DENTAL ASSISTANTS – What You Need To Know

Hi,

Welcome To DentalsAssistantsHQ.com! My Name is Ryan and I’m here to share with you Important Information on How To Become A Dental Assistant and what the Career is all about. I have created this website to help others learn more about the career.

I am continuously updating this site, and if there is anything that you would like included in this website, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Becoming a Dental Assistant can be one of the most rewarding career moves a person can do in their lifetime. I’m here to provide as much information as I can to help you succeed in becoming a Dental Assistant.

What Are Dental Assistants By The Way?

Dental Assistants are the right hand help of Dentists when performing duties and tasks. They perform various duties involving the care of patients, office related tasks, and laboratory duties.  A typical dental assistant learns different duties and responsibilities on the job, but for more advanced duties, State requires licensing and certification in order to perform more advanced responsibilities.

When a Dentist is performing a dental procedure, Dental assistants hands instruments and keeps the oral cavity of the patient dry by using suctions. They can also teach patients the right postoperative and general oral care.

Some states are allowing Dental assistants to perform restorative dentistry functions and coronal polishing provided they have the right license, training and certification.

Dental assistants usually work protective masks,gloves and caps as a standard precaution of spreading communicable diseases. They also follow standard Xray precaution procedures to protect their health and the patients as well.

Most Dental assistants are also given Office related duties which includes:

  • Receiving of Patients
  • Keeping Track of Patient records and Updating them accordingly
  • Schedules Appointments and Cancels them according to Availability
  • Orders Dental Supplies and Materials when inventory gets low
  • They can send bills or invoices and receive payments from patients
Dental Assistants Are Different from Dental Hygienists which are licensed to practive more advanced dental procedures.

What About Dental Assistant Training?

Usually a Dental Assistant learns different skills and knowledge on the job, but there is an increasing number of Dental assistants trained in Junior colleges, learning institutions and even in the Armed Forces. These Dental assisting Programs usually takes 1 year to finish.

But if you want more career opportunities, ability to perform more advanced dental duties, most States require certification or Licensure to accomplish these things.

If you just want to become an entry-level Dental Assistant, most states don’t require formal education or training. If you are a high school student interested in becoming a Dental Assistant, you’ll need to take courses or units in Bio, Chem, History and Office Management.

If you wish to be further educated, the Commission of Dental Accreditation (CODA) have recently approved about 281 accredited Dental Assisting Programs since 2009. These Dental Assisting programs includes lessons and information in classrooms and clinical settings.

These programs can usually last for 1 year. There are two years dental assisting programs that can lead to an associates degree. There are also some private vocational institutions that offer 6 months dental assisting programs, but these are not accredited with the Commission of Dental Accreditation (CODA).

What’s the EMPLOYMENT Outlook for DENTAL ASSISTANTS?

You will find most Dental assistants in Dental clinics, actually about 93 percent of jobs. The expected growth in the Dental assisting field is about 36% for the decade 2008-2018. This is faster than other average jobs. The opportunities for Dental assistants continue to rise because more and more dentists require a helping hand. But you have to consider that most employers or dentists require a certification or licensure before hiring someone.

What’s the Dental Assistant Salary Ranges?

Half of Dental Assistants have a base pay of $16.09 hourly rate or an Annual Salary of $33,470. If you are certified or licensed, it is not uncommon for dental assistants to earn $46,000+ and above. Most Dental Assistants are employed in California, followed by Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois respectively. For a detailed comparison of salary ranges for Dental Assistants, you may visit this website.

I would say that Dental Assistants are one of the most promising careers for the 2008 – 2018 decade.

If you are interested in finding more information about Dental Assisting programs, please fill out the details below and find a Dental Assisting program near your area to get started.