Uses for Dental Assistant Skills

You can complete your Dental Assistant training in about 12 to 24 months. This will provide you with the necessary skills to work in a dental facility. If you are interested in becoming a Dentist or Dental Hygienist, then it is a good idea to train as a Dental Assistant first. This will provide you with the opportunity to explore the dental field and know exactly what you are getting involved in before spending four or more years on an education in a field you are not going to enjoy.

Dental assistants help with a variety of needs in dental offices. They sterilize tools and get items ready for procedures for both Dentists and Hygienists. They assist during the actual procedures, handing necessary tool and equipment. In some states, they are even allowed to administer local anesthetics.

Dental Assistants have a front row seat for all the dental procedures as they take place. Careful observation of techniques will be a great learning experience for them. While Dental Assistants aren’t allowed to perform the procedures they are watching due to licensing issues, they definitely come to learn the process for each procedure.

Once a Dental Assistant decides to continue their education and pursue a career as a Dentist or Hygienist, they knowledge they gained in the dental office will be very valuable. Since the Dental Assistant has watched procedures take place many times, they are more likely to complete the procedures accurately themselves during the learning process of their continued dental education program.

Many Dentists want to keep the qualified staff they have. They are often willing to work your schedule around your classes. Some in larger dental offices might offer to assist you with the cost of attending the classes or reimburse you for your education upon completion if you agree to work for them.

Working as a Dental Assistant prior to becoming a Hygienist or Dentist gives you an edge on the competition. You will have work experience and education to market versus only education. Many employers want both when they hire dental Hygienists and Dentists. You will also have very sharp skills in the areas of communication and understanding fears patients may have when they enter the dentist office.

A certificate as a Dental Assistant can be a mere stepping stone for some who have greater ambitions in the dental field. However, the experience is one you will find educational and full of opportunity. You will also be more likely to treat new Dental Assistants with compassion and take them under your wing as they enter the dental field in the future.

All fields of dentistry continue to grow because people are taking better care of their teeth then ever before. New technology has lead to procedures that are not as painful as in the past, encouraging patients to come in for dental care. People are also living longer, so their teeth need to last longer.

If you are a Dental Assistant with an interest in pursuing a career as a Dentist or Hygienist, look into various programs in your area. Some with give you credit for the work you are doing at your position in the dental office. It will depend on the program and what types of tasks you are performing. However, many people find out they have less courses to take, saving them both time and money if they look into this prior to enrolling in a dental program.

Dental Assistant

A dental assistant is someone who assists the dentist and helps them for a more efficient treatment. They help the dentists by cleaning all their instruments, preparing patients by cleaning their teeth and taking x-rays, passing along tools to the dentist and basically really just making the dentist job a lot easier.

The requirements to become a dental assistant vary state to state. In some states you don't even need a college degree but then in others it takes a licence. There are over 200 dental assisting schools in the United States where you can become a Certified Dental Assistant (CDA). Dental assistants must also take and pass the DANB (Dental Assisting National Board) examination after they have completed their dental assisting program or have 2 years of on-the-job training as a dental assistant. If you don't want to wait those 2 years or go to a dental program at a college you could go to a 10-12 week in-office course. Just note that doing the 10-12 week course is going to cost $3000-4000 and possibly more depending on where you take this course.

In conclusion becoming a dental assistant is a lot less work compared to becoming a dentist but it still takes time and effort from you to do well. A dental assistant is a very fun and interesting career path and the popularity of this job is growing every single year. If you enjoy working hard and have a good work ethic then this a good career choice for you.

Why Become a Dentist?

Becoming a dentist takes a very long time and a bunch of hard work. You have to take at least 8 years of dentistry school and graduate. This is a lot of work but the payout is worth every second of hard work you ever put into it. Below are some reasons why becoming a dentist is a very smart decision.

Not only will you be doing what you love and helping people everyday, you will also be earning quite a bit of money doing so. I go into more detail in the dentists salaries tab above but on average you earn over $120,000 a year! That is a lot of money to be getting paid for what you enjoy doing. If you enjoy learning about the human body and mouth then becoming a dentist will suite your interests. You get to work with people everyday and interact with your community. You will also have the option to become a specialist in a certain form of dentistry such as a orthodontist or oral surgeon. This adds a perk that most jobs don't have. If you get bored being a general dentist you can always go back to school to specialize in something. This is what makes being a dentist so worthwhile.

How Many Years Does It Take To Become a Dentist?

If you are looking to become a dentist you will have to take at least 8 years of schooling and even more of you want become a dentist specialist. It may seem like a lot of time but a dentist salary isn't too shabby. The first four years of school will be done at any university to receive your prerequisites so you can be considered for admission into dental school. These prerequisites typically take 3 years to complete and up to 6 months for the application process which is why it takes 4 years. Prerequisites for dental school will consist of the following: 

1. Inorganic Chemistry (1 year)
2. Organic Chemistry (1 year)
3. Math (physics 1 semester, trigonometry 1 semester)
4. Biology (1 year)
5. Human Anatomy

Suggested additional courses: Statistics, Histology, Upper level biology, and biochemistry.

After you have finished those courses you will then have the chance to take The Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) which is the entrance exam needed to get into dental school. This exam will be on the courses you have taken at the university. The DAT is a very challenging and tough exam that takes a lot of preparation to be ready for.

Once you have finished all of this you will wait to see if you got into dental school. On average only 30% of the applications are accepted and the average GPA is 3.4. Getting into dental school is very competitive.

You will then have 4 years of dental school once you get in. Once you graduate from here you will your Bachelor Degree and D.D.S (Doctorate of Dental Surgery) and you will become a Dentist Generalist. To become a Dentist Specialist you must do the same courses as a Dentist Generalist but do an additional year of school to receive your Specialist Certificate. But if you decide that you want to be something like an orthodontist, periodontist or oral surgeon then that will require you to take up to 2 more years of special  education in that specific category after your D.D.S. You won't have to decide this until after dental school since the process is the same but there is extra schooling you will have to complete. After you finish schooling you will be off earning a very respectful amount of money.