by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Dental Assisting/Assistant covers Dental Assisting/assistant. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Provide Patient Care, Take Dental Radiographs (X-Ray Photographs), Prepare Patients And Equipment For Dental Procedures, And Discharge Office Administrative Functions Under The Supervision Of Dentists And Dental Hygienists. Includes Instruction In Medical Record-Keeping, General Office Duties, Reception And Patient Intake, Scheduling, Equipment Maintenance And Sterilization, Basic Radiography, Pre- And Post-Operative Patient Care And Instruction, Chairside Assisting, Taking Tooth And Mouth Impressions, And Supervised Practice. Continue reading for the essential details every dental assisting/assistant major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering dental assisting/assistant programs.
In the U.S., dental assisting/assistant draws strong interest, with 15,557 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Dental Assisting/Assistant Schools ranking analyzes these 555 schools to determine the best overall colleges for dental assisting/assistant students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of dental assisting/assistant programs later in this article.
Coursework for Dental Assisting/Assistant develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations dental assisting/assistant graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a dental assisting/assistant program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a dental assisting/assistant major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several dental assisting/assistant degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 10,111 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1,362 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 3,832 |
People currently working in careers related to dental assisting/assistant tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 24.9% |
| Doctoral degree | 17.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 16.2% |
| Post-doctoral training | 13.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 8.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.8% |
| Some college courses | 5.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in dental assisting/assistant careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in dental assisting/assistant prepares you for numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to dental assisting/assistant.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to dental assisting/assistant.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Dental Assistants | 561,559 | 5.0% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of dental assisting/assistant graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $28,149 |
| 4 years | $30,974 |
| 5 years | $33,855 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for dental assisting/assistant graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers dental assisting/assistant grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
| Dental Assistants | $25,445 |
With 555 different dental assisting/assistant programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased dental assisting/assistant school rankings to help you.
Students interested in dental assisting/assistant, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Dental Hygiene/Hygienist | 8,802 |
| Dental Laboratory Technology/Technician | 295 |
| Dental Services and Allied Professions, Other | 107 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
