Health Professions And Related Programs

Best Dental Support Services and Allied Professions institutions in the US, ranked by earnings

Compare 744 U.S. colleges offering Dental Support Services and Allied Professions by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 51 states.

Institutions
744
offering CIP 51.06
States offered
51
with a program page
With earnings data
483
College Scorecard
Degrees / yr
24,761
IPEDS completions 2026
Median grad earnings
$31,038
1 year after graduation
US pay · Dental Assistants
$48,860
BLS OEWS 2024

About Dental Support Services and Allied Professions programs

The Dental Support Services and Allied Professions program prepares students for various roles in the healthcare sector, focusing on dental support. This program is ideal for individuals interested in pursuing a career in allied health professions, which encompass a range of services distinct from medicine, nursing, and dentistry. Students will gain essential skills to assist dental professionals and enhance patient care.

Learn more about Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

What you'll learn

In this program, students will develop core skills such as active listening, critical thinking, and effective communication. Coursework covers essential knowledge in customer service, medicine, and dental procedures, preparing graduates to perform tasks such as assisting in dental treatments and managing patient records.

Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Chabot College
Hayward, CA Public · Associate degree
$85,1753847%
2Foothill College
Los Altos Hills, CA Public · Bachelor's degree
$81,2558056%$17,285
3Shoreline Community College
Shoreline, WA Public · Associate degree
$78,3721429%$27,250
4Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Kirkland, WA Public · Bachelor's degree
$77,4313237%$23,750
5Community College of Denver
Denver, CO Public · Associate degree
$76,7123820%$29,472
6Pacific University
Forest Grove, OR Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$76,0603167%$30,571$28,375
7University of Oklahoma - Health Sciences Center
Oklahoma City, OK Public · Bachelor's degree
$75,36746$20,990
8College of Southern Nevada
Las Vegas, NV Public · Bachelor's degree
$75,2523419%
9West Coast University - Orange County
Anaheim, CA Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$73,7516660%$36,879$36,134
10Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA Public · Bachelor's degree
$72,8081663%$25,924
11University of Maryland, Baltimore
Baltimore, MD Public · Bachelor's degree
$72,13917$21,500
12University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, HI Public · Bachelor's degree
$71,2601864%$30,345
13Northern Virginia Community College
Annandale, VA Public · Associate degree
$70,7274433%$20,894
14Carrington College - San Jose
San Jose, CA Private for-profit · Associate degree
$70,54119260%$32,608$32,350
15Carrington College - Sacramento
Sacramento, CA Private for-profit · Associate degree
$70,54121851%$38,203$32,350
16Columbia Basin College
Pasco, WA Public · Bachelor's degree
$70,5343033%$25,000
17Rose State College
Midwest City, OK Public · Associate degree
$70,4271820%$22,500
18NHTI - Concord's Community College
Concord, NH Public · Associate degree
$69,5464829%$22,550
19Mount Wachusett Community College
Gardner, MA Public · Associate degree
$68,6701824%
20Eastern Washington University
Cheney, WA Public · Bachelor's degree
$67,9844743%$25,000
21San Joaquin Valley College - Ontario
Ontario, CA Private for-profit · Associate degree
$67,9163064%$26,900$20,000
22Southwestern College
Chula Vista, CA Public · Associate degree
$67,7333035%$10,500
23Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$67,15933$25,000
24Mohave Community College
Kingman, AZ Public · Associate degree
$66,7963238%
25Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR Public · Bachelor's degree
$66,6915854%$25,880
26Quinsigamond Community College
Worcester, MA Public · Associate degree
$66,2523422%$24,000
27Tarrant County College District
Fort Worth, TX Public · Associate degree
$65,5373434%
28Milwaukee Area Technical College
Milwaukee, WI Public · Associate degree
$65,1968225%$25,034
29University of Bridgeport
Bridgeport, CT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$65,0258041%$25,149$26,000
30University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN Public · Bachelor's degree
$64,9363285%$23,829
31Iowa Western Community College
Council Bluffs, IA Public · Associate degree
$64,9173340%$26,481
32Orange County Community College
Middletown, NY Public · Associate degree
$64,6611425%
33The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX Public · Bachelor's degree
$64,53523$23,296
34Clark College
Vancouver, WA Public · Bachelor's degree
$64,5002839%$23,429
35Indiana University - Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN Public · Bachelor's degree
$64,4027754%$26,168
36Texas A&M University - College Station
College Station, TX Public · Bachelor's degree
$64,3942984%$21,000
37Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ Public · Bachelor's degree
$64,0825261%$26,169
38Palm Beach State College
Lake Worth, FL Public · Associate degree
$63,7233841%
39Tulsa Community College
Tulsa, OK Public · Associate degree
$63,2241328%$18,500
40Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA Public · Bachelor's degree
$63,1457946%$21,378
41College of Lake County
Grayslake, IL Public · Associate degree
$63,0802237%$13,000
42Normandale Community College
Bloomington, MN Public · Associate degree
$62,7512327%$31,000
43Hillsborough Community College
Tampa, FL Public · Associate degree
$62,7312634%
44Bergen Community College
Paramus, NJ Public · Associate degree
$62,6633821%$22,382
45Yakima Valley College
Yakima, WA Public · Bachelor's degree
$62,5743029%
46University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY Public · Bachelor's degree
$62,5572559%$16,542
47Minnesota State University - Mankato
Mankato, MN Public · Bachelor's degree
$62,4966154%$27,000
48Pima Community College
Tucson, AZ Public · Associate degree
$62,4814628%$10,000
49CUNY Hostos Community College
Bronx, NY Public · Associate degree
$62,4263716%$14,400
50Pueblo Community College
Pueblo, CO Public · Certificate degree
$62,3554131%$19,549

Offered across 51 states

The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.

StateInstitutionsMedian earningsTop institution by earnings
Hawaiilimited2$71,260University of Hawaii at Manoa
New Hampshirelimited1$69,546NHTI - Concord's Community College
Oklahoma9$63,224University of Oklahoma - Health Sciences Center
Washington21$62,574Shoreline Community College
Wyoming3$62,557University of Wyoming
Massachusetts12$60,211Mount Wachusett Community College
Delawarelimited2$59,975Delaware Technical Community College - Terry
Mainelimited2$59,851University of New England
Connecticut7$58,397University of Bridgeport
Arkansas5$58,380University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Kansas4$56,798Johnson County Community College
Virginia15$55,931Virginia Commonwealth University
New York17$55,457Orange County Community College
Illinois24$54,276College of Lake County
Idaho5$53,877Idaho State University
Nebraska5$53,860University of Nebraska Medical Center
South Carolina10$52,297Midlands Technical College
Maryland9$51,136University of Maryland, Baltimore
North Carolina25$50,081Guilford Technical Community College
Utah11$48,870Careers Unlimited
North Dakotalimited1$48,565North Dakota State College of Science
Georgia26$48,057Georgia State University
Minnesota18$46,805University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Pennsylvania21$41,650Pennsylvania College of Technology
West Virginia9$39,504West Virginia University
Mississippi11$39,402University of Mississippi
Oregon13$37,488Pacific University
Iowa10$37,317Iowa Western Community College
Missouri12$36,855Saint Louis Community College
South Dakota4$36,631University of South Dakota
Wisconsin15$33,322Milwaukee Area Technical College
Rhode Islandlimited2$32,490Community College of Rhode Island
Florida46$31,554Palm Beach State College
Colorado15$31,002Community College of Denver
Kentucky10$29,032University of Louisville
Arizona19$28,295Mohave Community College
New Mexico8$27,816University of New Mexico - Main Campus
Ohio43$27,733Ohio State University - Main Campus
Texas51$27,301Tarrant County College District
Alaska3$26,847Charter College
Indiana13$26,550Indiana University - Indianapolis
Nevada8$26,485College of Southern Nevada
New Jersey15$25,355Bergen Community College
Michigan32$25,352Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Tennessee24$25,189The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
California89$24,893Chabot College
Alabama11$23,566George C Wallace State Community College - Hanceville
Louisiana14$21,546University of Louisiana at Monroe
District of Columbialimited1
Montanalimited2
Vermontlimited1

Careers & outlook

The payoff after graduation: occupation 31-9091, Dental Assistants, and its national outlook.

Graduates of the Dental Support Services and Allied Professions program can pursue careers in various specializations, including dental assisting, hygiene, and laboratory technology. The job outlook is promising, with a growth rate of 6.4% and approximately 52,900 annual openings. The median wage for these positions is around $47,300, typically requiring a postsecondary nondegree award.

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+6.4%
Faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~52,900
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$47,300
typically Postsecondary nondegree award
National employment
375,430
Dental Assistants
US average pay
$48,860
annual, BLS OEWS 2024
US median pay
$47,300
annual

Top-paying metros

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$69,810avg
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
$66,520avg
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$65,070avg
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$63,760avg
Rochester, MN
$61,750avg

Related careers

Dental Assistants
$48,860 avg · 375,430 jobs
Dental Hygienists
$93,890 avg · 219,070 jobs
Dental Laboratory Technicians
$54,060 avg · 33,920 jobs

Skills & knowledge in Dental Support Services and Allied Professions programs

From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.

Skills you'll build

Active Listening
Speaking
Reading Comprehension
Monitoring
Active Learning
Critical Thinking
Writing
Learning Strategies

Knowledge areas

Customer and Personal Service
Medicine and Dentistry
English Language
Administration and Management
Administrative
Computers and Electronics

What graduates do on the job

  • Prepare patient, sterilize or disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, or assist dentist during dental procedures.
  • Record treatment information in patient records.
  • Assist dentist in management of medical or dental emergencies.
  • Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.
  • Expose dental diagnostic x-rays.
  • Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist.

Tools & technology

Email softwareHenry Schein DentrixKodak Dental Systems Kodak SOFTDENT Practice management software PMSMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareOpen DentalPatterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoftQuicken

Concentrations within Dental Support Services and Allied Professions

Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).

  • Dental Assisting/Assistant
    CIP 51.0601

    A program that prepares individuals to provide patient care, take dental radiographs (x-ray photographs), prepare patients and equipment for dental procedures, and discharge office administrative func

  • Dental Hygiene/Hygienist
    CIP 51.0602

    A program that prepares individuals to clean teeth and apply preventive materials, provide oral health education and treatment counseling to patients, identify oral pathologies and injuries, and manag

  • Dental Laboratory Technology/Technician
    CIP 51.0603

    A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of dentists, to design and construct dental prostheses such as caps, crowns, bridges, dentures, splints, and orthodontic appliances

  • Dental Services and Allied Professions, Other
    CIP 51.0699

    Any instructional program in dental services and allied professions not listed above.

Common questions

What careers can I pursue with this program?+

You can pursue careers in dental assisting, dental hygiene, and dental laboratory technology.

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop skills in active listening, critical thinking, and effective communication.

What is the job outlook for this field?+

The job outlook is favorable, with a growth rate of 6.4% and about 52,900 annual openings.

What level of education is required?+

Typically, a postsecondary nondegree award is required for entry-level positions.

Related programs

Other programs in the same field of study.

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