What they do
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.
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Also called: |
Certified Dental Assistant (CDA), Certified Registered Dental Assistant, Dental Assistant (DA), Expanded Dental Assistant, Expanded Duty Dental Assistant (EDDA), Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA), Oral Surgery Assistant, Orthodontic Assistant (Ortho Assistant), Registered Dental Assistant (RDA), Surgical Dental Assistant
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Wages
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Vermont - 2023 |
Percentile1 | Hourly | Yearly |
10% |
$ 22.42 |
$46,630 |
25% |
$ 23.19 |
$48,240 |
Median |
$ 23.91 |
$49,730 |
75% |
$ 28.50 |
$59,280 |
90% |
$ 30.61 |
$63,670 |
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Average |
$ 25.90 |
$53,860 |
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More at CareerOneStop |
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Industries of Employment
United States - 2022 |
Industry | Percent of total |
- Ambulatory healthcare services
| 94% |
- Administrative and support services
| 2% |
- Educational services; state, local, and private
| 1% |
- Federal government, excluding postal service
| 1% |
| 1% |
More at BLS |
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Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about: |
- 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.
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- 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.
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- English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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- Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
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- Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
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Skills
People in this career often have these 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.
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- Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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- Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
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- Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
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- Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
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Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments: |
- Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
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- Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
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- Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
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What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler |
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Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need: |
- Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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- Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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- Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
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- Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
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- Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
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Tasks
On the job, you would: |
- Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.
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- Record treatment information in patient records.
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- Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies.
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- Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.
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- Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.
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More at O*NET |
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Related Occupations
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Career Video
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Projected Employment
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Vermont |
2022 employment |
622 |
2032 employment |
619 |
Annual percent change (compounded) |
-0.0% |
Annual projected job openings (due to change and separations) |
84 |
More at Occupational Projections |
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Education and Experience:
- Typical education needed for entry
Postsecondary nondegree award
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- Work experience in a related occupation
None
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- Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
None
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Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications |
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Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. |
- Physical activity is Important
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- Level of activity is Moderate
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Low | | High |
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Job Zone
Medium Preparation Needed |
- Specific Vocational Preparation Range
(6.0 to < 7.0) - A typical worker will require
over 1 year up to and including 2 years
of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
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Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP |
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Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have? |
Education level | | Percent of U.S. Workers |
Doctoral or professional degree or post-MA certificate | | 0% |
Master's degree or post-BA certificate | | 0% |
Bachelor's degree | | 0% |
Associate's degree | | 8% |
Certificate or some college, no degree | | 63% |
High school diploma or equivalent | | 29% |
Less than high school diploma | | 0% |
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Licensing
Vermont may require an occupational license: |
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Select a license for details |
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Abilities
People in this career often have talent in: |
- Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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- Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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- Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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- Speech Recognition
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
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- Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
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More at O*NET |
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Work Activities
In general, what you might do: |
- Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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- Assisting and Caring for Others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
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- Working with Computers
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
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- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
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More at O*NET |
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Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day: |
- Assist practitioners to perform medical procedures.
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- Prepare medical instruments or equipment for use.
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- Maintain medical records.
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- Inventory medical supplies or equipment.
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More at O*NET |
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Other Resources
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- CareerOneStop
resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
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- O*NET Online
nation's primary source of occupational information
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