Dental nurse salary: award rates and minimum pay in Australia 2026-27

What is a dental nurse salary under Australian law?

When searching for a "dental nurse salary" in Australia, you are likely looking at the pay for a dental assistant, the most common role in dental practices. In Australia, the legal pay floor for a dental nurse is set by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (MA000027), which covers dental assistants in private and some public health settings. The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes the official minimum rates for each classification level. These rates are updated after each annual wage reviews, most recently from 1 July 2026.

Award minimums for dental assistants

The award divides dental assistants into levels based on qualifications and experience. The key minimum hourly rates from 1 October 2026 are:

• Level 3 – Unqualified with less than 12 months experience: $29.11/h ($1,106.20/week)
• Level 5 – Unqualified with 12 months to up to 4 years: $29.15/h
• Level 6 – Certificate III or equivalent (or 4+ years): $30.63/h
• Level 7 – Certificate IV or equivalent: $31.67/h

These are the minimums for full-time employees. Part-time and casual employees receive the same base rate plus casual loading (usually 25%) or part-time entitlements. Juniors (under 21) receive a percentage of the adult rate, as set out in the award.

How does the dental nurse salary compare to the national minimum?

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour ($1,004.90 per week) for adult award-free employees. Every dental nurse covered by the Health Professionals Award must be paid at least their award classification rate, which is higher than the national minimum. For example, an entry-level dental assistant earns $2.67 more per hour than the national floor. This means the award acts as a higher safety net for dental nurses.

Factors that affect your dental nurse salary

Your actual pay may be higher than the minimum due to:

• Experience and qualifications – Moving from Level 3 to Level 7 increases your minimum by $2.56 per hour.
• Enterprise agreements – Some dental practices have agreements that set higher rates.
• Location and employer – Private practices in high-cost areas may offer above-award wages.
• Superannuation – Remember that 12% super is paid on top of your base salary, so your total remuneration package is larger than the hourly rate suggests.

For a broader view of how pay rates work, see our Which minimum wage applies guide and Rate tables for comparisons across industries.

Understanding the figures

The Fair Work Commission sets the national minimum wage each year. The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes award pay guides and enforces compliance. The rates in this article are from the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 as at 1 October 2026. Always check your specific classification and any applicable agreement, as an award or enterprise agreement can require a higher rate than the national minimum. For award-free employees, the national minimum applies, but juniors, apprentices, and trainees may receive lower percentages.

For the published floors, see the rate tables and how the figures work.