Aspen Dental logo
Aspen Dental
Waterloo, Iowa

Dental Assistant - Oral Surgery

DentalPart-Time

Listed compensation

$21-$24/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about call expectations, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

At Aspen Dental, we put You First, offering the security and job stability that comes with working with a world-class dental service organization (DSO). Our best-in-class training program, competitive compensation, and flexible scheduling will help you thrive in your career. When you join our team as an Oral Surgeon Dental Assistant, you will have the opportunity to give back to communities and positively affect patients’ lives.

Job type: Part-Time

Salary: $21 - $24 / hour

  • At Aspen Dental, we put You First. We offer:
  • A generous benefits package that includes paid time off, health, dental, vision, and 401(k) savings plan with match*
  • Part-time, Full-time, flexible scheduling available*
  • Career development and growth opportunities to support you at every stage of your career
  • A fun and supportive culture that encourages collaboration and innovation
  • Free Continuing Education (CE) through TAG U

How You’ll Make a Difference

As an Oral Surgeon Dental Assistant, you will help support the clinical needs of the practice’s patients and doctors. You will have the support you need to maximize your career potential and help make a difference in your community one smile at a time.

  • Travel to nearby offices to support patient care**
  • Assist during a variety of treatment procedures
  • Take dental X-rays
  • Set up and breakdown operatory post treatment
  • Manage infection control – prepare and sterilize instruments and equipment
  • Educate patients on appropriate oral hygiene strategies to maintain good oral health
  • Perform various office tasks as necessary
  • Work collaboratively with other members of the dental team to provide exceptional patient care

Qualifications

  • Active license, registration, or permit as required by the state of practice; including x-ray certification
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport with patients of all ages and backgrounds
  • Commitment to ongoing learning and professional development
  • Have your high school diploma or equivalent

*May vary by independently owned and operated Aspen Dental locations.

**As this position requires daily travel to assigned offices, you must maintain a valid non-restricted driver’s license and appropriate insurance or the ability to be insured under the employer’s fleet insurance program (for those assigned a Company fleet vehicle). The Company reserves the right to request and review your Motor Vehicle Record at any time, according to state requirements.

*May vary by independently owned and operated Aspen Dental locations.

**As this position requires daily travel to assigned offices, you must maintain a valid non-restricted driver’s license and appropriate insurance or the ability to be insured under the employer’s fleet insurance program (for those assigned a Company fleet vehicle). The Company reserves the right to request and review your Motor Vehicle Record at any time, according to state requirements.

Aspen Dental-branded practices are independently owned and operated by licensed dentists. The practices receive non-clinical business support services from Aspen Dental Management, Inc., a dental support organization.

ADMI Corp., d/b/a TAG-The Aspen Group, its affiliates, related companies and independently owned supported clinical practices are proud to be Equal Opportunity Employers and welcome everyone to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

Key Responsibilities

The Oral Surgeon Dental Assistant supports clinical needs by assisting during treatment procedures and managing infection control protocols. They also travel to nearby offices to provide patient care and educate patients on oral hygiene strategies.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Oral surgery assistanceInstrument sterilizationPatient educationOral hygiene instructionClinical support

Surgery Career Context

Aspen Dental holds silver-tier status on WeekdayDoc's Top Employers work-life index, composite score 72/100, 338 active listings.

Dentist pay on WeekdayDoc is up 15.2% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Iowa is 87.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$47k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $53k in an average-cost state. 59.8% of Iowa clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Surgery Jobs

3 matches · ranked by pay
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$19-$27/hr
#2

Dental Assistant (Oral Surgery)

Leading Edge Specialized Dentistry · Port Jefferson, New York

$19-$24/hr
#3

Registered Dental Assistant - Oral Surgery

$17.78-$21.51/hr
+ 1 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 2.8this job 2.8
Better work-life than 50% of Surgery (Dental) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 275 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site

Living in Waterloo

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$173k
Typical market rent
$945/mo
Residents’ average commute
16 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
87.1
State income tax
Up to 6%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Aspen Dental logo

About Aspen Dental

Hospitals and Health Care
Chicago, IL
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Paid time off
Health insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
401(k) savings plan with match
Flexible scheduling
Career development and growth opportunities
Free Continuing Education (CE) through TAG U