Is a Career as a Dental Assistant Right for You?

There is always a demand for dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants because people will always need to care for their teeth. There are many appealing facets to this profession, for example dentists make an excellent salary. Their hygienists and assistants can also earn top pay. It is crucial not to confuse a dental assistant with a dental hygienist, as these are two separate jobs with different qualifications required.

Dental assistants attend school for a lesser period of time than hygienists, therefore they make less on average and their job duties are somewhat different. The dental assistant has many tasks to perform in a day's work. He or she may capture or develop X-ray images, taking patient vital signs and collecting data, preparing rooms and equipment for new patients, taking impressions of teeth, instructing patients on good home dental care and more. There are so many different tasks and you get to see so many different people in one day it is unlikely you'll get bored on the job.

Education requirements are quite attainable for the majority of individuals who want to pursue this career, whether they are fresh out of high school or already a working adult with a family ready to change careers. There are colleges and trade schools with dental assistant programs where you can earn a certificate upon finishing the course. There is also a national exam called the CDA exam that upon successful completion will give the assistant certification on a national level. This gives you a better chance of finding a well-paying job in this field anywhere in the country.

You may begin as a dental assistant, then choose to continue your education in the field. Many employers now offer tuition reimbursement for employees who are going to school to further their position with the company. For example you may want to transition from assistant to hygienist or even someday become a dentist. If you already work as an assistant during the day, there are night courses and even distance learning home study schools that allow you to earn your degree around your current schedule. A career in dental assisting is rewarding because you get to help others, and can be lucrative for you. Many dentists offer their employees handsome benefit packages in addition to their pay.






 

Dental Assistant News:

 

Dental Assistant (Buckhead/Sandy Springs) - Health Care Assistant Jobs
Comprehensive dental practice seeks to hire an exceptional dental assistant to join our team. This position is full-time at approximately 30-35 hrs/week. The responsibilities for this position include but are not limited to supporting ...

Arrests in slaying of Virginia job interviewee - San Francisco Chronicle

Washington Post

Arrests in slaying of Virginia job interviewee
San Francisco Chronicle
. Va., had gotten his teeth cleaned earlier in the evening and had returned to his rental car with a dental hygienist when he was shot, police said. .
Murder charge in Oakland visitor's slayingSan Francisco Chronicle
Suspects In Shooting Of Virginia Man ArrestedKTVU San Francisco
Woman Facing Murder In Va. Man's Oakland DeathCBS 5
Washington Post (blog)
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Dental Assistant Full Time (Babylon) - Health Care Assistant Jobs
Long Island's premier practice for dental implants and periodontics has a rare opening for a full time dental assistant to join our team. We need an experienced dental assistant, or one who has completed a training program recently...

Dentist Jobs and Dental Assistants | savetheknish.org
All dental assistant jobs will offer you insight and first hand experience in the areas of Dentistry and dental jobs. Dental Assistants work very closely with both dentists and hygienists to offer quality care to all patients. ...

The Ins and Outs of a Dental Practice - Minneapolis Star Tribune

The Ins and Outs of a Dental Practice
Minneapolis Star Tribune
In addition to the dentist, the primary healthcare roles include the dental assistant and dental hygienist. The duties of a registered dental assistant .

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Fatal crash outside Darwin shopping centre
One person has been killed in a major crash on the Stuart Highway in Darwin's south...

Dental Assistant (Newport Beach, CA) - Health Care Assistant Jobs
Dental Specialty Practice in Newport Beach seeks enthusiastic, detail and people oriented individual to compliment our existing staff. Call 949-640-0020 for additional information or fax resume to (949) 640-0021...

Cleaner teeth for Jacksonville's needy children
Feet twitching as the dental assistant supervisor cleaned with a whirring brush, Christian Bogga seemed nervous in the dentist's chair Monday. "Oh, come on now," Regina Blount told the child. "You said you had done this before." After the cleaning inside the Duval County Health Department's Smile Express dental van, Christian was truthful but liked the result. "It didn't feel comfortable. It ...

There's A Summer Camp For Everything - MPBN News

Press Herald

There's A Summer Camp For Everything
MPBN News
Below the dental clinic in a basement workroom, students are learning to trim off excess material from mouth molds. Dental hygienist Sue Libby shows Megan .
Open wide and say . drilling, filling may spark dental careersPress Herald

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Katy Perry 'anal' about dental hygiene - San Francisco Chronicle (blog)

The Age

Katy Perry 'anal' about dental hygiene
San Francisco Chronicle (blog)
The pop star admits she was too poor to take her dental hygiene seriously when she was a child, but Britney Spears videos made her start brushing .
Katy Perry dons rubber bikini, discusses posing nude in video Q&A (see it)Examiner.com

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Dental assistants EUR the availability of career opportunities .
Increased demand for oral health in the United States has not only opened the doors for more dentists, the dental assistant is to exploit the growing demand...


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