We surveyed 5,190 dental assistants to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical dental assistant. Here are the results.
How much intelligence is required as a dental assistant?
Low
High
Working as a dental assistant typically doesn’t require the use of high levels of intelligence in daily tasks.
Can I learn to become a dental assistant?
Intrinsic Talent
Acquired Talent
A career as a dental assistant typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.
Is it easy to get a job as a dental assistant?
Easy
Hard
It’s typically difficult to find a job as a dental assistant. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for dental assistants.
Do dental assistants work full-time or part-time?
72% of dental assistants work in full-time roles while 28% work part-time.
Is being a dental assistant stressful?
Low
High
Stress is not uncommon amongst dental assistants, with daily work sometimes being quite demanding.
Is being organized important as a dental assistant?
Low
High
Organization is considered a very important trait for dental assistants, and is critical to success in the field.
How competitive is the workplace for dental assistants?
Low
High
Competition at work is not common for dental assistants.
Does being a dental assistant require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?
Low
High
Dental assistants will see frequent time pressure on the job, likely contributing to an occasionally stressful work environment.
Are dental assistants allowed to express themselves creatively?
Low
High
Dental assistants rarely get a chance to express themselves creatively.
Do dental assistants have control over the direction of their work?
Low
High
Dental assistants tend to have a set and inflexible work schedule that they are unable to deviate from too much.
Is being a dental assistant physically demanding?
Low
High
Being a dental assistant may occasionally require demanding physical activity, which may make it not a suitable career choice for everyone.
Are dental assistants exposed to a wide variety of work?
Low
High
The workload of a dental assistant changes frequently, with their day-to-day rarely being the same.
Does being a dental assistant require attention to detail?
Low
High
As in many careers, attention to detail is quite helpful for dental assistants.
Does being a good dental assistant require compassion and empathy?
Low
High
Strong compassion and empathy are critical to success as a dental assistant.