The median annual wage of dental assistants was $33,470 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,680, and the top 10 percent earned more than $47,090.
Most dental assistants work full time. However, almost 2 in 5 assistants worked part time in 2010. Some work evenings or weekends, depending on the hours of operation at the office where they work.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition