Dental Assistant.

If you're looking for a new career, dental assisting is a great choice. A career as a dental assistant offers you great hours and benefits while allowing you to get into the workforce quickly and easily through fast track certificate dental assistant training, or find an affordable diploma or associate's degree program that works with your schedule. A dental assistant not only builds a dynamic career, but adds great value to the dental office, becoming a vital contributor to its success.

As a dental assistant, you will be expected to perform a large variety of duties, including patient care, office, and laboratory duties. An assistant's job is usually two-fold, working both in the front of a dental office organizing patient records, and alongside the dentist, to assist in examining patients. Dental assistants make patients comfortable in the dental chair and prepare them for treatment. During the visit, assistants often prepare X-rays, sterilize and disinfect instruments and equipment, hand instruments and materials to dentists, and keep patients' mouths dry and clear by using suction hoses or other devices. They also instruct patients on postoperative and general oral healthcare. Most dental assistants work 35-40 hours a week within a dentist office and your job description may vary by office.

Many states are expanding the duties of dental assistants to include tasks such as coronal polishing and restorative dentistry functions. These dental assistants must meet specific training and experience requirements. Dental assistants may also be required to prepare materials for impressions and restorations, and process dental X-rays as directed by a dentist. Some assistants may even be allowed to remove sutures, apply topical anesthetics to gums or cavity preventive agents to teeth, remove excess cement used in the filling process, and place dental dams to isolate teeth for treatment.

Depending on the type of office you work in, dental assistants may have office duties and/or laboratory duties. Those with office duties schedule and confirm appointments, receive patients, keep treatment records, send bills, receive payments, and order dental supplies and materials. Dental assistants with laboratory duties make casts of the teeth and mouth from impressions, clean and polish removable appliances, and make temporary crowns.

Most dental assistants are graduates of specialized training programs offered through community or junior colleges, including the Ross Medical Education Center. These programs can last from a number of months to two years and give students practical internship experience in dental schools and offices. All dental assistant certificate and diploma programs require a high school diploma or GED and some require science or computer-related courses for admission. You can also opt to become certified by passing a dental assistant state exam. This certification insures a dental assistant's training and knowledge of the profession.

Dental assisting employment rates are expected to increase by 30% in the next ten years, so people with dental assistant training are sure to be in high demand. Dental assistants earn an average salary of $29,785, while the upper bracket of experienced, full-time workers can earn closer to $36,564 per year. Flexible schedules and high earnings are the major perks that come with this fast-growing occupation.

Michael Belmont is the author of this article on Dental Assistant.
Find more information about Dental Assistant Classes here.