Dental assistant salary: awards versus the national minimum wage

What is a dental assistant salary?

A dental assistant salary in Australia is the pay received by workers who prepare patients for dental examination and assist dentists, hygienists, and therapists. The role is heavily female-dominated (92% women) and has a median age of 30. Most dental assistants work part-time (only 42% work full-time hours), which affects how we interpret salary figures.

When we talk about a dental assistant salary, we are usually referring to the weekly or hourly pay before tax. The most reliable public data comes from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) via Jobs and Skills Australia. Their May 2025 survey found median full-time weekly earnings of $1,211 and median hourly earnings of $33. That full-time figure annualises to roughly $62,972.

Awards versus the national minimum wage

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or $52,255 per year. That sits at an index of 48.2 on the Salary Index, where 100 equals full-time adult ordinary-time earnings of $108,352 per year.

Dental assistants are covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (HPSS Award). In December 2025, the Fair Work Commission handed down a landmark decision finding that dental assistant classifications had been subject to gender-based undervaluation. The Commission introduced new classification levels with higher minimum rates:

• Level 5: Unqualified dental assistant with 12 months to 4 years’ experience – $1,104.70 per week
• Level 6: Certificate III qualified (or equivalent experience) – $1,164.20 per week
• Level 7: Certificate IV qualified (or equivalent experience) – $1,185.10 per week

These rates are all above the national minimum wage. For example, a Level 6 dental assistant earns about $159 more per week than the national minimum, or 15.8% more. On the index, Level 6 sits at 55.9, still well below the national benchmark of 100.

Importantly, only about one-third of dental assistants are paid exactly at award rates. The Commission noted that 33.5% are award-reliant; the rest are paid above award. That means many dental assistants already earn more than the new minimums.

How the salary index applies

The salary index helps you see where a pay figure sits against the national line. For a dental assistant earning the median full-time wage of $1,211 per week:

• Weekly: $1,211 ÷ $2,083.70 × 100 = 58.1
• Annualised: $62,972 ÷ $108,352 × 100 = 58.1

This means the typical full-time dental assistant earns about 58% of the national adult ordinary-time earnings benchmark. That is lower than the health care and social assistance industry average of 97.8, but higher than retail trade (75.9) or accommodation and food services (72.5).

Take-home pay considerations

Gross pay is only part of the picture. From 1 July 2026, the superannuation guarantee is 12%, so an employer must contribute an additional 12% on top of the salary. For a dental assistant earning $62,972, that adds about $7,557 to superannuation.

For income tax (2026–27 rates, excluding Medicare):

• Tax-free threshold: $0–$18,200
• 15% on the next $26,800 (up to $45,000)
• 30% on the next $17,972 (up to $62,972)

On $62,972, the tax would be approximately $9,392 plus a 2% Medicare levy ($1,259), leaving a take-home of about $52,321 per year, or $1,006 per week. That is very close to the national minimum wage gross figure.

State and industry context

Dental assistant pay varies by location. Using the states page, you can see that the ACT has the highest state index (109.9) while Tasmania has the lowest (88.6). A dental assistant in Canberra might earn more than one in Hobart, though award rates are national.

The industries page shows health care and social assistance at index 97.8, meaning the industry average is close to the national line. Dental assistants, however, are below that industry average, reflecting the historically undervalued nature of the work.

What this means for job seekers and employers

If you are looking at a dental assistant salary, the award minimums are a floor, not a ceiling. Many practices pay above award to attract and retain staff, especially those with Certificate III or IV qualifications. The gender undervaluation decision has lifted the floor, but the median still lags behind other health roles.

For employers, the new award rates took effect in two tranches from December 2025. The Commission found the cost impact was modest – at most a 2% increase in total business costs for award-reliant practices. Most dental practices already pay above award, so the impact is limited.

Summary

The dental assistant salary is shaped by a recent award restructure that corrected historical gender undervaluation. The median full-time wage of $1,211/week (index 58.1) is above the national minimum wage (index 48.2) but well below the national benchmark. Understanding where this pay sits on the Salary Index helps put it in perspective against other occupations and industries.