Explore Jobs
Find Specific Jobs
Explore Careers
Explore Professions
Best Companies
Explore Companies
What is an associate dentist and how to become one
An associate dentist is an individual who works at a dental practice but is not the owner or principal dentist. They provide dental care to patients, including cleanings, fillings, extractions, and other procedures. Associate dentists are also responsible for managing patient records, ordering supplies, and communicating with other members of the dental team. Associate dentists must hold a degree from an accredited dental school and have a valid license to practice dentistry in their state.
What general advice would you give to an Associate Dentist?
Marc Hayashi DMD, MBA, FACD, FICD
Associate Clinical Professor, University of California - Los Angeles
Avg. Salary $148,530
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 6%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.22%
Asian 26.75%
Black or African American 2.58%
Hispanic or Latino 7.43%
Unknown 3.11%
White 59.91%
Genderfemale 48.30%
male 51.70%
Age - 45American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 45Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being an Associate Dentist?
Pros
Potential for high earnings through production-based compensation
Ability to focus on clinical work without the added responsibilities of running a practice
Opportunity to learn from experienced dentists and specialists
Potential for mentorship and professional development opportunities
Potential for professional growth and advancement within the practice
Cons
May feel like an employee rather than a business owner
Limited autonomy in clinical decision making
Potential for conflicts with senior dentists or management
May have difficulty building a personal brand or reputation
May have to deal with challenging patients or cases
Associate Dentist career paths
Key steps to become an associate dentist
Explore associate dentist education requirements
Start to develop specific associate dentist skills
Skills 
Percentages Patients 58.02% DDS 13.78% Oral Health 7.90% Aspen 4.27% Dental Services 3.86% Research associate dentist duties and responsibilities
- Provide and manage direct patient care, including examinations, evaluations, diagnosis and treatment for practice's diverse patient population.
- Perform quality patient care in a busy Medicaid and insurance practice including root canals, crowns, dentures, and extractions
- Diagnose and provide treatment for mostly Medicaid patients.
- Use Dentrix and Dexis software on a daily basis.
Prepare your associate dentist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your associate dentist resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an associate dentist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Associate Dentist Resume templates
Build a professional Associate Dentist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Associate Dentist resume.
Apply for associate dentist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an associate dentist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Associate Dentist Job
Are you an Associate Dentist?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average associate dentist salary
The average Associate Dentist salary in the United States is $148,530 per year or $71 per hour. Associate dentist salaries range between $99,000 and $221,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do associate dentists rate their job?
Updated January 8, 2025
