If you are looking for a great career that shows potential for growth, you may want to consider becoming a dental assistant. According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dental Assistant employment opportunities are expected to grow twenty-nine percent from the year 2006 to the year 2016. This is much faster than almost every other occupation.
An Overview of a Dental Assistant Career
One of the biggest reasons for the steady growth in the field of dental assisting is more and more people are retaining their natural teeth longer. This comes from more affordable access to dental care. There is also a bigger demand for preventative dentistry from the younger generation.
As more people are seeking out the services of good dentists, dental care is becoming a very lucrative business. Dentists are seeing the true value that a good dental assistant can bring to their office.
The dental assistant has some of the most comprehensive duties found in the dental office. The regulations may vary from state to state but the general duties will include the following:
A dental assistant may provide direct patient care by assisting the dentist during procedures.
A dental assistant may prepare the patient for treatment and obtain dental records. They may also do teaching such as postoperative care and general oral care.
Another duty of the dental assistant may be to develop x-rays and prepare materials for making impressions and restorations.
In some states, dental assistants are able remove sutures, apply anesthetics to gums, place rubber dams on teeth, apply cavity preventive agents to teeth and remove the excess cement that is used in the filling process.
A dental assistant may prepare the setup tray for the dentist prior to a procedure and sterilize and disinfect equipment.
Some dental assistants may be trained in laboratory duties. Is so, then the dental assistant will be able to make temporary crowns. They will also be able to make casts of the teeth and mouth from impressions. Another duty of the laboratory trained dental assistant may be to clean and polish removable appliances.
But, as mentioned above, the duties of a dental assistant are very comprehensive. In addition to patient care duties, the dental assistant is also trained in office duties. This will include scheduling patients and maintaining treatment records. The dental assistant can also be responsible for billing, payments and ordering supplies and materials.
If you are considering dental assisting as your career, please keep in mind that there are additional skills that you must possess to become a dental assistant. You must be reliable and work well with others. In the dental office, you are in close proximity to your co-workers and you depend on each other to get your job done. Therefore, you must be reliable enough to carry out your duties in an efficient and professional manner while maintaining a pleasant working environment for you and your co-workers.
You must have great manual dexterity to become a dental assistant. You will be an additional set of hands while the dentist is doing procedures. You must have the dexterity to assist the dentist by handing him the instruments he needs or by operating the suction device to keep the mouth clear of excess saliva and water. The dentist may also ask you to assist with specific procedures in which you must have very steady hands.
Dental assisting is a great career that shows promise of being in high demand in the years to come. If you are not sure if this is the career for you, contact a local dentist and ask if you can follow one of his dental assistants for a day. This will give you a better idea of the type of things you will be required to do if you should decide to become a dental assistant. Not everyone can handle being a dental assistant, so it is best to find out if this is the career for you before you invest time and money into classes.
When it comes to applying for jobs, education in dental assisting, such as the Penn Foster Career School Dental Assistant Program offers, will give you a definite advantage over applicants without formal training. Learn more about Penn Foster | Request free info
With a diploma from Penn Foster Career School you can become a dental assistant and begin a rewarding career in healthcare. With online classes at Penn Foster Career School, you can learn at your own pace and on your own schedule.
