DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
31-9091 Dental Assistants
Occupational Description:
Assist dentist, set up equipment, prepare patient for treatment, and keep records.| Percentiles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| La Crosse WI-MN MSA | 140 | 17 | $17.13/hr | $0.46/hr | $14.81/hr | $15.67/hr | $17.01/hr | $18.36/hr | $20.92/hr |
| Minnesota | 5,180 | 233 | $20.64/hr | $0.35/hr | $15.80/hr | $18.11/hr | $20.67/hr | $22.96/hr | $26.59/hr |
| U S | 300,160 | 3,002 | $17.06/hr | $0.07/hr | $11.46/hr | $13.80/hr | $16.79/hr | $20.10/hr | $23.15/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change - | |
| Dental Hygienists | 150 | $29.76/hr | N/A |
| Surgical Technologists | 110 | $22.46/hr | N/A |
| Nonfarm Animal Caretakers | 80 | $9.95/hr | N/A |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | N/A | $27.55/hr | N/A |
Tasks for Dental Assistants
- Prepares patient, sterilizes and disinfects instruments, sets up instrument trays, prepares materials, and assists dentist during dental procedures.
- Takes and records medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.
- Assists dentist in management of medical and dental emergencies.
- Records treatment information in patient records.
- Provides postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist.
- Pours, trims, and polishes study casts.
- Instructs patients in oral hygiene and plaque control programs.
- Cleans teeth, using dental instruments.
- Fabricates temporary restorations and custom impressions from preliminary impressions.
- Schedules appointments, prepares bills and receives payment for dental services, completes insurance forms, and maintains records, manually or using computer.
- Cleans and polishes removable appliances.
- Makes preliminary impressions for study casts and occlusal registrations for mounting study casts.
- Applies protective coating of fluoride to teeth.
- Exposes dental diagnostic x-rays.