Dental Assistant Careers
A career as a “dental assistant” is exactly what it sounds like: dental assistants work closely with supervising dentists and assist them with the day-to-day tasks of a dentist's office. Oftentimes, dental assistants are confused with dental hygienists, who are licensed to do different types of dental tasks, such as cleaning and examining dental patients' teeth and gums. A dental hygienist requires a higher level of education and certification than a dental assistant.
The Roles Played by Dental Assistants
Unlike a dental hygienist, a dental assistant does not generally clean or examine teeth and gums. Typically, a dental assistant prepares the patient for the visit by the dentist, by performing such tasks as finding a patient's dental records, making the patient comfortable in the dental chair, and taking and processing dental x-rays. Dental assistants sometimes do have some duties directly related with the patient's teeth and gums, such as removing sutures, applying topical anesthetics, and removing excess cement during the filling process.
For dental procedures, the dental assistant first sterilizes all the dentist's instruments, and lays these out for the dentist. During the procedure, the dental assistant is often right by the dentist's side, handing him or her instruments and keeping the patient's mount dry by using suction. After the dental procedure, it is often the dental assistant, rather than the dentist him/herself, who provides the patient with the needed education for a swift and complication-free recovery.
Some dental assistants have more laboratory duties, while other assistants are assigned more office-oriented duties. Dental assistants who aide the dentist with lab work might make molds of patients' teeth, make temporary crowns, or clean and polish removable dental appliances for patients. Dental assistants assigned more office-oriented duties are most likely to be responsible for scheduling appointments, calling patients, billing patients, and ordering dental supplies.
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Becoming a Dental Assistant
Dental assistants do not require a special degree or certification, although some dental assistants choose to advance their careers by seeking further education or special certifications. Usually, dental assistants are at least high school or junior college graduates who get most of their training on the job. Dentists take the time to train their new assistants in dental vocabulary and procedures, teaching them their job duties as they go. In such cases, it is not unusual for dental assistants to take several months to feel entirely comfortable with their job duties.
However, increasingly community colleges, junior colleges, and vocational schools are offering specific courses designed for dental assistants. As of 2006, the American Dental Association's Dental Accreditation program accredited 269 programs across the United States for dental assistants. The vast majority of these programs take less than a year to complete, and lead to certification as a dental assistant. There are other, non-accredited programs, primarily operated by private trade schools, which are only 4 to 6 months in duration.
Because all dentists have slightly different ways of doing things, even dental assistants who complete an accredited course are often still trained further in the specifics of the office they have been hired into.
In some states, dental assistants are required to be licensed. This means that they must pass an exam, which sometimes is only a written exam, but sometimes includes both written and practical aspects. In states that require licensure, check to see what programs in the state meet the requirements for licensing. In the case of working as a dental assistant in a state requiring a license, dental assistants must usually maintain their license through continuing education courses every few years.
Job Prospects And Compensation For Dental Assistants
As of 2007, the median salary for a dental assistant was $31,550. In the next ten years, the number of dental assistants working in the United States is expected to grow by nearly 30%, meaning that the chances of finding a job as a dental assistant, having graduated from an accredited program, is quite high.
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