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Dental chairside assistant

Also called dental assistant, orthodontic nurse, trainee dental nurse

Dental chairside assistants support dental practitioners in clinical treatments, as preparation and helping in practical execution and follow-up, and administrative tasks under supervision and following the orders of the dental practitioner.

Will there be jobs?Yes, good prospects41 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Health associate professionalsWhat does it pay?About averageFrom about €1,500 (Bulgaria) to €8,200 (Luxembourg) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Health associate professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually post-secondary or a short degree4 in 10 have a degree.Health associate professionalsWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Dental assistants and therapists · ILO

What you'd do

Dental assistants and therapists · ILO
  • Advising communities and individuals on dental hygiene, diet and other preventive measures to reduce potential risks to oral health
  • Conducting visual and physical examinations of patients' mouths, teeth and related structures to assess oral health status
  • Identifying cases of patients with poor oral health or oral disease requiring referral to a dentist or other health professional
  • Assisting dentists during complex dental procedures
  • Providing fluoride treatments, cleaning and removing deposits from teeth, preparing cavities and placing fillings, administering local anaesthesia, and performing other types of basic or routine clinical dental procedures
  • Preparing, cleaning and sterilizing dental instruments, equipment and materials used in the examination and treatment of patients
  • Getting patients ready for examination or treatment including explaining procedures and correct positioning
  • Taking impressions of the mouth and dental radiographs to support diagnosis and fitting of dental prosthetics
Empathise with the healthcare userCommunicate in healthcareComply with legislation related to health careEnsure safety of healthcare usersWork in multidisciplinary health teams+ 31 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Usually under 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines now and then
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Dental Assistants"

Will there be jobs?

Yes, good prospects

Many jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as health associate professionals in the EU
6.04m6.64m7.71m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
921,000 new jobs 1,847,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Health associate professionals41
All jobs29
Right now
8 of 27 countries report a shortage of dental assistants and therapists, 2 a surplus.
Dental assistants and therapists · EURES

What does it pay?

About average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,500 a month (Bulgaria) to €8,200 (Luxembourg), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among technicians and associate professionals in the EU, women earn 16% less per hour than men. Technicians and associate professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually post-secondary or a short degree

Post-secondary training or a short degree is the usual route.

Highest qualification of health associate professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 37%Vocational 49%General secondary 6%Basic schooling 8%

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.16 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 8 tasks
Advising communities and individuals on dental hygiene, diet and other preventive measures to reduce potential risks to oral health0.38
Identifying cases of patients with poor oral health or oral disease requiring referral to a dentist or other health professional0.21
Getting patients ready for examination or treatment including explaining procedures and correct positioning0.17
Preparing, cleaning and sterilizing dental instruments, equipment and materials used in the examination and treatment of patients0.15
Taking impressions of the mouth and dental radiographs to support diagnosis and fitting of dental prosthetics0.14
Assisting dentists during complex dental procedures0.10
Conducting visual and physical examinations of patients' mouths, teeth and related structures to assess oral health status0.10
Providing fluoride treatments, cleaning and removing deposits from teeth, preparing cavities and placing fillings, administering local anaesthesia, and performing other types of basic or routine clinical dental procedures0.08

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for dental assistants and therapists. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).