Dental assistant jobs at Diamond Braces are chairside roles in orthodontic offices across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, and many are open to people with no previous dental experience. This guide covers what the work involves, what the job pays nationally, how long it takes to qualify, and where our offices actually are.
Table of contents
- Open dental assistant jobs near you
- What does a dental assistant do?
- Dental assistant salary: what you can actually expect
- How to become a dental assistant
- Skills we look for in a dental assistant
- Career paths for dental assistants
- Working as a dental assistant at Diamond Braces
- How to apply: the hiring process
- Frequently asked questions
Open dental assistant jobs near you
Openings change week to week, so the live list is the place to start. Every posting shows the office, the schedule type and the pay range for that specific role.
View all open dental assistant positions →
Diamond Braces runs 65+ locations across four states. Here is where they are.
| State | Open offices | Where they are |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 48 | Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Yonkers, Long Island, Spring Valley |
| New Jersey | 14 | Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Morris, Middlesex, Monmouth and Camden county areas |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | Philadelphia's northern and western suburbs |
| Connecticut | 1 | Stamford |
| Total | 68 |
Dental assistant jobs in New York
Forty-eight of our 68 offices are in New York. That includes the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island and Yonkers, six offices across Queens in Astoria, Forest Hills, Jackson Heights, Jamaica, Rego Park and Springfield Gardens, plus Long Island locations in Bethpage, Garden City Park and Lake Ronkonkoma.
The density matters when you are picking a job. In most boroughs there is more than one office within a reasonable commute, so you have options on the subway map instead of one. You can see the full list on our offices across New York page.
Dental assistant jobs in New Jersey
We have 14 offices in New Jersey, starting with Hackensack, where Diamond Braces opened its first practice in 2000. The rest run from Clifton, Englewood, Fair Lawn and North Bergen in the north down through Morristown, Denville, Linden, South Plainfield and Old Bridge to Cinnaminson, Berlin Township, Wall Township and West Long Branch.
One thing to know before you apply here: taking dental x-rays in New Jersey requires a separate credential. According to the Dental Assisting National Board and the state board, New Jersey licenses dental radiologic technologists through the New Jersey Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners, and the route generally involves a state-approved radiography course plus DANB certification. Confirm the current requirements with the board before you enrol in anything. Our New Jersey offices page lists every location.
Dental assistant jobs in Pennsylvania and Connecticut
Being straight with you saves you an application. Pennsylvania has five Diamond Braces offices, all in the suburban ring around Philadelphia: Blue Bell, Conshohocken, Dresher, Flourtown and Warrington. If you are in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg or Erie, we are not near you.
Connecticut is one office, in Stamford. That is the whole footprint in the state today.
You can check both on our Pennsylvania offices page and our Stamford office page.
Part-time and flexible dental assistant jobs
Most dental assistants work full time, though some work evenings or weekends, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Part-time schedules exist across the field, but they are not universal, and they vary by office.
There is also PRN and temporary work. A PRN assistant covers absences, busy stretches and short-term vacancies rather than working a fixed schedule. It suits people who want flexibility, or who want to see how a few different practices run before committing. Some offices use temporary roles as a trial run before making a permanent offer.
Because schedule type is set per position, the honest answer on flexibility lives in the posting itself. Check the schedule on the listing, and ask about hours in the screening call.
Dental assistant jobs with no experience
You can get hired as a dental assistant without previous dental experience, and it is a normal route into the job rather than a loophole. As the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts it, in many states "there are no formal educational requirements, and dental assistants learn through on-the-job training." BLS lists both prior work experience and pre-hire training as not typically required to enter the occupation.
What that training covers is specific. New assistants learn dental terminology, the names of the instruments, how the daily workflow runs and how to work with patients, usually taught by an experienced assistant, a hygienist or the doctor.
Several backgrounds transfer better than people expect:
- Retail teaches you to keep a queue moving and stay pleasant while doing it.
- Food service builds speed, hygiene discipline and steadiness under a rush.
- Customer service is most of the job on the days when patients arrive nervous.
- CNA work already covers patient contact, privacy and infection control.
- Medical assisting transfers almost directly, minus the dental-specific procedures.
When you read an entry-level listing, look at three things: whether it asks for a high school diploma or GED, what availability it expects, and whether it requires an x-ray credential up front or you can add it later.
Browse entry-level openings → or read our guide to starting without experience.
What does a dental assistant do?
A dental assistant supports the dentist or orthodontist chairside: preparing patients and instruments, sterilizing equipment, taking and processing x-rays, and keeping records and schedules on track. The work splits into three areas: clinical support, radiographic imaging and administrative tasks. Each state regulates exactly which duties an assistant can perform.
Clinical work is the bulk of the day. Radiographic work is a specialty within the role that often needs its own credential. Administrative work is the part most people do not picture, and it is real: records, scheduling and billing all pass through the assistant. The mix shifts by office and by state, because, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes, each state regulates the scope of practice for dental assistants.
Dental assistant job description and responsibilities
The Bureau of Labor Statistics groups the work into a fairly stable set of duties. Here is what that looks like sorted the way an assistant actually experiences the day.
Clinical support
- Get the patient comfortable and settled in the chair
- Prepare the treatment room and lay out instruments before the doctor arrives
- Sterilize instruments and follow infection control protocols
- Pass instruments and hold equipment such as suction during the procedure
- Talk patients through oral hygiene after treatment
Radiographic imaging
- Place the protective apron, position the machine and the sensor, and take the x-rays
- Check that images are clear before the doctor reads them
- Prepare impression materials and complete lab tasks under the doctor's direction
Administrative
- Keep records of treatments performed
- Schedule appointments and follow-ups
- Work with patients on billing and payment
In an orthodontic office the clinical half of that list skews specific. You will prepare for bracket bonding, assist during wire changes, run digital scans for Invisalign cases, and support retainer fittings. Diamond Braces uses iTero digital scans rather than physical impressions, so scanning is a routine part of the job rather than an occasional one.
What you are allowed to do without extra credentials depends on where you work. See state requirements below, and our full list of duties for a deeper breakdown.
A day in the life in an orthodontic office
The shift starts before the first patient. Instruments come out of the sterilizer, operatories get set up, and the day's schedule gets a quick read so you know what is coming.
Midday is usually the densest block. Bonding appointments need the most preparation and wire changes stack up, so this is the part of the day where knowing the tray by heart pays off. Afternoons lean digital: scans for Invisalign cases, tray fittings, retainer checks and the conversations that go with them.
The last stretch is turnover. Rooms get broken down and sterilized, records get closed out, and tomorrow's schedule gets set up so the next morning starts clean.
Dental assistant vs. orthodontic assistant
The two titles overlap, but the day looks different. A general dental assistant supports a wide range of procedures. An orthodontic assistant specializes in the appliance work: brackets, wires, scans and aligners.
| Dental assistant | Orthodontic assistant | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical setting | General or family dental practice | Orthodontic specialty practice |
| Day-to-day procedures | Broad mix of restorative and preventive support | Bonding prep, wire changes, scans, retainer fittings |
| Patients you see most | All ages, one-off and recurring visits | Long treatment courses, many teens and adults |
| Extra training often expected | X-ray credential where the state requires it | X-ray credential plus orthodontic-specific training |
| Where to look here | Dental assistant openings | Orthodontic assistant openings |
About 90% of dental assistants work in offices of dentists, per BLS, so specialty roles are a smaller slice of the field. Specialty positions often ask for additional training on top of the base role. If the orthodontic side sounds like the better fit, read what orthodontic assistants do before you apply.
Dental assistant salary: what you can actually expect
The median wage for dental assistants was $47,300 a year, or $22.74 an hour, in May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The range around that median is what matters when you are comparing offers. The lowest 10% of dental assistants earned under $36,190 a year, which works out to about $17.40 an hour. The highest 10% earned more than $61,780, or roughly $29.70 an hour.
That national figure is the middle of the whole country. The New York metro area generally runs above it because the cost of living does too, and you can look up the current figure for your own state directly from BLS. Be careful with the averages you see on job boards: those numbers are self-reported by users and routinely contradict each other for the same employer in the same city.
What moves your pay in this field
Five things are largely in your control. Prior experience is the obvious one. A DANB certification is next, followed by the radiography credential your state requires, since a role that includes x-rays is worth more than one that does not. Broad availability, including evenings or Saturdays, opens more positions. And in this metro area, being fluent in both English and Spanish is a genuine advantage rather than a nice-to-have.
Some things are not in your control: the state you work in, the type of practice, and the size of the employer.
For the number attached to a specific job, read the listing. Each posting carries its own pay range for that role and that office, which is more useful to you than any average.
Dental assistant salary vs. dental hygienist salary
Here is the honest comparison, because you are probably weighing the two. Dental assistants earned a median of $47,300 in May 2024. Dental hygienists earned $94,260 in the same period, per BLS. That is close to double.
The trade-off is the entry. Assisting is typically entered with a postsecondary nondegree award or on-the-job training. Hygiene requires an associate's degree, which means two years and tuition before your first paycheck in the role.
That is why a lot of people start as assistants. It is the fastest legitimate route into a healthcare paycheck, and chairside years are a common stepping stone toward hygiene later. To compare the two paths in more detail, see assistant versus hygienist and our current dental hygienist roles.
How to become a dental assistant
There are several routes in, and not all of them go through school. Which one is available to you depends on your state.
The three main paths are on-the-job training, a certificate or diploma program, and an associate degree. As BLS puts it, some states require assistants to graduate from an accredited program and pass an exam, while in other states there are no formal educational requirements at all.
How long does it take to become a dental assistant?
It takes anywhere from a few weeks to about two years, depending on which route you take and what your state requires.
| Path | Typical length | What it leads to |
|---|---|---|
| On-the-job training | Weeks to months | Entry-level duties where the state allows it |
| Accelerated certificate program | As little as 10 weeks | A certificate, but verify accreditation first |
| Certificate or diploma program | About 1 year | A certificate or diploma, plus certification eligibility |
| Associate degree | About 2 years | An associate's degree; a less common route |
Those timelines come from BLS, which notes that many dental assisting programs take about a year and lead to a certificate or diploma, while two-year programs are less common.
Accelerated programs are advertised at eight or ten weeks and some are legitimate. Before you pay for one, confirm it is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, because an unaccredited program can leave you ineligible for the certification you were trying to earn.
How to choose a dental assisting program
Accreditation status and program offerings change, so use the current accredited-program directory rather than a fixed list, then screen what you find against five things:
- CODA accreditation. Confirm it with the accrediting body, not with the school's marketing page.
- A real externship. Ask how many clinical hours are included and where students are placed.
- Class size. Chairside skills are learned by doing, and that gets harder in a large cohort.
- Certification pass rate. Ask for the number. A program that will not share it has told you something.
- Placement support. Ask what happens after graduation and who they place with.
One more consideration: in states where an accredited program is not required to start working, paying tuition is a choice rather than a prerequisite. That changes the math. Our breakdown of tuition and certification costs goes through the numbers.
Certification: CDA, NELDA and radiography
The Certified Dental Assistant credential from the Dental Assisting National Board is the recognized standard, and it is what most states that require certification will accept.
If you are earlier in the process, the National Entry Level Dental Assistant certificate has lighter prerequisites and works as a first step. Separately, DANB administers component exams that states often require on their own: Radiation Health and Safety for x-rays, and Infection Control.
There are two main routes to CDA eligibility. Per BLS, applicants must either have graduated from an accredited program, or hold a high school diploma and complete the required amount of work experience. Either way, you also need current CPR certification.
Requirements change, so check the current versions with DANB and CareerOneStop before you register for anything. If you are aiming at the orthodontic side specifically, we cover orthodontic assistant certification separately.
State requirements in NY, NJ, PA and CT
Start with the general rule. According to BLS, "states typically do not require licenses for entry-level dental assistants," but many states do require assistants to be licensed, registered or certified for specific functions such as radiography, infection control or expanded duties. BLS directs candidates to contact their state's Board of Dental Examiners for specifics.
New York. Entry-level assisting generally does not require a license. For radiography, the reported requirement is a course approved by the New York State Education Department plus DANB's Radiation Health and Safety exam. Verify the current rule with the State Education Department's Office of the Professions.
New Jersey. Taking x-rays requires licensure as a dental radiologic technologist through the New Jersey Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners, generally by way of a state-approved radiography course and DANB certification. Verify with the board.
Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania recognizes a formal Expanded Function Dental Assistant category with its own requirements. DANB maintains a current summary on its Pennsylvania state requirements page.
Connecticut. To perform expanded functions in Connecticut, an assistant must hold EFDA status. Since 1 July 2018, that requires passing DANB's Infection Control exam or completing an equivalent competency assessment from a CODA-accredited program in the state, per DANB.
Skills we look for in a dental assistant
This is not a wish list. It is what the job asks for on an ordinary Tuesday in an orthodontic office.
- Attention to detail. Infection control protocols do not have a shortcut version, and BLS lists being detail oriented first for a reason.
- Dexterity. You are working with precise instruments in a very small space, often at an awkward angle.
- Interpersonal skills. A meaningful share of patients arrive anxious or in discomfort, and how you handle the first thirty seconds sets the tone.
- Listening skills. You need to follow the doctor's direction cleanly, without asking them to repeat it mid-procedure.
- Organization. The tray is ready before it is asked for, and the records and schedule stay current through a full day.
- English and Spanish. Across the Bronx, Jackson Heights, North Bergen and Linden, bilingual assistants make a real difference to patients. Diamond Braces operates in both languages.
The first five come straight from the BLS list of important qualities for the occupation. The sixth is specific to working in this metro area.
Career paths for dental assistants
Assisting is an entry point rather than a ceiling, and the field itself is growing. BLS projects employment of dental assistants to grow 6% from 2024 to 2034, against 3% for all occupations, with about 52,900 openings expected each year.
Expanded function dental assistant (EFDA)
Expanded function status lets you perform additional procedures under supervision, coronal polishing being the example BLS cites.
It is not automatic. States that permit expanded duties require assistants to be licensed, registered or certified to perform them, and the specifics differ by state. Pennsylvania and Connecticut both have formal EFDA categories, so do not assume what qualifies you in one state carries to the next. The practical effect is that you can take on more of the clinical work, which opens roles a base credential does not reach.
Treatment coordinator and office manager roles
A treatment coordinator guides patients through their care plan: explaining what the doctor recommended, walking through insurance and financing options, and getting the start date on the calendar. An office manager runs the day-to-day operation of the practice and coordinates the team.
Both are natural moves for an assistant, because you already know the clinical workflow and you already know how patients behave when they are deciding. Neither requires going back to school. See what each involves on our treatment coordinator role and office manager positions pages.
Bridging into dental hygiene
The jump to hygiene means an associate's degree, and it roughly doubles the median wage to $94,260.
Chairside experience helps. Many hygiene programs value applicants who have already worked in a practice, because you arrive knowing the terminology, the instruments and the pace. It is a path a lot of assistants take, and it is worth knowing it exists from day one.
Working as a dental assistant at Diamond Braces
Orthodontics is all we do. For an assistant, that means depth instead of breadth: you get very good at bonding prep, wire changes, digital scanning and retainer work, rather than rotating through fillings, crowns and cleanings. Every case is handled by licensed orthodontic specialists who are members of the American Association of Orthodontists.
The other thing worth knowing is the scale. Diamond Braces has been running since 2000, when Dr. Oleg Drut opened the first office in Hackensack, and it now covers 65+ locations across four states. It is also a Diamond+ Top 1% Invisalign Provider, which means the aligner side of the work is a large and constant part of the day rather than an occasional case.
On benefits, the one we publish here is the 401(k) retirement plan. The rest of the package is set out on each individual job posting, so read the listing for the role you are applying to.
How to apply: the hiring process
Five steps, in order:
- Submit your application through the job board, for the specific office and role you want.
- Talk to the hiring team by phone, where you will cover availability, credentials and what the role involves.
- Interview at the office where the position is based, so you meet the team you would work with.
- Complete the offer and the background check.
- Start onboarding with your office team.
Bring photo identification, any DANB or state radiography credentials you hold, and your real availability written down. Vague availability is the most common thing that slows an application down.
Use the interview to ask your own questions too. The useful ones are: what the schedule actually looks like week to week, whether the role includes taking x-rays, and what training you get in your first month.
Frequently asked questions
How much do dental assistants make an hour?
The median hourly wage for dental assistants was $22.74 in May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10% earned under $17.40 an hour and the top 10% earned over $29.70. Pay varies by state, certification and specialty.
Can I get a dental assistant job with no experience?
Yes. In many states dental assistants learn their duties through on-the-job training rather than formal schooling. Entry-level candidates typically need a high school diploma or GED, reliable availability and strong people skills. Requirements and training vary by office and by state, so check each posting.
How long is a dental assistant program?
Most dental assisting certificate or diploma programs take about nine to twelve months to complete. Associate degree programs run roughly two years. Some accelerated programs finish in as little as ten weeks. Timelines depend on your state's requirements and whether you train on the job instead.
Do I need a license to be a dental assistant in New York?
Requirements vary by state and by duty. States typically do not license entry-level dental assistants, but many require certification or registration for radiography, infection control and expanded functions. Check your state's Board of Dental Examiners for current rules before applying, since requirements change periodically.
What is the difference between a dental assistant and a dental hygienist?
Dental assistants support the dentist chairside, take x-rays and manage records; hygienists independently clean teeth and screen for oral disease. Hygienists need an associate degree and earned a median $94,260 in 2024, versus $47,300 for assistants. Assisting is the faster entry point into dental care.
Are there part-time dental assistant jobs available?
Yes. Most dental assistants work full time, but some work evenings or weekends, and part-time schedules are common across the field. Schedule type varies by office and by opening, so check each posting for its hours.
What does a dental assistant wear to work?
Dental assistants wear scrubs plus personal protective equipment: safety glasses, surgical masks, gloves and protective clothing. Lead aprons and thyroid shields are used during x-rays. Most practices specify scrub colors and some provide them. Comfortable closed-toe shoes matter, since assistants are on their feet all day.
Is being a dental assistant worth it?
For many people, yes. It offers healthcare pay without a four-year degree, entry in under a year, and clear paths into expanded functions, treatment coordination or hygiene. The trade-offs are physical days on your feet and pay below hygienists. Employment is projected to grow 6% through 2034.
What is a PRN or temporary dental assistant?
A PRN or temporary dental assistant works on an as-needed basis, covering absences, busy days or short-term vacancies rather than a fixed schedule. It suits people who want flexibility or want to sample different practices. Some offices use temporary roles as a trial before making a permanent offer.
Is dental assisting a growing career?
Yes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of dental assistants will grow 6% from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations. About 52,900 openings are expected each year, largely from workers retiring or moving into other roles. Roughly 381,900 held the job in 2024.
What to do next
Dental assisting is one of the few healthcare roles you can enter in under a year, and in several states without paying tuition at all. The national median sits at $22.74 an hour, the field is growing faster than average, and the routes upward into expanded functions, treatment coordination or hygiene are well worn.
If a role near you is open, apply to it directly. We are hiring across 65+ locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
