Office of Rural Health & Primary Care
Health Workforce Analysis Program
Profile of Minnesota Dental Assistants – 2005
The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care asks dental assistants to answer questions about their
employment status and the nature of their practices each year when they renew their licenses. Response to
the survey is voluntary and does not affect license renewal.
Numbers of Dental Assistants
In January 2006, there were 6,646 dental assistants with Minnesota licenses. Some were retired or not
working as dental assistants, and many lived or practiced in other states.
Based on survey responses and licensing data from the Minnesota Board of Dentistry, the Office of Rural
Health and Primary Care estimates that approximately 5,100 dental assistants were practicing at least part
time at Minnesota practice sites in early 2005. For explanation of this estimate, see the methodological notes
at the end of this report.
Using the July 1, 2004, population estimate for Minnesota, 5,100 dental assistants equate to 99 active dental
assistants per 100,000 people.
All data reported below is for dental assistants who work at least part time at a primary practice site in
Minnesota, according to the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care survey of dental assistants renewing
licenses for 2005.
Geographic Distribution
The distribution of dental assistants closely matches that of dentists. They are mostly located in metropolitan
areas or other small urban areas (micropolitan areas).
Geographic Distribution of Dental Assistants
Micropolitan
14%
Rural
8%
Minnesota Population 2004
Rural
13%
Micropolitan
15%
Metropolitan
78%
Metropolitan
72%
P.O. Box 64882
St. Paul, MN 55164-0882
(651) 282-3838
http://www.health.state.mn.us
April 2006
Minnesota Dental Assistants
page 2
Urban
Rural
Statewide
Metropolitan counties
Micropolitan counties
Rural
2004
Population
3,015,421
2,129,685
5,145,106
3,732,499
752,857
659,750
%
%
Population Assistants
58.6%
69.1%
41.%
30.9%
100.0%
100.0%
72.5%
78.5%
14.6%
13.6%
12.8%
7.9%
Shaded columns distinguish data reported under the old urban-rural definition from
data reported under the new MSA-micropolitan-rural definition (details on page 3).
Age and Gender
At 99.6 percent, dental assistants are predominately female. Nearly all are female in rural and urban areas,
as well in every major kind of practice setting. The dental assistant workforce is young, with a median age
of 37. Forty-one percent of dental assistants are under age 35.
Statewide
Urban
Rural Metropolitan
Micropolitan
Rural
Age Group
n = 4,413
Median age
Less than 35
35-44
45-54
55-64
65 and older
Total
respondents
37
41.1%
31.6%
22.2%
4.6%
.5%
100.0%
n = 3,049
respondents
37
42.9%
31.8%
20.5%
4.4%
.4%
100.0%
n = 1,364
respondents
39
37.2%
31.1%
26.0%
5.0%
.7%
100.0%
n = 3,464
respondents
37
42.2%
31.9%
21.3%
4.2%
.5%
100.0%
N = 601
respondents
38
41.1%
28.5%
24.3%
5.7%
.3%
100.0%
n = 348
respondents
41
30.2%
33.6%
27.9%
6.3%
2.0%
100.0%
Shaded columns distinguish data reported under the old urban-rural definition from data reported under the new MSAmicropolitan-rural definition (details on page 3).
Race and ethnicity
The dental assistant workforce is overwhelmingly white. Small numbers of racial and ethnic minorities
work in urban locations.
Statewide
Urban
Rural
White
95.8%
94.4%
99.0%
Black or African American
.8%
1.1%
-0Asian
1.6%
2.2%
.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native
.2%
.1%
.4%
Spanish/Hispanic/Latino
.6%
1.0%
.2%
Multiple race
.6%
.8%
.1%
Other
.2%
.3%
-0Of dentists active at Minnesota sites, 1.7 percent did not answer the question; percentages based on only respondents who
answered questions. Precise data not available for metropolitan, micropolitan and other rural counties.
Shaded columns distinguish data reported under the old urban-rural definition from data reported under the new MSAmicropolitan-rural definition (details on page 3).
Minnesota Dental Assistants
page 3
Practice Settings
Nearly 90 percent of dental assistants are employed in private solo or group dental offices. Dental assistants
in rural areas are more likely to be employed in solo private dental practices than are assistants in
metropolitan or micropolitan areas. This pattern closely matches that of dentists.
Type of Site
Respondents
Solo private
Group private
Educational
Clinic (non staff HMO)
Hospital (acute care)
Institutional
Public health facility
Staff model HMO
Other
Statewide Urban
4,405
3,042
50.4% 46.2%
38.9% 41.2%
1.8%
2.2%
3.1%
3.6%
.3%
.5%
.6%
.5%
2.4%
2.2%
2.2%
3.1%
.4%
.5%
Rural
1,363
59.6%
33.7%
.9%
2.0%
-0.8%
2.7%
-0.2%
Metropolitan
3.456
47.1%
40.6%
2.1%
3.5%
.4%
.5%
2.5%
2.7%
.5%
Micropolitan
601
56.2%
38.4%
.7%
1.5%
-01.2%
1.7%
-0.3%
Rural
348
72.4%
22.7%
.3%
1.4%
-0.6%
2.3%
-0.3%
Shaded columns distinguish data reported under the old urban-rural definition from data reported under the new MSAmicropolitan-rural definition (details on page 3).
Methodological note on numbers of dental assistants
Data reported here is from responses received from dental assistants renewing their licenses for 2005. Renewals were
due January 1, 2005, so most dental assistants answered the survey in December 2004 or early 2005.
The Board of Dentistry received at least 6,253 renewals for 2005. This estimate is based on the number of active
licenses in effect January 1, 2006, minus initial licenses and license reinstatements during 2005. The estimate is not
precise because it may include some early renewals of licenses due for renewal in January 2006. The Board of
Dentistry does not keep a count of the number of licenses renewed.
The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care received survey responses from 5,410 dental assistants renewing their
licenses for 2005. At the time of license renewal, 4,413 of these said they working at least part time at a primary
practice site in Minnesota.
The exact number of dental assistants actually practicing in Minnesota is not known. Survey respondents represented
approximately 87 percent
of all dental assistants renewing licenses in 2005. If active Minnesota-based dental assistants responded to the survey
at about the same rate as all dental assistants renewing their licenses, the estimated total number of dental assistants
working at least part time in Minnesota would be about 5,100. If active Minnesota dental assistants were more likely
to respond to the survey, the estimated number of active Minnesota dental assistants would be somewhat lower.
Using the July 1, 2005, population estimate for Minnesota, 5,100 dental assistants equate to about 99 dental assistants
per 100,000 people.
Because of different data sources and definitions, this estimate of 99 active dental assistants is not directly comparable
to other reported data. The Bureau of Health Professions in the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration
Minnesota Dental Assistants
page 4
reported that Minnesota had 4,620 practicing dental assistants in 2000, or 94 dental assistants per 100,000 people,
exceeding the national number of 89. This federal data appears to include licensed dental assistants practicing in
states other than the state in which licensed.
Dental assistant workforce data has previously been reported for “urban” and “rural” portions of the state. Urban has
been defined to include seven Twin Cities metropolitan counties (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott
and Washington) and the cities of Duluth, Rochester and St. Cloud. For 2005, data is also reported for three groupings
that focuses greater attention on the 46 most rural counties:
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) counties – 21 Minnesota counties included in seven metropolitan
statistical areas (Minneapolis-St. Paul, St. Cloud, Rochester, Duluth-Superior, Fargo, Grand Forks and La
Crosse
Micropolitan counties – 20 counties surrounding smaller urban centers of at least 10,000 people
Rural – 46 counties outside MSAs and Micropolitan areas.
In the data, shaded rows and columns distinguish data reported under the old urban-rural definition from data reported
under the new MSA-micropolitan-rural definition.