The demand for more focused and specialized service, particularly in providing health care and medical services, has created more job opportunities for qualified medical professional assistants. Assistants provide support to a practitioner and his licensed staff and perform various duties based on the nature and demand of the job. For example, a dental assistant can be assigned for laboratory, office and patient care duties. They maintain records of patients and perform other duties as a dental office clerk, assist the dentist during patient treatment, prepare instruments and medication, keep the patient comfortable in the waiting room, sterilize equipment and make dental impressions.
If the dental assistant duties interest you, check out this dental assistant job description to learn a bit more detail about the careers available. You have to keep in mind the following when considering dental assistant employment:
- Job Outlook: The job outlook for dental assistants according to the U.S. Department of Labor is excellent and will continue to rise until 2018. In 2008, there were almost 300,000 jobs held by dental assistants across the United States. They are working in dental offices, and employed by local, state and Federal government offices. By 2018, it is projected that there will be job opportunities for close to 500,000 dental assistants.
- Educational Requirements: Being a dental assistant requires no formal education or training for an entry-level position as you can learn most of your skills on the job. For those interested in working as a dental assistant, you need to have a high school diploma. Additional courses in biology, health and chemistry during high school are beneficial to understand most of the processes and terms used in a dental practice as well as the knowledge of how to manage an office. Basic computer skills are essential if you work in a dental office setting.Those who are already working as dental assistants but would like to further their education and their chances of promotion can take a one-year certificate or diploma course in any of the approved dental assistant training programs being offered in junior and community colleges. An associate degree in dental assisting can be achieved by taking the approved two-year course. The dental assistant program includes classroom and laboratory instruction, and pre-clinical instruction on related theories and dental assisting skills. The Commission on Dental Accreditation accredits these programs.
- Other Requirements: Most of the time, dental assistants assist the dentist during patient treatment. You should have the basic knowledge of dealing with different types of people. You should be friendly, have a gentle nature and work well with others. You should also have good manual dexterity and be reliable.
- Certification and Licensure: Different states impose different certification and licensure requirements for dental assistants who have completed further education. A state can also limit the functions that can be assigned to a dental assistant; therefore you should check your state board requirements for this. Some states will require you to have passed a practical and/or written examination as well as require you to have continuing education to maintain your dental assistant registration and license.Dental assistants who handle radiological equipment and perform radiological procedures must complete the Certified Dental Assistant examination conducted by the Dental Assisting National Board or the Radiation Health and Safety examination. This is a requirement in some states.
- Advancement: You can advance on the job with further education. You can be promoted to become a dental office manager. You can also become a dental assisting instructor, an insurance claims processor for dental insurance, or a dental product sales representative. You can also choose to take additional courses and become a dental hygienist, which commands a higher salary.
For many, being an entry-level dental assistant is their stepping stone to higher paying jobs. They can get the basic training and experience working in a dental office and their acquired skills can be used when they seek further education and certification and move on to other jobs.