One of the most important priorities of a dental assistant is providing patient care. Serves as an additional pair of eyes, ears and hands. Compare job duties, education, job growth, and salary for dental assistants with similar occupations. Dental assistants have a lot of tasks, including patient care, record keeping, and scheduling appointments.
Their functions vary depending on the state and the dentists' offices in which they work. Dental assistants who do not have formal education in dental care can learn their functions through on-the-job training. In the office, a dental hygienist, dentist, or experienced dental assistant teaches the new assistant dental terminology, the names of the instruments, how to complete daily tasks, how to interact with patients, and other activities needed to help the dental office run smoothly. This table shows a list of occupations with responsibilities similar to those of dental assistants.
The What They Do tab describes typical tasks and responsibilities of workers in the occupation, including the tools and equipment they use and the degree of supervision they receive. This tab also covers different types of occupational specialties. The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share duties, skills, interests, education, or training similar to the occupation covered in the profile. Learn more about dental assistants by visiting additional resources, such as O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
The most visible thing is that people can see dental assistants passing instruments, but that's just the beginning of their technical skills. If you're interested in learning more about how to get your certificate, Carrington College offers a dental assistance program that can be completed in as little as nine months. There are more than 300 accredited dental hygiene education programs at community colleges, technical colleges, dental schools and universities across the UK. To learn more about dental lab careers, talk to your own dentist or arrange a visit to a local dental lab.
Dentists will continue to hire dental assistants to complete routine tasks, allowing dentists to work more efficiently. To be allowed to perform more advanced functions, such as taking x-rays or performing coronal enamels, many states require dental assistants to be licensed or certified, and those requirements vary by state. To be an excellent dental assistant and perform the necessary daily tasks, you need a broad set of technical, administrative and staff skills to provide patients with high-quality oral care. Dental assistance programs can take between one and two years to complete, depending on whether the desired result is a certificate, diploma, or associate degree.
In other states, there are no formal education requirements, and dental assistants learn through on-the-job training. Once students begin dental assistant training, programs typically take about a year or less to complete. Dental technicians can also teach dental technology courses in educational programs and apply their knowledge to the research, sale and marketing of prosthetic materials, instruments and equipment. While dental technicians rarely work directly with patients, except under the direction of a licensed dentist, they are valuable members of the dental care team.
The National Career College Dental Assistant Program provides a higher education experience and the technical skills needed to succeed in this career. .
