Dental Assistants and Therapists in South Africa

South Africa: Dental Assistants and Therapists was 5,998 in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
5,998
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
8th
of 44 countries
All-time high
6,948
in 2017
All-time low
3,516
in 2010
Years of data
13
2010–2024

Dental Assistants and Therapists in South Africa, 2010–2024

02.0k4.0k6.0k2010201720242010: 3.5k2011: 3.8k2012: 4.1k2013: 4.6k2014: 4.7k2015: 4.8k2016: 5.5k2017: 6.9k2020: 6.3k2021: 6.2k2022: 6.1k2023: 5.9k2024: 6.0k

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2024, dental assistants and therapists in South Africa stood at 5,998.

The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 28.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, dental assistants and therapists in South Africa peaked at 6,948 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 3,516, in 2010.

South Africa ranks 8th of 44 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.

Dental Assistants and Therapists in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Dental Assistants and Therapists (number) in South Africa, 2010 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2010 3,516
2011 3,792 +7.8%
2012 4,104 +8.2%
2013 4,625 +12.7%
2014 4,687 +1.3%
2015 4,785 +2.1%
2016 5,484 +14.6%
2017 6,948 +26.7%
2020 6,323 -9.0%
2021 6,166 -2.5%
2022 6,059 -1.7%
2023 5,882 -2.9%
2024 5,998 +2.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 4,743 3,516 6,948 8
2020s 6,086 5,882 6,323 5

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 5 Nigeria 14,682 compare
  2. 6 Malaysia 7,618 compare
  3. 7 Israel 7,500 compare
  4. 9 Bangladesh 4,846 compare
  5. 10 Australia 4,613 compare
  6. 11 Nepal 3,423 compare

See the full ranking of 44 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is dental assistants and therapists in South Africa?
Dental assistants and therapists in South Africa was 5,998 in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest dental assistants and therapists recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 6,948 in 2017.
What is the lowest dental assistants and therapists recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 3,516 in 2010.
How does South Africa rank for dental assistants and therapists?
South Africa ranks 8th out of 44 countries with data for 2024.
Is dental assistants and therapists rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 28.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Dental Assistants and Therapists (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Dental Assistants and Therapists in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/dental-assistants-and-therapists-number/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Dental Assistants and Therapists (number)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
44 places, 373 data points, 1983–2024
Last refreshed