Dental Assistant job outlook

Wondering what the future has in store for Dental Assistants?

Dental Assisting is a popular career choice, and for good reason – every dental practice needs a Dental Assistant, and people will always need dental care. But will the demand for Dental Assistants change in the years to come? Is it going to continue to be a secure job with plenty of opportunities?

Luckily, we’ve done some research on the Dental Assistant job outlook to give you a better idea of what you can expect in the future. 

What does a Dental Assistant do? 

If you’re only just beginning to consider a career as a Dental Assistant, you may still be wondering to yourself, ‘What does a Dental Assistant do?’ Here’s a brief overview.

Dental Assistants play a critical role in the function of the dental practice, taking on a variety of vital day-to-day tasks. You’ll often be the first contact for patients, as your duties will include administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, providing customer service and taking payments.

During a patient’s appointment, you’ll assist the dentist through checkups, cleans and procedures. This can involve managing technical equipment such as digital imaging machines. You’ll also need to help prepare the surgery for dental procedures and be on-hand to provide the dentist with the tools they need to do their job.

In addition, you may be responsible for hygiene and infection protocols, ensuring the work environment is kept clean and sterile to an acceptable standard.

It’s a very broad role and requires a focused mind. During training, you’ll be equipped with the basic skills you need, but firsthand experience is invaluable for career development.

What is a typical week for a Dental Assistant? 

If you think you might like to become a Dental Assistant, but the question ‘what does a Dental Assistant do?’ still feels unanswered, let’s go into a little more realistic detail to help you make that decision. 

For most Dental Assistants, your day will start with preparing the practice to accept patients. You’ll open the practice, prepare administration equipment, and ensure the waiting room is in order.

Inside the dental rooms, you’ll prepare dental instruments and materials for the procedures scheduled for that day. You may be required to perform some routine maintenance on dental equipment and ensure everything is in working order.

You’ll also be helping to manage client relationships, which means checking emails, billing, calling patients and rescheduling appointments. Following appointments, you may need to advise patients on proper aftercare.

The nature of the work means it’s crucial to maintain a sterile environment, so cleaning throughout each day will be involved as well. 

Employment outlook for Dental Assistants in Australia 

Dental Assisting is a job that will almost always have a place in society – for the foreseeable future, at least. But things change based on community needs and changing population levels. Thankfully, it’s someone’s job to crunch a lot of numbers and predict the employment outlook for Dental Assistants in Australia. Let’s find out below.

Is it easy to get a job as a Dental Assistant? 

A career as a Dental Assistant is an excellent choice if you’re looking for solid opportunities. Over the past ten years, the number of roles available for Dental Assistants has grown by 6.1%.

Between now and November 2026, expectations point towards moderate growth for Dental Assistant jobs. The Dental Assistant job outlook is relatively steady over the long term, making training as a Dental Assistant a safe option for securing future employment.

Are Dental Assistants in demand? 

With around 35,100 people employed as Dental Assistants around Australia as of 2023, you’ll have plenty of company. It’s a fairly large industry with steady growth projections far into the future. 

But the Dental Assistant job demand continues to increase. While the population grows and disposable income along with it, people are going to be more willing and able to visit the dentist and pay for necessary procedures. Additionally, increased disposable income may also lead to a higher propensity for cosmetic procedures, which is great news for dentists and their assistants.

By 2026, it’s expected there’ll be around 38,100 Dental Assistants in Australia.

Average Dental Assistant salary

We’ve established that there’s a stable demand for Dental Assistants, but how much do Dental Assistants make? The Dental Assistant salary is an attractive aspect of the role, when compared with others of similar qualification requirements.

Working full-time, the average Dental Assistant earns $1,102 per week. But this varies greatly based on several factors. The more qualified you are, the more likely you are to attract a higher salary, for example. Other factors such as whether the practice is a franchise or not, and where it is located, will also have an impact on your ability to negotiate a higher wage. By improving your qualifications, emphasising your value and choosing carefully where you work, you can easily earn above the average rate.  

What skills do you need? 

There are several basic skills that you’ll need to pick up outside of your course to become a Dental Assistant and do your job well.

Interpersonal skills, listening, strong organisation, attention to detail and excellent communication are listed as the top five skills that Dental Assistants need to achieve success in their roles. These are skills that generally can’t be taught in a textbook, so life experience and a caring personality will carry you most of the way there.

Of course, you’ll also need coordination, technical skills and dexterity, but most of these skills can be learned and honed throughout your career as a Dental Assistant.

Do you think that becoming a Dental Assistant is the right career choice for you? Get in touch with us to have a chat about your options. We’ll help you plan out your career path and get you where you want to be. Call Foundation Education today on 1300 616 197. 

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