Dental assisting trends and insights from 2025

Dental assisting continues to evolve, presenting new opportunities and challenges. With 2026 on the horizon, it’s a good time to step back and take stock of the profession.

Some challenges have persisted in 2025, including dental staffing shortages and inconsistent dental assisting requirements across states. But there have been positive developments as well, with new solutions being proposed to help address these issues and elevate the dental assisting profession in the future.

Here are some of the top dental assisting trends and insights from 2025.

Patients welcome infection control conversations

When patients walk into the dental office for a visit, they don’t just hope it’s a safe, clean environment — they expect it. New research shows that almost all dental patients (98%) believe it’s important that instruments and the treatment area are properly cleaned between appointments. More than half of patients also said they’d welcome conversations from their dental team about safety protocols in the dental office. However, less than half of patients said dental staff members have discussed infection control measures with them.

As the employees on the front line of infection control and patient education, dental assistants can help bridge this gap with patients. When dental assistants explain their comprehensive efforts to maintain a sanitary office, it shows patients that their safety is a priority — helping increase both comfort and loyalty to the practice.

Dental assistant hiring still challenging but easing

Practices have struggled to recruit and hire qualified dental assistants in recent years. While those challenges have persisted, reports from the ADA’s Health Policy Institute show there are signs of improvement.

In HPI’s third-quarter report for 2025, 37.5% of private dental practices said they had been actively recruiting dental assistants within the previous three months. Of those practices, 69.2% said it was “very” or “extremely” challenging to hire qualified dental assistants. That figure, while elevated, marks an improvement from 2024, when 75.2% of private practices reported significant hiring challenges in the third quarter. This may indicate improved job stability for dental assistants. And if hiring challenges continue to ease, it could mean dental assistants receive more support, potentially leading to less burnout in the profession.

Professional model introduced

Each state has its own set of requirements for dental assistants to hold certain titles and perform specific functions. This has created inconsistency from state to state, causing confusion and frustration among those in the profession, as well as contributing to the ongoing shortage of qualified dental assistants. That’s why representatives from across dentistry created the Dental Assisting Professional Model.

The model, which can be used by states and individual practices, outlines proposed dental assisting levels, functions, pathways for education and training, and considerations for implementation across the country. It is designed to address the workforce shortage by providing a career road map for dental assistants, enabling entry into the profession through either educational programs or on-the-job training, improving professional mobility of dental assistants from state to state, and providing states and dental practices with an adaptable framework that reflects the needs of dentistry.

The model was developed by 20 dental professionals — dental assistants, dentists, educators, dental hygienists, and regulators — representing numerous leading dental associations and organizations. It has earned endorsements from leading dental organizations, including DANB, the American Dental Assistants Association, the American Association of Dental Boards, Aspen Dental, the American Dental Education Association, and the Association for Dental Safety.

Many dental assistants interested in expanded functions

Dental assistants often want to do more to aid their patients and contribute to their practice. Additionally, many practices are asking their assistants to take on additional duties as staffing shortages continue. For these reasons, many dental assistants pursue expanded functions credentials in their states. Allowable duties for expanded functions dental assistants (EFDAs) vary between states, but examples include applying sealants, performing coronal polishing, and taking impressions.