Seventy-one percent of dental assistants currently work in private practice, according to Dentalpost’s 2026 Dental Salary Survey Report.
Dentalpost’s annual report highlights various industry trends, including workforce, salary and practice management. Dentalpost surveyed nearly 3,575 dental professionals to create this year’s report. The survey was conducted from Aug. 29 until Sept. 30, 2025.
Dentalpost surveyed 173 dental assistants for the report.
Here are seven notes from the report showing what the dental assistant workforce looks like in 2026:
1. Seventy-four percent of dental assistants work at general dentistry practices.
2. Ninety-five percent of dental assistants are female.
3. Seventy-one percent of dental assistants work in private practice.
4. Seventeen percent of dental assistants work for corporate offices.
5. Thirty-four percent of dental assistants work for practices with a mixed-model financial structure, while 28% work for a PPO-based office.
6. Twenty-eight percent of dental assistants said they were in the early stages of their careers, while 30% describe their career stage as late.
7. Eighty-seven percent of dental assistants work full time.
