Dental Assistant

What To Expect

Dental assistants work closely with patients performing a variety of lab duties, office, and patient care. They sterilize equipment, prepare for dental procedures, and update patient dental records. Much of their responsibilities lie in being personable and interacting directly with a variety of patients on a day-to-day basis. They can be accountable for prepping patients for x-rays, impressions, restorations, removing sutures, and other treatments.

Dental Assistants work in well lit, sterilized, and comfortable office environments. Much of their work is done near a dental chair, working with various instruments in order to treat the patient. To protect themselves and clients they must typically wear protective gear such as gloves, masks, or eyewear. Work schedules can vary for dental assistants. While more than half work a usual 40-hour workweek, a third will work less than 35 hours. Smaller percentages have varying work schedules that can fluctuate according to demand. Although most assistants will work Monday through Friday, it will sometimes be necessary to work on weekends should the office call for it.

Recommended Qualifications

Further education is usually necessary for advancement in the dental field, but opportunities do exist. Dental assistants can go on to become office managers, instructors, dental product sales representatives, or insurance claims processors for dental insurance companies. It has become more common for assistants to further their already learned education and become dental hygienists.

Much of a dental assistant’s training can be and is learned by hands-on experience while on the job. However, an increasing number of them are enrolling in accredited training programs through vocational schools and community colleges. *Most programs can take about 1 year to complete. The state requires that students be certified in order to perform more advanced tasks such as x-rays. Licenses can be obtained through the state by examination and a small fee.

High school students commonly begin their training in a dental facility but career opportunities are higher if one is to enroll in an accredited program. The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) approved almost 300 schools in 2009 and more will come in the future. In some rare cases, a vocational training program will offer a 6-month training program but these are usually not accredited by the CODA.

Along with a proper training program, graduates must be sure to obtain a license and certification through the state in which they plan to work. Most states regulate which duties a dental assistant is allowed to perform. Graduates must pass a written or practical exam issued by the state in order to be legally employed. Tests and requirements may vary. In order to find out which apply to you, you must contact the state board with questions. As one continues to work as a dental assistant they must attend continuing education courses to keep up with the changes that occur within the practice of dentistry.