Become a Dental Assistant

A Dental Assistant is an important part of any dental health team. They assist Dentists in many capacities and provide support to the patients. Some of a dental assistant’s duties may include developing oral and maxillofacial x-rays, assisting Dentists with cleanings and other dental procedures, making impressions of teeth and patient teaching. Some even take vital signs before, during and after complicated dental procedures that require sedation. The procedures a dental assistant are allowed to perform vary from state to state based on regulations in a specific state.

A dental assistant also helps out with administrative duties including scheduling patient appointments, handling insurance verification, answering phone calls, maintaining patient information and other needs around the office. What a dental assistant is required to do will vary by office. Some dental assistants work as a personal assistant to a dentist in smaller offices.

Dental assistants are often in charge of infection control procedures, which are regulated by OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. These regulations lay out strict guidelines for infection control within a dental office. These include making sure staff is using proper hand washing techniques, ensuring that soap and anti-bacterial hand sanitizer are available near all sinks, proper disposal of bio-hazardous waste, proper sanitization of all equipment used in direct patient contact and other infection control measures.

A dental assistant is a very important job within a dental office. Responsible and well-trained individuals are key to the success of any practice. These examples do not entirely encompass the scope of a dental assistant’s duties, which may be more or less depending on the office.

In some states a college degree is not required to become a dental assistant, In these states two years of on the job training fulfill the experience required. Other states require the completion of a vocational program that takes less than two years. However, most states do require a two-year associates degree before a student is eligible to sit for the CDA, Certified Dental Assistant, exam. These states will not allow someone to work as a dental assistant without successful completion of an associates degree from an accredited school and an acceptable score on the CDA exam. It is important to know your state requirements prior to applying to a dental assistant program. It is also very important to know a school’s accreditation status. The American Dental Assistant Association keeps an updated list of accredited programs.

Once you have chosen a college or vocational program to attend it is important to follow their admission procedures. Do not be disappointed if there is a waiting list. Often there are prerequisites to entering the programs. These need to be fulfilled before admission into the program will be granted. Dental assistant programs can take two to three years to complete. A small portion of the programs is devoted to clinical experience where a student will perform duties learned in class in a real world dental setting. Becoming a dental assistant requires just as much hard work and persistence as any another program.

When you have successfully completed the program you are eligible to sit for the CDA exam. Some states allow students who have graduated but not taken their exam to work as a dental assistant on a probationary basis. This expires if they have not taken the exam within three to six months of graduation. Passing the exam will certify with the state that you are eligible to work as a dental assistant. To maintain this certification you must participate in Continuing Education courses. Often these courses are seminars on new procedures and improvements to the old ones. There are also additional certifications available to enhance your skills as a dental assistant. Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are available for dental assistants. An advanced degree is required to teach in a dental assistant program.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics job opportunities for dental assistants are expected to increase 29% in the next ten years. It is one of the fastest growing professions. This is due to an aging population, which require more dental care, and a high job turn over rate. Like some other professions that have fallen out of popularity dental assistants are retiring faster than new graduates can be hired. This job explosion paves the way for incoming students to choose from a variety of different opportunities and will in turn drive up the average pay for a dental assistant.

In 2006 the median pay for a dental assistant was $14.53 an hour. This is expected to increase as the demand increases. The earning potential for a dental assistant is near $20 per hour. Benefits can vary in the different employment settings but most offices offer benefits and reimbursement for continuing education. For those dental assistants that choose to further their education with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree teaching positions are also expected to increase on the coming years.

Working in a dental office is not the only place a dental assistant can find work. Anywhere there are people there is a demand for dental assistants. States often hire them to perform routine dental care for prisoners incarcerated in state facilities. The government recruits them to serve in the military and provide service to the men and women of the military. Some private facilities like nursing homes will employ a dental assistant to help maintain the daily dental health of patients.