What is Occupational Licensing?
An “occupational license” is, put simply, government permission to work in a particular field. To earn the license, an aspiring worker must clear various hurdles, such as earning a certain amount of education or training or passing an exam. In the 1950s, only one in 20 U.S. workers needed the government’s permission to pursue their chosen occupation. Today, that figure stands at almost one in four.
Dental Assistant Occupational Licensing
License required in 8 states
69th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$154
What They Do
Dental assistants assist dentists, set up equipment, prepare patients for treatment and keep records.
Dental Assistant Licensing Overview
Eight states require a licence to work as a Dental Assistant. On average, these laws require $154 in fees, 87 days of education and about 1 exam. Dental Assistant Licenses have the 69th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.
Where is a Dental Assistant the most regulated?
Out of the 8 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Dental Assistant has the highest burden in Minnesota. Minnesota requires $659 in fees, 3 exams, no experience, and 43.5 credit hours education.
Where is a Dental Assistant the least regulated?
Out of the 8 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Dental Assistant has the lowest burden in Washington. Washington requires $40 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Dental Assistant license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Dental Assistant costs the most in Minnesota. Minnesota requires $659 in fees, 3 exams, no experience, and 43.5 credit hours education.
Where is a Dental Assistant license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Dental Assistant costs the least in Washington. Washington requires $40 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain a Dental Assistant license?
An occupational license for a Dental Assistant takes the longest to obtain in Minnesota. It takes 305 days (0 years and 5 days). Minnesota requires $659 in fees, 3 exams, no experience, and 43.5 credit hours education.
Where is it fastest to obtain a Dental Assistant license?
An occupational license for a Dental Assistant takes the least time to obtain in Tennessee, Vermont, Oklahoma, Washington (0 days).
What states require exams for a Dental Assistant license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Dental Assistant there is at least one exam required in: Minnesota, Iowa, Tennessee, Massachusetts. Minnesota requires 3 exams.
Nine states license dental assistants. On average, these laws cost aspiring workers $138 in fees and 92 days in education and experience and require them to pass about one exam—the 71st most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Because dental assistants are not very widely licensed, the occupation ranks as the 81st most widely and onerously licensed.
License requirements vary across states. Minnesota’s license is the most burdensome, requiring $681 in fees, about 425 days lost to education and three exams. California’s, by contrast, requires only about two days (10 hours) of education and no fees or exams.
States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations
More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022| Burden Rank | State | Occupations Licensed | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | 35 | $659 | 305 | 43.5 credit hours | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 61 | $190 | 211 | 1 days & 900 clock hours | None | 0 | 12 | 18 |
| 3 | Iowa | 71 | $86 | 182 | 2 clock hours | 6 months | 2 | 12 | 17 |
| 4 | Tennessee | 69 | $75 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 12 | 18 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 50 | $60 | 0.3 | 2 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 6 | Vermont | 31 | $70 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 42 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Washington | 76 | $40 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
View Report