ATLANTA, July 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , the median salary for a Dental Assistant is $34,500 per year; however, according to a new DentalPost Survey, the average annual salary for a full-time Dental Assistant is closer to $27,000, revealing a 20 percent disparity in annual wages. In order to uncover dental industry employment trends and inform potential job seekers on workplace realities, DentalPost, the dental industry's premier online and mobile job board is sharing the results of its recent salary survey with a new Dental Assistant Salary Stack-Up infographic.  

"At DentalPost, it's our job to keep our finger on the pulse of the dental job market, and share information about the potential of that space with our users," says DentalPost Founder and CEO, Tonya Lanthier. "Through our Dental Assistant Survey, we learned that while workplace realities may differ slightly than industry reports, this occupation remains one of the fastest growing in the dental industry and talent continues to be in high demand."

The survey polled more than 500 DentalPost users on topics including salary information, workplace benefits and employment longevity in order to provide first hand, unbiased information about the Dental Assistant occupation. The survey revealed that the average full time Dental Assistant worked between 36 and 37 hours a week, earning between $24,000 and $27,000 per year, depending on experience. In contrast, the average part time Dental Assistant works between 24 and 26 hours a week, earning between $19,000 and $22,000 per year. Of these employees, four percent hold a bachelor's degree, 49 percent have attended college, 26 percent hold an associate degree and 18 percent hold a high school diploma or equivalent degree.