Dental Assistant

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Become A Dental Assistant

Do you value your pearly whites more than real pearls? Is a nice set of healthy teeth the first thing you notice about a person? If you've always admired great dental hygiene from afar, and would jump at the chance to get a closer look, becoming a dental assistant might be a good career choice for you.

Dental Assisting in a Nutshell

Dental assistants need to be personable, organized and able to multi-task. They meet-and-greet new mouths every day while executing a variety of patient-care and office duties. Dental assistants should not be confused with dental hygienists, who are licensed to perform more complicated tasks.

Education Requirements for Dental Assistants

Dental assistants provide another set of competent hands for a dentist, so it helps to have those hands be properly educated. Here are some things to think about:

Accreditation—The Commission on Dental Accreditation, a subset of the American Dental Association (ADA), approved 265 dental assisting training programs nationwide in 2005.
School Options—Community colleges, junior colleges and trade schools offer dental assisting training programs, which involve classroom and laboratory instruction, as well as experience in dental offices or clinics. Dental assistants can gain certification through many 1-year programs or earn an associate's degree after two years of study.
Licensing—Most states require prospective dental assistants to become licensed or registered within the state (although this requirement may already be fulfilled through the education process, depending on the state and school). This can mean completing another 4 to 12 hours of state-approved education courses. Some states also require dental assistants to continue taking classes annually to maintain their license or registration.
Advancement—Dental assistants who wish to perform advanced duties can continue their education towards becoming dental hygienists, which will enhance career opportunities as well as income. Enterprising dental assistants can also complete the Radiation Health and Safety examination offered by the Dental Assisting National Board, or state-approved courses in radiology, to expand their competency in the dental office.

Day in the Life at the Dentist's Office

Bright lights, clean dental scrubs, latex gloves and a 40-hour workweek define the experience of the average dental assistant, who is expected to manage office duties such as pulling patient dental files while simultaneously preparing a row of reclining patients to open wide and say ahhhh!

Dental assistants perform more elaborate functions as their employers see fit, such as taking dental x-rays, making casts of teeth and prepping patients' mouths for treatment.

Job Growth for Dental Assistants

Dental assistant is projected to be one of the fastest growing occupations, with job opportunities expected to increase by 27% nationally through 2014. Dental assistants are also employable in small towns and major cities—anywhere there is a dentist in need of an extra pair of hands.

This entry-level job is a great stepping stone to more highly skilled and better paying careers in oral care, such as dental hygienist. Without further training, however, opportunities for advancement are limited.