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| Occupation Profile
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DENTAL ASSISTANTS: PENNSYLVANIA
Occupation Description
Assist dentist, set up patient and equipment, and keep records.
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State and National Wages
| Location |
Pay
Period |
2008 |
| 10% |
25% |
Median |
75% |
90% |
| United States |
Hourly |
$10.71 |
$12.97 |
$15.57 |
$18.73 |
$22.19 |
| Yearly |
$22,300 |
$27,000 |
$32,400 |
$39,000 |
$46,200 |
| Pennsylvania |
Hourly |
$10.08 |
$11.84 |
$14.22 |
$17.20 |
$20.09 |
| Yearly |
$21,000 |
$24,600 |
$29,600 |
$35,800 |
$41,800 |
- High is the wage at which 90% of workers earn less and 10% earn more.
- Middle is the wage at which 50% of workers earn less and 50% earn more.
- Low is the wage at which 10% of workers earn less and 90% earn more.
- High is the wage at which 90% of workers earn less and 10% earn more.
- Middle is the wage at which 50% of workers earn less and 50% earn more.
- Low is the wage at which 10% of workers earn less and 90% earn more.
Occupation Wages FAQs
Median Wage by Occupation Across States
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National Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Survey
State Data Source: Pennsylvania Workforce Statistics
State and National Trends
| United States |
Employment |
Percent
Change |
Job Openings 1 |
| 2008 |
2018 |
Dental assistants |
295,300 |
400,900 |
+36%
|
16,100
| Pennsylvania |
Employment |
Percent
Change |
Job Openings 1 |
| 2006 |
2016 |
| Dental assistants |
11,400 |
14,700 |
+29%
|
550
|
1Job Openings refers to the average annual job openings due to growth and net replacement.
Note: The data for the State Employment Trends and the National Employment Trends are not directly comparable. The projections period for state data is 2006-2016, while the projections period for national data is 2008-2018.
Occupation Trends FAQs
Employment Trends by Occupation Across States
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Employment Trends by Industry and Occupation
National Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections
State Data Source: Pennsylvania Center for Workforce Information & Analysis
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The most important knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) are listed for Dental Assistants.
Knowledge:
- Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Skills:
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Abilities:
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Source: Occupational Information Network: Dental Assistants.
Tasks and Activities
Occupation specific tasks and the most important generalized work activities are listed for Dental Assistants.
Occupation Specific Tasks:
- Apply protective coating of fluoride to teeth.
- Assist dentist in management of medical and dental emergencies.
- Clean and polish removable appliances.
- Clean teeth, using dental instruments.
- Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.
- Fabricate and fit orthodontic appliances and materials for patients, such as retainers, wires, and bands.
- Fabricate temporary restorations and custom impressions from preliminary impressions.
- Instruct patients in oral hygiene and plaque control programs.
- Make preliminary impressions for study casts and occlusal registrations for mounting study casts.
- Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.
- Pour, trim, and polish study casts.
- Prepare patient, sterilize and disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, and assist dentist during dental procedures.
- Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist.
- Record treatment information in patient records.
- Schedule appointments, prepare bills and receive payment for dental services, complete insurance forms, and maintain records, manually or using computer.
- Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.
Generalized Work Activities:
- Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Detailed Work Activities:
- assist in examining or treating dental or medical patients
- collect specimens from patients
- complete patient bills
- complete patient insurance forms
- follow dental or medical x-ray procedures
- follow patient care procedures
- maintain dental or medical records
- observe patient condition
- operate dental equipment
- perform dental hygiene procedures
- post medical insurance billings
- prepare medical treatment room
- prepare patient for dental work
- prepare patients for tests, therapy, or treatments
- process medical records
- provide customer service
- record medical history or data
- schedule meetings or appointments
- set up dental equipment
- set up patient care equipment
- sterilize or disinfect instruments
- take vital signs
- use clinical sterilizing technique
- use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
- use dental treatment procedures
- use knowledge of medical terminology
- use secretarial procedures
Source: Occupational Information Network: Dental Assistants.
Tools and Technology
Dental Assistants View Detailed Report
Tools:
- Dental dam supplies - Molar clamps, Rubber dam forceps, Rubber dam punches, Rubber dams
- Dental forceps - Cotton forceps, Extracting forceps, Hemostatic forceps, Splinter forceps, Tongue forceps
- Dental hand pieces or accessories - Dental handpieces, Electric endodontic handpieces, Electric general dentistry handpieces, Electric surgical handpieces, High-speed handpieces
- Orthodontic pliers - Band seating pliers, Dental crimping pliers, Dental pliers, Intraoral detailing pliers, Offset utility pliers
- Steam autoclaves or sterilizers - Autoclaves, Steam cleaning equipment, Steam sterilizers, Sterilizers
Technology:
- Accounting software - Intuit Quicken software
- Electronic mail software - Email software
- Medical software - Henry Schein Dentrix software, Kodak Dental Systems Kodak SOFTDENT Practice management software PMS, Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft, The Systems Workplace TDOCS
- Office suite software - Microsoft Office software
- Spreadsheet software - Microsoft Excel
Source: Occupational Information Network: Dental Assistants.
Education and Training
Occupation: Dental Assistants
Most Common Educational/Training Level: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Related Instructional Programs: Dental Assisting/Assistant
Distribution of Educational Attainment
| Occupation |
Percent of employees aged 25 to 44 in the occupation whose highest level of educational attainment is |
| Less than high school diploma |
High school diploma or equivalent |
Some college, no degree |
Associate's degree |
Bachelor's degree |
Master's degree |
Doctoral or professional degree |
| Dental assistants |
3.1% |
32.5% |
38.1% |
16.1% |
7% |
0.7% |
2.5% |
| Other Healthcare Support Occupations |
4.2% |
27.9% |
37.6% |
16.1% |
10.5% |
1.8% |
1.9% |
| Healthcare Support |
6% |
24.6% |
29.2% |
26.6% |
10.5% |
1.7% |
1.4% |
| Total, All Occupations |
10.7% |
27.6% |
20.6% |
8.9% |
19.4% |
8.3% |
4.5% |
Find colleges, training schools and instructional programs for this occupation.
Find education and training programs where you can earn a certificate, diploma, or award in less than 2 years with the Short-Term Training Finder.
Access additional Education Resources in the Career Resource Library.
Use the Financial Aid Advisor to help find funds for financing education.
WIA Eligible Training Provider List: http://www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us/homeframe.asp?function=trainprov
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections (Education/Training Level, Educational Attainment); National Center for Education Statistics (Typical Instructional Programs)
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Web Resources
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