The median 2013 dental assistant salary in Louisiana was $28,800 a year. Experienced dental assistants earned $34,190 on average, while the salary for those entering the workforce was $24,320.
The median salaries for Louisiana dental assistants varied by over $6,000 between the different regional labor market areas (RLMA) in the state.
The highest median salary was in the New Orleans RLMA:
- New Orleans – $30,868
- Monroe – $30,723
- Lake Charles – $29,648
- Shreveport – $28,410
- Baton Rouge – $28,311
- Alexandria – $27,577
- Lafayette – $25,884
- Houma – $24,808
In 2012, 3,563 dental assistants were employed in Louisiana. The field of dental assisting is growing for several reasons. There is a much greater understanding of the link between oral and general health. This is leading to an increase in preventative dental care that is frequently carried out by dental assistants. Also, more of the aging U.S. population is keeping its original teeth, creating a growing demand for dental care.
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The number of dental assistant jobs in Louisiana is projected to increase by 1% a year in the ten-year period ending in 2022, according to the Louisiana Workforce Commission. The Commission predicts that 112 medical assistant jobs a year will become available in the state on average. Two thirds of these jobs will be to replace workers who will leave the field. The remaining 38 jobs will come from growth in the dental assisting field.
The BLS also provides a detailed breakdown of 2013 dental assisting salaries in the metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas of Louisiana: