Dental Assistants vs Occupational Therapy Aides AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

low risk

Dental Assistants

52 shared · 15 different

core competencies

low risk

Occupational Therapy Aides

Side-by-Side Comparison

Metric	Dental Assistants	Occupational Therapy Aides
Risk Score	24.2%	24.2%
Risk Tier	Low Risk	Low Risk
Risk Percentile	17th	17th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	4 / 15	5 / 15
Median Salary	$47,300	$37,370
Employment	375K	5K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Medicine and Dentistry

Interacting With Computers

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards

Therapy and Counseling

Coaching and Developing Others

English Language

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material

Controlling Machines and Processes

Handling and Moving Objects

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

Psychology

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Dental Assistants

34%

total discount

Occupational Therapy Aides

32%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Dental Assistants

4 of 15 at risk

86%Record treatment information in patient records.

86%Order and monitor dental supplies and equipment inventory.

82%Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patients.

65%Schedule appointments, prepare bills and receive payment for dental services, complete insurance forms, and maintain records, manually or using computer.

49%Pour, trim, and polish study casts.

Occupational Therapy Aides

5 of 15 at risk

84%Perform clerical, administrative, and secretarial duties, such as answering phones, restocking and ordering supplies, filling out paperwork, and scheduling appointments.

80%Report to supervisors or therapists, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes, attendance, and accomplishments.

78%Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress.

68%Observe patients' attendance, progress, attitudes, and accomplishments and record and maintain information in client records.

53%Prepare and maintain work area, materials, and equipment and maintain inventory of treatment and educational supplies.

Wage Comparison

Occupational Therapy Aides earns -$9,930(-21%) vs Dental Assistants

Dental AssistantsOccupational Therapy Aides

10th

$36,190$27,970

25th

$39,520$34,840

Median

$47,300$37,370

75th

$56,910$44,190

90th

$61,780$65,580

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Dental Assistants2028–2035

Occupational Therapy Aides2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Occupational Therapy Aides has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Dental Assistants.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Dental Assistants

$35,839

from $47,300

Occupational Therapy Aides

$28,338

from $37,370

After adjusting for AI risk, Dental Assistants offers $7,502 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Dental

Unique to Occupational

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Regulatory Barriers

Fine Manipulation

Decision Complexity

Social Intelligence

Dental AssistantsOccupational Therapy Aides

Find transitions from Dental Assistants Find transitions from Occupational Therapy Aides