Home › Trades › Dental Assisting
Two ways in: pay for school (733 U.S. schools offer Dental Support Services and Allied Professions programs at certificate/associate level, median net price $11,621/yr) or get paid to train (87 registered apprenticeship programs in the federal database). Requirements vary sharply by state (some allow on-the-job entry, some require CODA-accredited programs + DANB exams for expanded functions); many programs are Pell-eligible.
Working dental assisting professionals earn a median of $47,930/yr nationally — state medians range from $37,760 (Utah) to $65,270 (Minnesota). Wage data: U.S. Dept of Labor via CareerOneStop.
State license required: California, New York, Michigan.
No state license: Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina — employers typically expect industry certification instead.
We've verified licensing rules for 10 states so far, each cited to the official board on its state page — more are being added. States not listed above may well require a license: always confirm with your state's licensing authority before enrolling.
Aid windows and sponsor application openings, for your state.
We may share your info with matched school and program partners so they can contact you about enrollment. Unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
About half of states run their own apprenticeship agencies (including NY, MN, OR, VT, WA, DC) and are under-reported in the federal database — a low count there does not mean apprenticeships don't exist in that state.