Dental Assistants : Educational Background & Career

You must have heard of dentists. But, have you ever considered a career as a dental assistant? As the words suggest, the basic duty of a dental assistant is to assist the dentist with the patient, equipment and the records. Excellent job prospects await candidates in this field. Since dentists require more and more time to complex task, they are always on the look out for efficient dental assistants who can take care of the daily routine work. Most of the skill sets that are necessary to make a career as dental assistant are acquired on the job.

During their career, dental assistants can easily enhance their skills and work profile while working under the supervision of the dentist. Besides patient care, the dental assistant has the responsibility of performing office work and laboratory duties. Very often, people confuse the position of dental assistant with dental hygienists. The wok profile and responsibilities of dental hygienists are not similar with that of dental assistants. Dental hygienists possess the license to perform a variety of clinical tasks which dental assistants are not allowed to do. Dental assistants can be seen most of the time standing close to the dental chair assisting the dentists. Some safety measures are also to be taken by the dental assistants so as to prevent themselves from the harmful rays of the x-ray machine.

Dentists guide and supervise their dental assistants with the assigned tasks. While working under the dentists, the dental assistant perform tasks like taking dental x-rays, preparing material for impressions, applying gum anesthetics and removing sutures among others. However, the work profile and responsibilities assigned to a dental assistant may vary from state to state. Many states are now trying to expand the clinical responsibilities of a dental assistant. Equipped with appropriate qualifications and experience, dental assistants may also be eligible (in selected states) to perform more complex clinical tasks like coronal polishing and restorative dentistry.

Educational Background of Dental Assistants
Students aspiring to take up the career of dental assistant should go for courses in subjects like biology, health and chemistry among others. For specific dental oriented training, candidates can choose from among the American Dental Association (ADA) approved training programs. These programs are chiefly designed to train students in laboratory and dental assisting skills. For more practical expertise in the field of dentistry, students can join dental schools or dental clinics. ADA-approved training programs have time duration of 1 year. Though candidates can find many private vocational schools where they can enroll for short term dental assisting courses, these may not have the accreditation of the ADA.

Even after the completion of the dental assisting training, candidates must be trained in various dental assisting tasks. To help students practically perform their task well, dentists train them dental terminology, patient care, dental office tasks and other related everyday duties. To become well versed with their daily task in the dental clinic, candidates may take up to a couple of months.

To have a competitive edge over others and for the advancement of their career, professionals can also seek certification from the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). Certifications from the aforementioned board have the approval of over 30 states worldwide. To be eligible to sit for this examination, students must possess an ADA-accredited dental assisting program or carry relevant experience of around 2-4 years. With the appropriate educational background and experience, career as dental assistants can really prove to be quite profitable and fulfilling.

Dental Assistant's Career Outlook
Dental assistants work through regular hours, 35 to 40 hours a week. As per the working hours of the dental clinic they join, dental assistants may also work at weekends and in the evenings. Part time job options are also available for dental assistants. Employment growth rate for these professional are really excellent and is expected to increase even further. Dental assistants can easily land jobs at dental clinics and private and public dental hospitals. Around 362,000 jobs are expected for the position of dental assistants through the year 2012. The average annual salary of a dental assistant is around $30,220. These professionals can earn even more with necessary certifications, education and a few years of experience.