Dental Assistant Salary in South Africa

Dental assistants are the helpers that help dentists in their clinical tasks. They are responsible for maintaining the file records of the patients, taking dental X-rays, ensuring infection control in the clinic, and also preparing patients for surgical and check-up procedures.

Occupation:	Dental Assistant
Monthly Salary Range:	R 10200 – R 32400
Average Monthly Salary:	R 21300
Description:	Dental assistants are the helpers and assistants of dentists who work with them and help them with multiple tasks in their clinic.
Minimum Qualification:	National Certificate In Dental Assisting

If you are interested in becoming a dental assistant in South Africa, you should know about the overview of the dental assistant salary. Well, the guide tells you everything about the overview of dental assistant’s salaries, their professional responsibilities, and the variability in the salaries based on professional experience.

Overview of Dental Assistant Salary

Dental assistants are the helpers of a dentist who are responsible for providing help to the dentist in his clinical tasks. There is an excellent scope of dental assistants in South Africa, and with our research, we have come to know that a person who is working as a dental assistant in the country earns approximately R 20,800 per month.

This is the average amount that can vary based on different factors like professional responsibilities, gender, and education. Moreover, the median salary of a dental assistant in South Africa is approximately R 19,400.

There are 50% of employees who are working as dental assistants and are earning more than this, and the other 50% of the employees are earning less than this amount. Let’s look at the differences in the values of salaries based on different factors below.

Salary Structure

Following are the details of the salary variability based on professional experience and education. The information might help you learn what you will get according to your skill, education, and experience. Let’s look at the variability due to professional experience.

Variability in Salaries Based on Professional Experience

Those dental assistants who have experience in this field for less than two years can earn approximately R 12,000. Whereas those who have an experience between 2 to 5 years can get an average of R 15,500 per month.

This is 29% more than those who have less than 2 years of experience. Furthermore, there are those employees with 5 to 10 years of experience.

They can earn approximately R 21,400 monthly, and some have 10 to 15 years of experience. They can expect their salary to be approximately R 26,500 per month. Moreover, those skilled and professional employees with more than 15 years of experience can make up an average of R 28,400 per month.

Variability in Salaries Based on Education

Those employees who are working as dental assistants with only a certificate or diploma can make up an average of R 17,100 per month. Alternatively, those with bachelor’s degrees can make up an average of R 26,200 per month. This becomes 53% more than those who have certificates or diplomas with them.

Responsibilities of Dental Assistants

Here is the list of the responsibilities that a dental assistant has to fulfill in his job. Pay attention so you can understand what you have to do to perform well in this role.

• Dental assistants are responsible for preparing the patients for their surgeries and dental procedures.
• They are also responsible for assisting the dentist in managing the emergencies.
• They help the doctors to control the clinic environment from infections. They are responsible for providing infection control simply by disinfecting the instruments, preparing the materials, and setting up the instrument trays.
• Dental assistants also record treatment information and prepare files of the patients.
• They also collect and record medical and dental histories of the patients to give doctors a brief overview of the patient’s health beforehand.
• Dental assistants also maintain dental equipment and dental supplies.
• Above all, dental assistants also have to inform the patients about their dental hygiene, plaque control, and oral healthcare.

FAQs

Is there any difference in the salaries of dental assistants based on education?

Yes, education plays an essential role in depicting salaries. Those with certificates or diplomas earn approximately R 17,100 per month. At the same time, those with bachelor’s degrees can make up an average of R 26,200 per month.

How much difference is present in the salaries of male and female dental assistants?

Male dental assistants earn approximately R 19,900 per month, whereas female dental assistants earn approximately R 21,500 per month. Female assistants earn comparatively more than males in the field. They make up somewhere around R 21,500, which is 8% more than the male dental assistant salary.

Is there any increment in the salaries of dental assistants working in South Africa?

Yes, dental assistants can expect a salary increment of approximately 10% every 18 months. This is the national average annual increment for all professions. Any dental assistant who is working for more than 18 months can earn 10% more than their salary after every 18 months.