Dental Assistant Careers

The role of a Dental Assistant is to help Dentists and Dental Hygienists carry out the duties of providing quality dental care to individuals as well as providing an environment with sterile equipment and a comfortable setting for the procedures to take place in.

Dental assistants are a valuable resource to the area of dentistry. While they aren’t qualified to perform cleanings or extensive dental procedures, they keep things moving at a steady pace. Their role is often behind the scenes getting everything ready. There are more duties to Dental Assistant than what meets the eye.

Being a Dental Assistant takes a particular type of person. You have to enjoy working with the public. You also have to have confidence in your abilities. A sincere interest in the dental field and helping others are also recommended. Dental Assistants must have excellent communication skills as they are an important part of the patient and dental staff relationship.

Dental Assistants generally review the medical history with the patient and help them feel comfortable prior to procedures taking place. The often explain what the procedure entails and what will be taking place. The Dental Assistant will be present during the procedure to assist either the Hygienist or the Dentist. During the procedure, the Dental Assistant will clear out the patient’s mouth, adjust the chair, move the lights, and anything else that can make the experience better for the patient. After the procedure the Dental Assistant will explain follow up treatment to the patient as well as provide the patient will information to assist in the healing process.

A Dental Assistant has to know how to prioritize their time to ensure all their duties are taken care of. One of the most important duties of a Dental Assistant is proper cleaning of all the dental tools. They must be properly sanitized. Each tool needs to be examined to ensure it is still usable. Dental assistants must also know what tools and equipment each dental procedure requires. This allows them to set up tool kits to have at the dental station prior to a procedure being done.

Dentists and Dental Hygienists depend on the Dental Assistant being alert and prepared during all dental procedures. They want to have all the necessary tools at their fingertips for easy access and to allow them to remain concentrated on the patient and the procedure they are performing. In some states, Dental Hygienists are allowed to administer local anesthetics to prepare the patient for their procedures.

A very important role of the Dental Assistant is to monitor the patient during the procedure. This may involve taking their vital signs. Other signs to watch for include changes in breathing patterns, disorientation, and a glazed look in the eyes. All of these can indicate an emergency situation. Patients may have an allergic reaction to the anesthetic or suffer a medical ailment such as a heart attack.

Dental Assistants need to be prepared for such emergencies to arise and react calmly and quickly. It is important that every Dental Assistant is trained in CPR. They should also have emergency phone numbers in place if the need arises. It is the responsibility of the Dental Assistant and other staff to do all they can for the patient until proper medical help arrives. Doing so can make the difference between life and death.

The role of Dental Assistant involves wearing many hats. For those in the profession, they often enjoy having a variation in their daily routine. They love working with people as well as working in the dental profession. Being an effective Dental Assistant involves willingness to continuing learning. It requires a positive attitude and attention to details. The best Dental Assistants are those who know how to effectively communicate with the patients and the staff they work with. This is a great career for those who feel they can handle the ongoing needs that are placed in their hands.

Now what you have decided to start looking into a career as a dental assistant you will want to consider your options for obtaining the education you need to go into your newly chosen field.

There are many options to consider when deciding to go into dental assisting as a career choice.  Many city and state level colleges will offer programs to help you start as a dental assistant however one of the more popular methods for obtaining a dental assistant certification is through a vocational or career training school.

Some of the more popular dental training schools are Apollo College which can be found at www.ApolloCollege.edu, Concorde career colleges which can be found at www.Concorde.edu, and also another very popular school is Bryman college at www.Go2BrymanCollege.com

While you can expect to make good money as a dental assistant, some of the schooling to get you started will be an expense that you need to seriously consider and plan for.

During the research that we did when writing this article we found that on average dental assistant school vocational colleges ranged between $2500 and $6,000 to give you the certification that you need to get started right away.  A few schools have all expenses included however others do have material fees of up to $2500 which will want to be considered when making your choice an educational institution.

A few schools such as American career colleges www.americancareer.info offer not only dental assistant educations but medical assistant, pharmaceutical, x-ray, and nursing educations all under one roof.  One of these type schools might be a great choice for you if you're not 100% sure that a career as a dental assistant is your final destination.  By going to a college or career center that offers multiple medical field positions you will be putting yourself in a great position to see exactly what all of your options are when considering a career in the health industry.

A school such as this also would be a great place to continue your education after receiving your certification a dental assistant, to possibly move up to a dental hygiene position or even possibly continue your education in the future to become a dentist or possibly even an orthodontists.

Starting now and an industry that is growing as rapidly as the health care industry is in today’s world is a great way to insure you will have the skills necessary to maintain an excellent career in the health field.

With the skills you are about to learn as a dental assistant you’ll find jobs are not hard to find if you are skilled and professional at your newfound craft.  There’s a great sense of self-satisfaction to be had in knowing that you’re doing something that helps other people and improves the quality of life for many.  

One area to consider if you like children is to specialize in dental practices that cater specifically to children.  Specialized practices like this are a great way to carve yourself into a niche area of the market that is always guaranteed to be highly profitable and busy.

Working with children can be one of the most rewarding parts of a dental career and I highly recommend it as a specialty area for anyone considering a career in dentistry that also has a fondness of children.

So whether you’re deciding to go into dental assistant career college as just a stepping stone for a career as a dentist for orthodontist, or if working as a dental assistant is to be your final destination I want to say congratulations on your choice to look into the dental assistant field and may have much success in your endeavors.

Becoming a Dental Assistant not only prepares you for a wonderful career working in the dental field, is also pays very well. Since this area of employment is anticipated to be one of the most in demand over the next six years, your chances of securing a great job with a great salary and benefits is very likely.

The Median hourly rate of pay for Dental Assistants is around $14. This is well above the minimum wage established in most states. In addition to a great hourly wage, many Dental Assistants will receive bonuses if the dental office is doing well, health insurance, and discounted dental procedures. Almost all Dental Assistants receive paid vacation days, sick days, and paid Holidays.

However, earning such a high hourly wage comes with a great level of responsibility. Dental Assistants perform duties relating to patient care, office sanitation, lab duties, and assisting the dentist and hygienist with a variety of procedures. Dental Assistants need to be alert, pay attention to detail, and have effective communication skills. They must also be able to provide patients with comfort measures both before and after procedures are completed.

Dental Assistants are easily confused with Dental Hygienists. Compared to hygienists, who have a median rate of pay of $23.65 per hour, a Dental Assistant is not making a very good hourly wage. However, they are very different professions. A Dental Assistant does just that, assists the dentist and hygienist with providing the best quality care for all patients. A hygienist takes care of cleaning teeth and generally has a steady stream of patients who come in every six months for routine cleaning procedures.

The amount of pay a Dental Assistant earns depends on many factors. The cost of living in your area will be the greatest influence. The amount of revenue the dental office you work for generates will also be a deciding factor. New dentists might have to pay less than established dentists will clientele because they don’t have the traffic coming into the office. However, it is very possible your pay will increase as more patients are drawn to that dental office.

Your level of experience will also be a consideration. You may have to accept a position that pays less than average to get your foot in the door and gain some hands on experience. However, with the demand for Dental Assistants, you should have no problem securing employment. Many dental offices want to keep quality Dental Assistants. They may offer to start you at a lower entry level pay, with the understanding that your performance will be reviewed in 90 days or other time frame. Based on your performance, you pay will be adjusted at that time. 

It is important to understand that certified and uncertified Dental Assistants complete the same types of tasks. However, those who are certified earn several dollars more per hour than those who aren’t certified. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to take the certification exam early on in your career as a Dental Assistant.