I have been a Dental Assistant for 13 years now. I gained a TAFE qualification and pretty much got offered a job right away. The job has good and bad sides. I work for the government so I get a load of benefits and shorter working hours. In private practice expect to work long hours. It all depends on the kind of practice you work at and more importantly the dentist/dentists you work with. Dentists can be a funny bunch and hard to work with/for, that’s what I find the most frustrating. Expect to earn anywhere between $40,000 to $60,000 if you are really good and have many years experience. Some days I feel like all I am is a glorified cleaner and general dogsbody. There is a huge amount of cleaning and sterilising involved, so not really all that glamourous. I wouldn’t work in private practice again and if I did, it would be doing reception or practice management. At least with my current job I can take a day off sick and not get told off or made to feel bad. Also physically the job takes a toll (hands and back) due to holding the suction and leaning over a lot. It is a stable job as there is a skills shortage for Dental Assistants.
