Dental Assistant Job Projections

In today’s unstable economy, jobs in the healthcare and dental field continue to be in high demand. Dentistry is a need for every person and the need for Dental Assistants will continue to exist and increase far into the future.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the 2010-2011 Edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dental assistants held about 295,300 jobs in 2008. About 93 percent of all jobs for dental assistants were in offices of dentists. A small number of jobs were in the Federal, State, and local governments or in offices of physicians. They also project that "employment is expected to grow 36 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. In fact, dental assistants are expected to be among the fastest growing occupations over the 2008–18 projection period. Population growth, greater retention of natural teeth by middle-aged and older people, and an increased focus on preventative dental care for younger generations will fuel demand for dental services. Older dentists, who have been less likely to employ assistants or have employed fewer, are leaving the occupation and will be replaced by recent graduates, who are more likely to use one or more assistants. In addition, as dentists' workloads increase, they are expected to hire more assistants to perform routine tasks, so that they may devote their own time to more complex procedures.

Job prospects should be excellent, as dentists continue to need the aid of qualified dental assistants. There will be many opportunities for entry-level positions, but some dentists prefer to hire experienced assistants, those who have completed a dental-assisting program, or have met State requirements to take on expanded functions within the office.

In addition to job openings due to employment growth, some job openings will arise out of the need to replace assistants who transfer to other occupations, retire, or leave for other reasons."
Our Dental Assistant Program offers classes on weekends for those who have busy schedules, are stay-at-home Mothers, or are full-time workers during the weekdays. We have wonderful financing options and payment plans. Contact us today for a tour of our program or check out our website for more information.