Dental Assistants

O*NET-SOC code: 31-9091.00

Perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and providing patients with instructions for oral healthcare procedures. May perform administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes.

Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Low· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery high
Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
Source dataset (XLSX download)
Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
Source dataset (CSV download)
Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.15–0.16· 2 ISCO-08 groups
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
Source dataset (PDF download)

What kind of figure this source publishes

The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.

ILO value for each linked ISCO-08 group

ISCO-08 3251Dental Assistants and Therapists0.16
ISCO-08 5329Personal Care Workers in Health Services Not Elsewhere Classified0.15

Task-level exposure

Exposed tasks only

16 rated tasks · 6 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (37.5%)

β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.

Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.

Source: OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
Release: gh-main-0471612
License: MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI

Task (O*NET 20.1)	Claude.aiRaw / share %
Schedule appointments, prepare bills and receive payment for dental services, complete insurance forms, and maintain records, manually or using computer. 31-9091.00	0.003157.1
Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist. 31-9091.00	0.002342.9
Not observed on any surface — 14 task(s) — These tasks have no row in the source for this release. The 0 in the share row is a display-stage composition ratio; absence is what the — in the raw row states.
Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.	—0
Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.	—0
Record treatment information in patient records.	—0
Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.	—0
Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies.	—0
Pour, trim, and polish study casts.	—0
Instruct patients in oral hygiene and plaque control programs.	—0
Make preliminary impressions for study casts and occlusal registrations for mounting study casts.	—0
Clean and polish removable appliances.	—0
Fabricate temporary restorations or custom impressions from preliminary impressions.	—0
Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.	—0
Clean teeth, using dental instruments.	—0
Apply protective coating of fluoride to teeth.	—0
Fabricate and fit orthodontic appliances and materials for patients, such as retainers, wires, or bands.	—0

Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.

Task (O*NET 27.2)	βE1 + 0.5 × E2
Record treatment information in patient records. O*NET Task ID 552	1.0
Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist. O*NET Task ID 554	1.0
Expose dental diagnostic x-rays. O*NET Task ID 551	0.5
Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients. O*NET Task ID 553	0.5
Schedule appointments, prepare bills and receive payment for dental services, complete insurance forms, and maintain records, manually or using computer. O*NET Task ID 563	0.5
Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory. O*NET Task ID 18552	0.5
Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures. O*NET Task ID 550	0.0
Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies. O*NET Task ID 555	0.0
Pour, trim, and polish study casts. O*NET Task ID 556	0.0
Instruct patients in oral hygiene and plaque control programs. O*NET Task ID 557	0.0
Make preliminary impressions for study casts and occlusal registrations for mounting study casts. O*NET Task ID 558	0.0
Clean and polish removable appliances. O*NET Task ID 559	0.0
Clean teeth, using dental instruments. O*NET Task ID 560	0.0
Apply protective coating of fluoride to teeth. O*NET Task ID 561	0.0
Fabricate temporary restorations or custom impressions from preliminary impressions. O*NET Task ID 562	0.0
Fabricate and fit orthodontic appliances and materials for patients, such as retainers, wires, or bands. O*NET Task ID 18553	0.0

β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.

Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page

All O*NET 31.0 task statements (16)

All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.

Task (O*NET 31.0)	Type
Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.	Core
Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.	Core
Record treatment information in patient records.	Core
Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.	Core
Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist.	Core
Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies.	Core
Pour, trim, and polish study casts.	Core
Instruct patients in oral hygiene and plaque control programs.	Core
Make preliminary impressions for study casts and occlusal registrations for mounting study casts.	Core
Clean and polish removable appliances.	Core
Apply protective coating of fluoride to teeth.	Core
Fabricate temporary restorations or custom impressions from preliminary impressions.	Core
Schedule appointments, prepare bills and receive payment for dental services, complete insurance forms, and maintain records, manually or using computer.	Core
Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.	Core
Clean teeth, using dental instruments.	Supplemental
Fabricate and fit orthodontic appliances and materials for patients, such as retainers, wires, or bands.	Supplemental

Anthropic, "What work can robots do?"2026-09

0.10/ 3· Robot exposure index

0 none3 unstructured settings

Scale, basis and source

Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time

Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks

Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.

Source dataset

The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.

Tier of each physical task

Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)

E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site

Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.

Task (O*NET 29.3)	Robot environment tier
Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.	E0 none
Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.	E0 none
Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.	E1 purpose-built robot settings
Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies.	E0 none
Pour, trim, and polish study casts.	E1 purpose-built robot settings
Make preliminary impressions for study casts and occlusal registrations for mounting study casts.	E0 none
Clean and polish removable appliances.	E1 purpose-built robot settings
Apply protective coating of fluoride to teeth.	E0 none
Fabricate temporary restorations or custom impressions from preliminary impressions.	E1 purpose-built robot settings
Clean teeth, using dental instruments.	E0 none
Fabricate and fit orthodontic appliances and materials for patients, such as retainers, wires, or bands.	E0 none

Employment outlook (BLS)

Employment, 2025: 389K
Projected employment, 2035: 417K
Change (2025–35): +7.4%
Median annual wage, 2025: $48,070
Typical education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award

lowest $30,890median wage across 825 detailed occupations, BLS EP 2025–35highest $559,030

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — Employment by detailed occupation, 2025 and projected 2035

Korea classification links (KSCO)

Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.

KSCO code	KSCO title	Relation	Status
24950	간호조무사	Related, not a match	confirmed

Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)

ILO occupational description

AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.

ISCO-08 3251Dental Assistants and Therapists
ISCO-08 5329Personal Care Workers in Health Services Not Elsewhere Classified

Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits

ESCO occupational vocabulary

Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.

dental chairside assistantESCO 3251.1Same scope
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.
dental hygienistESCO 3251.2Overlapping, not the same
Dental hygienists work in cleaning and polishing teeth, supra- and sub-gingival scaling of the teeth, application of prophylactic materials to the teeth, collecting data, administering comprehensive advice on oral hygiene and the care of the mouth, according to patients` needs under the supervision of dental practitioners following her/his directions.

Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)

License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)

View original

ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.

France classification links (ROME)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.

ROME code	ROME title (French)	Relation
J1312	Assistant / Assistante dentaire	Same scopeprovisional

Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.

ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)

Spain classification links (CNO-11)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

CNO-11 code	CNO-11 title (Spanish)	Relation
5629	Trabajadores de los cuidados a las personas en servicios de salud no clasificados bajo otros epígrafes	This occupation is narrowerprovisional
3321	Técnicos superiores en higiene bucodental	Related, not a matchprovisional

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)

Germany classification links (KldB)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

KldB code	KldB title (German)	Relation
81112	Zahnmedizinische Fachangestellte - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten	Same scope
81113	Zahnmedizinische Fachangestellte - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten	Related, not a match

Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)

Japan classification links (JSCO)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

JSCO code	JSCO title (Japanese)	Relation
372	歯科助手	Same scopeprovisional
146	歯科衛生士	Related, not a matchprovisional

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)

Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources