of them require a similar amount of education.
Related Job Comparisons
- Dental Hygienists vs Medical Appliance Technicians salary
- Pharmacy Technicians vs Dental Assistants salary
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers vs Dental Hygienists salary
- Dental Hygienists vs Radiologic Technicians salary
- Dental Laboratory Technicians vs Dental Hygienists salary
- Dental Assistants vs Surgical Technologists salary
- Dental Assistants vs Medical Assistants salary
- Dental Hygienists vs Dentists salary
- Dental Hygienists vs Nurses salary