Here are 10 statistics and trends showing how the dental assistant workforce is evolving:
1. Dentalpost reported that dental assistants are the likeliest dental professionals to be seeking new opportunities, with 47% considering changing jobs within the next two years.
2. Sixteen percent of dental assistants plan to retire within the next five years.
3. Seventy-four percent of dental assistants work at general dentistry practices.
4. Ninety-five percent of dental assistants are female.
5. Seventy-one percent of dental assistants work in private practice.
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.
8. States are considering various program updates and legislative changes to address ongoing dental assistant shortages and accessibility issues. Virginia enacted a bill earlier this year allowing a dental assistant with 1,800 hours of clinical experience and additional training to perform supragingival scaling with hand and ultrasonic scalers and coronal polishing under dentist supervision. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development also launched the state’s first dental assistant registered apprenticeship program.
9. California has the highest employment of dental assistants, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
10. There were 370,690 active dental assistants in the U.S. in 2023, an increase of 102,850 assistants since 2001, according to the latest data from the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute.
At the Becker's 5th Annual Future of Dentistry Roundtable, taking place November 12–14 in Chicago, dental leaders and executives will gain insights into emerging technologies, practice growth strategies and the evolving landscape of dental care delivery, with a focus on innovation, patient experience and operational excellence. Apply for complimentary registration now.
