Dental Assistant Salary in Rhode Island: What Dental Assistants Earn in 2026
25th percentile
$48,070
Median (50th)
$50,150
75th percentile
$59,170
National median
$48,070
BLS OEWS (SOC 31-9091), May 2025
What does a dental assistant make in Rhode Island?
The median dental assistant in Rhode Island earns $50,150 a year ($24.11 an hour), which is $2,080 above the national median of $48,070, but less than in nearby Massachusetts ($57,980) and Connecticut ($56,850). The mean is $52,790.
That ranks 13th of the 49 states plus DC where BLS publishes a dental assistant median.
Entry-level vs top earners in Rhode Island
The middle half of Rhode Island dental assistants earn $48,070 to $59,170. The lowest-paid tenth earn under $45,640, $8,510 above the national 10th percentile. The top tenth earn over $60,900, $1,350 below the national 90th percentile.
How far the pay goes in Rhode Island
The Bureau of Economic Analysis puts Rhode Island's 2024 price level at 102.3 (U.S. = 100): prices overall run 2.3% above the national average, and housing (index 105.6) runs 5.6% above.
Converted to national average prices, the $50,150 median is worth about $49,030 — $960 above the national median of $48,070.
How many dental assistants work in Rhode Island
BLS counts about 1,050 dental assistant jobs in Rhode Island, 0.3% of the 387,790 nationwide, or 2.095 per 1,000 jobs in the state. Dental assistants hold a 16% smaller share of local jobs than nationally (location quotient 0.84).
Dental Assistant Salary by City in Rhode Island
All dental roles by metro: Providence
Who's hiring dental assistants in Rhode Island now
DentistryHires has 5 open dental assistant listings in Rhode Island from 5 employers, spread across 5 cities including Cranston and Johnston.
3 post hourly pay, from $23 to $46 an hour. These are employers' posted ranges, not survey figures.
Dental Assistant Regulatory Context in Rhode Island
Dental assistant practice in Rhode Island is regulated by the Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry.
Scope of practice — what a dental assistant may do, and under what level of supervision — is set by state law and changes over time, so verify current rules with the board before relying on them.
How Rhode Island Compares
Other dental salaries in Rhode Island
- Dentist salary in Rhode Island: median $161,560, $111,410 above the dental assistant median
- Dental Hygienist salary in Rhode Island: median $86,910, $36,760 above the dental assistant median
- Dental Lab Technician salary in Rhode Island: median $45,320
- Oral Surgeon salary in Rhode Island: median $414,060
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state and national estimates, all industries); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024. Price-adjusted pay divides the median by the price level. Listing counts and posted pay are live DentistryHires listings, refreshed hourly. A dash means BLS did not publish that figure; nothing is estimated.