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If you’re considering a new career and you enjoy helping people smile, why not check out dental assisting? There are few other occupations where you can make a bigger difference in a person’s life. A new healthy smile can help transform a withdrawn wallflower to a shining star—and dental assistants are part of the process.
Dental assistants work under the direction of professional dentists, and perform a wide variety of office, patient care, and laboratory tasks. They are not the same as dental hygienists, who are specially licensed to perform a range of clinical tasks.
Let’s look at some of the typical responsibilities of dental assistants.
• Office: Greet patients, answer phones, receive payments, schedule and confirm appointments, maintain patient treatment records, send bills, and order dental office supplies.
• Patient care: Dental assistants may be asked to prepare patients for treatment, hand instruments and materials to the dentist, take dental X-rays, process X-ray film, prepare materials to make impressions and restorations, and apply topical anesthetics to gums or cavity-preventive materials to teeth.
• Laboratory: Make temporary crowns, create casts of the teeth and gums from impressions, and clean and polish removable appliances.
What are your job prospects? According to the U.S. government, the employment of dental assistants is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations from 2006 to 2016. Dental assistants are expected to be among the fastest growing occupations through the current decade until 2016.* That’s very good news!
Sounds good… but how about qualifications? While it’s possible to get on-the-job training to become a dental assistant, you will improve your prospects with experience and/or institutional training. The Commission on Dental Accreditation within the American Dental Association (ADA) has approved many quality dental assisting programs that you will find on Education-For-Careers. These programs are offered by career colleges and technical training schools in your community. Most certificate or diploma programs take one year or less to complete. Associate degree programs generally take two years.
Curriculums often include classroom, laboratory, and clinical instruction in both practical skills and theory. Programs may offer “externships,” which are part-time unpaid jobs in dentist’s offices, schools, or clinics, where students can gain practical experience. Getting real-world experience while attending school can be a valuable learning experience—and it looks good on a résumé, too.
Do I need certification? Certification is the official recognition of a dental assistant’s qualifications and professional competence, and may be an advantage when you’re looking for employment. Make sure that the school you are considering has geared their program to the requirements of the state in which the school is located. Many states require registration or licensure, which may include passing a written or practical examination. In addition, some states require continuing education to maintain a dental assistant’s registration or licensure, or additional certification for radiology.
You’ll have a smile on your face when you launch your new career as a dental assistant. Why wait? Check out the opportunities and get started!
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Dental Assistants, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos163.htm (visited January 29, 2008).
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