How To Become A Dental Assistant
|
Becoming a dental assistant offers one of the fastest educational paths to entering the rapidly expanding healthcare field.
Dental Assistant Job Description
Dental assistants provide support functions for dentists including assisting with dental procedures, lab work and office functions.
When helping with patient's dental procedures, a dental assistant may be involved with:
- Preparing dental instruments
- Gathering patient's dental records
- Handing instruments to dentist during patient procedures Keeping the patient's mouth dry during procedures Instructing patients on proper oral healthcare
- Taking and preparing x-rays
- Applying anesthetics
Lab duties of dental assistants include making casts of teeth, creating temporary crowns and cleaning dental prosthetics.
Office support includes scheduling appointments, receiving patients in the office, billing, ordering supplies and keeping patient records.
Most dental assistants work in dentist's offices. A small portion may work in hospitals or doctor's offices. Similar to dental hygienists, up to one third of dental assistants work part-time.
Salary Ranges / Job Outlook for Dental Assistants
Like many healthcare fields, the demand for dental assistants is expected to grow faster than average over the next decade.
The median hourly pay rate for dental assistants is $13.10 and the high and low range of the scale is $8.45 at the low end and $19.41 at the high end.
Advancement in this career is limited due to the low education requirements. Some dental assistants advance to office management or product sales representatives. Others go to school for an additional year to become a dental hygienist. Dental assisting is very much an entry level position, but experience in the field and additional education can be very lucrative.
Education / Getting Started
Several educational paths exist to become a dental assistant. Most dental assistants learn on the job, however more and more dentists hire assistants with formal training. The American Dental Association accredits one and two year dental assistant programs leading to certificates or associate's degrees. Some schools offer four to six month dental assisting programs, but these are not accredited. A clinical rotation is part of the training.
Most States require dental assistants to be registered or licensed. Dental assistants who perform x-rays may be regulated by their State as well. The Dental Assisting National Board offers certification that meets the registration requirements in over 30 states. CPR training and continuing education may be a requirement of a dental assistant.
Dental Assistant Summary
Training to be a dental assistant is a great way to get into the healthcare field. It offers a great employment outlook, but additional education is needed to get into more lucrative jobs.
About The Author
Max Stein is a freelance writer who writes about business, education and marketing. Contact him at maxstein_9@hotmail.com
What do you think? http://degreesource.blogspot.com
|
|
|
Simple Beauty - 10 Tips That Are Free And Easy
It is simple to look and feel more beautiful starting today. You can even put away your pocketbook because these tips are free.1. Smile... it will brighten your day and others around you will feel your energy.2. Stretch... cats know that t...(related: Beauty)
Should You Get Plastic Surgery?
These days, plastic surgery is often much maligned, and while the apparent levity with which it is sometimes undertaken and its almost epidemic-type spread can seem rather worrying, the benefits of...(related: Beauty)
Color Contacts: Fashionable, Dramatic And Hot!
"A great way to give you a subtle or dramatic change is with colored contact lenses. Manufacturers currently make a wide range of different color contacts in both prescription and non-prescription form with colors available to make your eyes sizzle!"There are four types of colored contact lenses; visibility tints, enhancement tints, opaque color tints and light filtering tints, each offering something a bit different. Regardless if you will be purchasing color contacts for prescription or plano (non-prescription) form you will need to have a valid eye prescription. In the United States it is law that you have a prescription for any contact lenses purchases, whether they are prescription or not. An eyecare practitioner can include any optometrists, ophthalmologist or even opticians (in some states). This ...(related: Beauty)
Alpha Hydroxy Acids
Alpha Hydroxy Acids treatments have the ability to create a clearer complexion. Free from acne scars,fine wrinkles or dull looking skin.Whether glycolic, lactic or arginine is used-they are all still acids! AHAs dissolve the natural moisturizing factor that acts as a glue to hold dead cells in the stratum corneum together.Acids penetrate into the skin if not properly neutralized and a mixture of baking soda and cool water should always be used by your esthetician or dermatologi...(related: Beauty)
How To Exfoliate Dead Skin Cells
Exfoliating dead skin cells is one of the simplest ways to achieve the fresh and healthy glow of new skin. After all, that's exactly what exfoliating is -- removing the top layer of dead skin cells and allowing the new and healthier skin cells to rise to the surface. Simply washing your skin with traditional soap and water isn't enough. To remove those nasty dead skin cells you ...(related: Beauty)
What Causes Aging?
Although we experience the aging process as a progressive physical deterioration of our bodies, the aging process, according to some preliminary case studies appears to be more easily understood at another level of our being.This is what is called the energy bio-field...(related: Beauty)
Face Off
The other day, I indulged in one of my many guilty pleasures. Specifically, I watched a programm...(related: Beauty)
Color Contact Lenses - Your Options
Very few people are actually satisfied with their appearance. Some will go to great lengths to achieve a look that they consider acceptable. If you wear contacts and you're interested in changing your appearance but you want to use a subtle approach, you may want to consider color contact lenses. You can choose from a variety of natural colors including blue, hazel, and green. There are numerous types of these lenses avai...(related: Beauty)
Being A Beautiful Bride
Everybody wants to be a glowing beautiful bride on that special day. Taking care of your skin will make it appear more flawless when the makeup artist will apply the foundation.Drink plenty of water, get facials and on the day of your wedding cleanse, tone, and moisturize.If you have tired looking eyes try some cucumber eye cream. One word of caution: do not get a facial two weeks before your wedding day because as with any facial, skin might get irritated and you end up with either pimple or skin irritation.Join a gym for you to excercise not only you will loose some extra pounds, but it ...(related: Beauty)
Eczema: Tips On How To Care For Your Skin
Eczema can best be described as a non-contagious skin condition, which is characterized by hot dry itchy skin, with symptoms that often fluctuate seasonally and even over the course of the day. Eczema typically begins in early childhood. Research indicates that eczema may be genetically determined and studies show that there is often a family history of allergies, asthma, eczema or hay fever. Children who experience eczema may also suffer from asthma or hay fever as well.Like an allergy, eczema tends to flair up when ...(related: Beauty)
site-map - Copyright © 2007 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved | Free Articles and Information | Beauty