Dental Career Opportunities: Dental Assistant & Hygienist
As the economy continues to struggle now is the time to consider making some major career changes into a field that is in high demand and pays a decent salary. Two great careers are hygienist and dental assistant. A hygienist is someone who works directly with patients on practicing good oral hygiene and helping them to prevent cavities. Some other functions that they perform include: removing plaque in addition to Tatar from the teeth as well as gums and working with the dentist during oral surgery. A dental assistant is someone who assists the dentist during oral surgery, laying out instruments that the dentist requires, sterilizing equipment, preparing patients for treatment by making them comfortable and knows how to use the different types of orthodontic equipment such as a suction machine.
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Training & Education
The demand for both dental assistants and hygienists is continuing to grow even as the unemployment rate in the nation continues to head to levels not seen in decades. Currently there is a shortage of qualified hygienists and dental assistants. The demand for the number of both dental careers is expected to steadily rise over the next several years. With the department of labor estimating that between now and the year 2015 the number of available job openings for a hygienists is expected to rise by 36% while dental assistants is expected to grow by 29% each year. The main reason is that as the baby boomers continue to become older they will put more demands on the health care system part of this system is Dentistry.
As a dental hygienist the amount of schooling that is required is a high school diploma and 2 year associate degree. Upon completion of the degree you must then pass a licensing exam. The amount that it would cost to obtain your degree would be about $4,600 per year. According to the Department of Labor the average salary for this career is $45,379 per year and can be as high as $91,960 in states such as Alaska. However, the salary can vary depending on where you live.
To be a dental assistant requires you have a high school diploma and complete the course through an accredited program, how fast you complete the training really all depends on you. After completion you must pass a certification exam offered by Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. Upon completion of these two requirements you will be a Certified Dental Assistant. The cost to complete the education requirements can range from $850 to $7,560. The average salary for a dental assistant is $33,324 per year.
Background Checks and Continuing Education
Most people are aware of the educational, licensing and certification requirements, but many are surprised to learn that criminal background checks are also part of the procedure. There are actually plenty of very good reasons a background check is an eligibility requirement for dental careers. Dental professionals work with the public and are often alone in a room with patients. It is very important to ensure the safety of patients in these environments, particularly because sometimes the patients may be unconscious while work is performed. Further, dental professionals have access to prescription medications and care must be taken to ensure that drug addicts do not seek this type of career in order to gain access to drug supplies. Individual states have their own requirements regarding the background checks, but all states require a criminal history check to be carried out to some extent. This includes giving fingerprints and personal information and having an investigation into your criminal history conducted.
Dental technology is constantly evolving and improving, and dental professionals need to stay on top of the latest developments in order to offer the best service to their patients. Dental assistants and hygienists are now required to take courses every few years in order to be updated as part of the renewal process of their licenses. These courses are measured in hours known as continuing education units or CEU's, and dental professionals are not permitted to continue practicing without attending the appropriate amount of continuing education within the designated time period.
Dental assistants and hygienists will continue to grow at steady pace for some time to come. Both careers offer you the ability to have steady employment paying average of at least $33,000 a year. The education requirements can vary from one to two years depending on how fast you want to complete your training. Once you have completed the education requirements you will then have to pass a certification exam for either career. The amount that it would cost to receive training in this field can range from $850 go up to $7,560. While the economy continues to struggles two good ways to make positive career moves are to become a dental assistant or hygienist, both offer great salary and steady employment for years to come.
The job placement assistance offered by schools is a great place for new grads to start. Nearly every school provides this service to its graduates. It is a particularly good route for students who graduate from prestigious dental assisting or hygienist schools because many employers will go to the schools with the best reputations directly to seek candidates. Because dental assistant schools are often staffed with dental professionals, students can get contacts in the field through their school. Some schools even have guarantees that, for example, they will place you in a job within six months of graduation.
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