Before you invest in your education, you might be wondering how high job security is for dental assistants in Colorado. The demand for dental assistants is higher in our state than the national average for most industries. Combined with our rising population, state-wide dental shortages, and organic industry turnover—job prospects are attractive. It’s also a career that is enhanced by evolving technologies but can’t be replaced by AI.
Total Number of Dental Assistants
According to Dentagraphics, there are approximately 2,900 general and specialty dental practices in the state. With the average practice employing 2 dental assistants, that’s about 5,800 jobs.
This estimate doesn’t include other healthcare practitioners that hire dental assistants, including:
- Mobile clinics
- Community clinics
- Hospitals
- Outpatient care centers
- Coroner’s offices
- Correctional facilities
Rising Demand For Dental Assistants
The state’s population is on a steady rise. With more residents, comes an increased demand for dentists. In some rural areas, there are dental shortages, providing the opportunity for high-paying dental assisting jobs as rural dental practices open and expand.
In addition to organic job growth, dental assistants are required for:
- Growing practices
- Replacing retiring dental assistants
- Replacing DAs pursuing their dental hygienist degree
- Replacing DAs who pursue a different career path
Colorado Ranks 9th in the Nation
Zippia ranks Colorado as the 9th best state in the country for dental assistants. This number is compiled by factoring in a combination of metrics, including demand, salary, and projected job security.
Dental Assistant Salary in Colorado 2025
According to Indeed, dental assistant salaries in Colorado average $23.34 per hour, or $76,928 per year. Salary is higher with tenure and varies by city and local cost of living. You can command about $1 more per hour as an entry-level candidate, or $1 to $2 more as a tenured DA by completing your Expanded Duties Dental Assistant Education.
Salary projections for 2025:
- Around $16 per hour for entry-level candidates.
- Around $18 per hour for 2+ years of experience.
- Around $23 per hour for 5+ years of experience.
- Around $30 for tenured and highly skilled candidates.
Job Satisfaction and Expected Benefits
Beyond salary, benefits are attractive, and work-life balance is typically easy to maintain. This leads to high rates of job satisfaction. Dentistry is also a rewarding field, as you build long-term relationships with patients while improving their oral health, cosmetic appearance, and whole-body health. Advances in dental software and technology provide positive and ongoing new challenges.
Benefits typically include:
- Quality health insurance
- Discounted dental care
- 401K retirement plans
- Paid sick days
- Paid vacation time
- Evenings off
- Some or all weekends off
Nationwide Job Security
If you aren’t sure if Colorado will be your long-term home, you’ll be pleased to learn that dental assisting job security is high nationwide. Be mindful that you may need to achieve DANB certification to practice in your new state. Colorado doesn’t require dental assistants to be certified, but many states do.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job growth of dental assisting is twice the national average.
From 2023 to 2033 the job market is expected to grow:
- 4% for all occupations
- 8% for dental assistants
- 12% for all other healthcare occupations
Job Placement Assistance
The industry insights above provide peace of mind that your new career choice is secure. To accelerate employment, AIDA offers job placement support to each of our students.
This includes:
- Resume writing assistance
- Cover letter writing assistance
- Interview tips and mock interviews
- Internship/externship opportunities
- Job seeking strategies
- Student-only job board
Ready to Enroll in Dental Assisting School?
If you’re narrowing down your options in dental assisting schools, we invite you to take a tour of AIDA. Our 13 Week Dental Assisting Program includes evening and weekend classes so you can continue to work while in school. All students are provided with hands-on experience with live patients in our dental clinic.