What Is the Highest Paying Dental Assistant Specialty?

Key Takeaways

• Some of the highest-paying dental assisting roles include oral surgery assisting, orthodontic assisting, endodontic assisting, and periodontal assisting.

• Specialization is important in dental assisting, as handling unique procedures across practice areas requires specific skills and distinct considerations for patient comfort and safety.

• Specialization leads to above-average pay compared to general assisting due to the advanced level of skill and experience necessary to support patients during more invasive and comprehensive procedures.

• Dental assistants can move into a higher-paying specialty by pursuing new opportunities in varying practices, shadowing other assistants to gain chairside experience, and pursuing specialty certifications.

Why Specialization Matters in Dental Assisting

Specialization is crucial, as many dental assisting procedures require particular skill sets with stricter considerations and higher stakes for patient safety and wellness. For example, routine exam room setup is very different from adjusting braces, which is very different from sterilization and surgical preparation. Certain specialties require extreme attention to advanced sterilization procedures, while others are valued for the high level of demand for skilled professionals.

Dental assistants have a much wider range of potential responsibilities than many realize, with so many areas of dentistry, ranging from orthodontics to endodontics. By specializing in specific areas, dental assistants can ensure they have the necessary skills and experience to handle the unique complexities of a given specialty beyond general dentistry and routine exams.

These unique specialties often offer higher compensation than general practice due to the unique complexities and demand. This guide highlights some of the highest-paying dental assistant specialties and the responsibilities associated with each of them to help you plan for a potential shift in specialty.

What Influences Pay for Dental Assistants

A dental assistant’s pay can vary widely depending on their role. On average, a dental assistant earns about $47,300 annually. The lowest 10 percent of earners earn below $36,190, while the highest paid 10% earn over $61,780, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The key factors that influence how much or how little a dental assistant may earn include:

• Level of clinical responsibility
• Required certifications or additional training
• Practice setting
• Geographic location and demand for services

Dental assistants with considerable experience or practicing in specialty areas generally earn more than others and enjoy a stronger career outlook. The ability to handle sensitive tasks and promote patient safety in a high-stakes environment is directly correlated with an increase in earnings.

Oral Surgery Assisting: Typically the Highest Paying Specialty

Oral surgery assistants provide support during procedures like tooth extractions and dental implants. Due to the invasive nature of oral surgery, dental assistants must be adept at patient safety and surgical procedures, justifying higher pay. Some of the key responsibilities of oral surgery assistants include preparing the operating room, sterilizing dental instruments, handing off tools to the dental surgeon, and retracting tissue during procedures.

Assistants in this area typically earn more because they play a valuable support role in high-stakes operations that include:

• A high regard for sterilization procedures
• The need for advanced technical assistance
• The need for sedation support and precision
• A necessary understanding of advanced tools and procedures

Dental assisting in oral surgery is a valued position due to the sensitivity and level of expertise needed in the role. From preparing and comforting the patients to ensuring a safe, sterile operating environment, oral surgery assisting is an important role that involves versatility and flexibility.

Orthodontic Assisting: High Demand with Competitive Pay

Orthodontic assisting involves assisting with braces, aligner trays, and orthodontic adjustments. These responsibilities can range from tightening braces to scanning a patient’s teeth to determine the necessary fit for developing aligners. Assistants work closely with the orthodontist to monitor and support treatment progress while ensuring patient comfort.

These roles often involve higher pay due to factors like:

• High patient volume and recurring visits
• Technical detail-oriented workflows
• The demand for professionals in high-volume practices
• The compassion and sensitivity needed for working with younger children and adolescents

Orthodontic care is in high demand, with a large percentage of adolescents and a growing percentage of adults needing braces or plastic aligners. This high demand means there is a strong demand for professionals with expertise to offer the necessary support.

Endodontic Assisting: Niche Specialty with Strong Earning Potential

Endodontic assisting involves treatments that support the inside of the tooth to protect natural teeth from decay and extraction, such as root canals. Dental assistants who support endodontic treatments help take X-rays, prepare operating rooms, and assist in handing off tools through four-handed dentistry during procedures.

Endodontic assisting requires familiarity with specialized tools and an understanding of the steps necessary in surgical treatments. These procedures are often complex and require careful attention to detail, demanding a niche level of expertise that results in higher pay potential.

Periodontal Assisting: Surgical Specialty with Steady Demand

With periodontal disease affecting over 40% of adults, periodontal assisting is one of the highest in-demand dental assistant specialties. Periodontal assisting involves supporting treatments like deep cleaning, root planing, and bone grafting. During periodontal treatments, dental assistants help by preparing specialty equipment, handing off tools, and consulting patients on post-operative procedures and ongoing care needs.

Because periodontal treatments involve both non-surgical and surgical procedures, dental assistants must be adept in a variety of clinical tasks. Not only should they have an understanding of the instruments and procedures involved in advanced dental treatments, but they must also be able to communicate with patients about coordinating ongoing care and deliver critical, empathetic education.

General vs. Specialty Dental Assisting

General dental assisting involves basic procedures such as exam room preparation, patient communication, and basic handoffs of supplies during routine cleanings and exams. Becoming a dental assistant who works in general practice is less intensive, usually requiring a high school diploma and on-the-job training or completion of a certification program.

Meanwhile, specialty assisting involves more intensive levels of assistance during advanced invasive procedures like surgeries and deep tissue cleanings. Becoming a specialized dental assistant requires advanced certifications or specific on-the-job training in that area. The more extensive expertise and demand for specialized experience result in a higher earning potential for specialized dental assistants.

The Differences Between General and Specialty Dental Assisting

	Scope of Procedures	Training Requirements	Pay Differences
General Dental Assisting	General tasks like exam room preparation for routine exams and cleanings	On-the-job training or a certificate program and licensing exam, depending on the state	Typically lower pay ranges, between the lower 10th percentile of $36,190 and the average of $47,300
Specialty Dental Assisting	More invasive, involving surgical procedures and deep cleanings for patients with more significant treatment needs	General assisting credentials plus advanced training requirements, such as specialized clinical experience, certifications, or state licensing	Often higher pay potential, between the average of $47,300 and the upper end of the scale at $61,780

How to Move Into a Higher-Paying Specialty

Generally, the best route for moving into a higher-paying specialty is to begin in general practice and transition into a specialized field through on-the-job training or receiving advanced credentials. Some potential considerations for advancing into a higher-paying specialty include:

• Gaining chairside experience
• Pursuing on-the-job training, certifications, and advanced credentials
• Shadowing or transferring positions within a specialty practice
• Building familiarity with tools and procedures specific to a particular specialty

Moving into a higher-paying specialty requires a commitment to professional development and growth. However, once you decide what specialty you would like to pursue, there are several avenues you can take to gain the necessary skills and experience.

Choosing the Specialty That Fits Your Career Goals

Dental assisting is much more dynamic than many realize, with several specialties that require unique skills while also offering a wide range of earning potential. Professionals can look for opportunities in varying practices and shadow others in the field to gain new skills and learn new dental assistant specialties.

Dental assistants can expand their earning potential and advance their careers by picking up shifts with Toothio, an easy-to-use platform for connecting seasoned dental professionals with open opportunities in reputable practices. Pick up work across various practices and specialty areas to find the best fit for your preferred specialization and build upon your experience in high-demand settings, all while working at your preferred schedule and pay rates.

Sign up with Toothio today to start exploring shifts in your area.