Modeled career paths · Dentistry

Where does a Dental Assistant go next?

What employers are asking a Dental Assistant for, what they pay, and where people go next. From live postings and Startline’s modeled career map: what the ads say, never estimated.

Typical advancement
Dental Hygienist+98% typical comp change · ~3.0y typical
100% of modeled moves out of Dental Assistant go here
Needs an accredited hygiene programme and state licensure.
progression100% of modeled exits move upward from there
Management path
Dentist+298% typical comp change · ~6.0y typical
reachable via Dental Hygienist. 60% joint modeled share
Needs a DDS or DMD and state licensure.
leadership branch100% of modeled exits move upward from there
Career pivot
Licensed Clinical Social Worker+134% typical comp change · ~7.0y typical
reachable via Dental Hygienist. 20% joint modeled share
Needs an MSW, two years of supervised clinical hours and the clinical licensing exam.
pivot80% of modeled exits move upward from there
Pharmacist+207% typical comp change · ~7.0y typical
reachable via Dental Hygienist. 20% joint modeled share
Needs a PharmD and state licensure.
pivot91% of modeled exits move upward from there

What this page cannot know is which of these fit you. That is what the free list is for.