Dental Assistant Careers On The Rise
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Dental assistant careers have a positive growth outlook until the year 2018. In fact the target is 36 percent growth for a 10-year period starting 2008. People are now more concerned with preventive oral health care so with an increasing population, you can expect expect a rise in dental assistant careers and jobs.
Building a foundation
A dental assistant career starts with the proper training. You can get that on-the-job, or more formally attend school or complete an online program for dental assistants.
A dental assistant certificate or diploma can be completed in a year or less. Technical, vocational or trade schools offer them. Community and junior colleges also have their own dental assistant program, including an associate degree for two years.
Most states require dental assistants to be certified, but there are some who don't. Still, it is best to get an education from an accredited school where you will be amply prepared through instructional learning and invaluable clinical training. With appropriate training, you can now explore dental assistant careers.
If you are looking at becoming an expanded functions dental assistant, licensure is a must since your responsibilities have increased, and now includes taking dental x-rays.
Better opportunities
Once you have a feel for the profession and gain enough experience, you can decide if you want to advance your career as a dental assistant. You have several options for dental assistant careers, which will usually entail further education.
To continue working under the same set-up, you can become a Registered Expanded Functions Dental Assistant. You now function as an aide to a dentist while performing more complex dental treatment and procedures such as restorative, surgical, endodontic, and periodontal.
While you are still responsible for ensuring the equipment are well maintained and always ready for use, you are now also in charge of less complex dental functions like remove sutures, applying dental dams making tooth casts and temporary crowns.
Necessarily, you will be paid more than the regular dental assistant whose functions are not as technical but more administrative in nature. In general, however, the dental assistant salary is rewarding even if you are employed only part-time.
A dental hygienist is another career option. There is a specific training program for this occupation and hygienists are not necessarily supervised by dentists as they perform their job. Usually though, they do not handle complicated dental procedures but are confined to treatments and procedures for oral care.
In the long run, some dental assistants end up as office managers, especially in busy dental clinics. You may be in charge of other dental assistants and take care of record keeping for the patients and occasionally assist dentists during procedures.
Other dental assistant careers
Your experience as dental assistant will help if you choose to get into sales of dental equipment. Your familiarity with the materials, equipment and supplies used in the dental clinic will be invaluable.
Dental insurance companies hire dental assistants to become insurance claims processors. Again, your familiarity with the field, especially since once of your former functions was to fill up patients' insurance forms makes you an ideal candidate for the job.
It's a field worth exploring. Many enjoy lucrative dental assistant careers and are content to grow in this profession.
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