Dental Technician Salary: Award Rates, Tax, and Super for 2026-27
A full-time dental technician (Level 4) earns at least $29.45 per hour under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award, giving a weekly pay of $1,119.10 for 38 hours.
Understanding the Dental Technician Salary
If you are working as a dental technician or considering the career, knowing your minimum pay is essential. The dental technician salary is covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020, which sets minimum hourly rates for classifications from Level 1 to Level 9. For a qualified dental technician, the classification is typically Level 4, with a minimum hourly rate of $29.45 per hour for a full-time employee working 38 ordinary hours per week. This rate is the base before any casual loading, overtime, or allowances.
Hourly Rates and the National Minimum Wage
The National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour for a 38-hour week, or $1,004.90 per week. However, award rates are higher for skilled roles. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides pay guides for details).
Calculating Annual Pay: The 38-Hour Week Formula
To convert an hourly rate to annual pay, use the standard formula: hourly rate × hours per week × 52. We assume 38 hours per week (the standard full-time ordinary hours). For a dental technician at $29.45/hour:
- Weekly: $29.45 × 38 = $1,119.10
- Fortnightly: $1,119.10 × 2 = $2,238.20
- Annual: $1,119.10 × 52 = $58,193.20
If you are casual, use the casual rate: $36.81 × 38 × 52 = $72,741.56 per year (before tax and super).
Tax and Medicare Levy for 2026-27
Resident tax rates for 2026-27 are:
- Nil up to $18,200
- 15% from $18,201 to $45,000
- 30% from $45,001 to $135,000
- 37% from $135,001 to $190,000
- 45% above $190,000
Medicare levy is generally 2% of taxable income. For a full-time dental technician earning $58,193.20, the tax estimate (using the full tax-free threshold) is about $8,079, plus Medicare $1,164, leaving take-home around $48,950. The take-home pay tool can help. Note: the 2025-26 Medicare reduction thresholds are used here because the 2026-27 thresholds were not confirmed.
Superannuation Paid on Top
Employers must pay super guarantee of 12% of ordinary earnings on top of your base salary. For a dental technician earning $58,193.20, that adds $6,983.18 per year, up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830. This super is not deducted from your pay; it is an extra contribution to your fund. See super and packaging for more.
Award Rates from the Fair Work Commission
The Fair Work Commission maintains the Modern Awards Pay Database with all current rates. For the Health Professionals and Support Services Award, the Level 4 rate is $29.45 per hour as of 1 October 2026. Apprentice dental technicians are paid a percentage of Level 4: first-year (not completed Year 12) 50% = $14.73/hour; completed Year 12 55% = $16.20/hour. These rates are updated after each Annual Wage Review.
Important Disclaimer
Annual pay here is hourly rate × hours per week × 52. It assumes the same rate every week, no unpaid overtime, no penalty rates, no allowances, and no salary sacrifice. Super is estimated at 12% of ordinary earnings only, paid on top, and stops at the $270,830 maximum contribution base. Tax is the 2026-27 resident scale with the full tax-free threshold. Medicare uses the 2025-26 single reduction thresholds because the 2026-27 reduction thresholds were not confirmed here. HELP, the Medicare levy surcharge, and salary packaging are not deducted. This is an estimate, not a determination of your pay or tax.
For more accurate calculations, refer to the [pay guides] from the Fair Work Ombudsman and the [reference tables] on the Fair Work Commission website.
Open the same rate on the home timesheet. Read the reference tables before treating a figure as your pay.