Should You Have a New Career as a Dental Assistant?
Are you considering becoming a dental assistant? Perhaps you have been eyeing the career for a while. Perhaps you went to the dentist recently and suddenly have the idea of becoming a dental assistant. Perhaps you are fresh out of high school and are considering your career choices. There are so many different options to choose from and that is why we are here. Keep reading as we explain some of the benefits (and we are even realistic about the cons) about being a dental assistant. The top Dallas Dental Assistant School will give you the entire low down. Keep reading to learn more.
Whether deciding what classes to take in college (or IF you should further your education), what career path to jump on, or if just wanting to change careers, deciding to become a dental assistant may be a great option. There are many factors to consider when weighing out the pros and cons and whether or not this would be a step in the right direction.
Characteristics of a Dental Assistant:
Dental assistants first and foremost have to like people. This may seem funny, but if you are protective of your personal space and don’t like touching others, this job is not going to work out. You’re intimately in the space of patients, as well as the dentist, hygienist, and other coworkers you’d be working alongside. Not being a people person is not an option.
Being a dental assistant means you better have your running shoes on. Tasks could include, but not be limited to prepping the patient area (ensuring all instruments are in their proper place and ready to go), taking and processing x-rays, patient care (getting the toothbrush, toothpaste and floss at the end of a dental cleaning often come from dental assistant), cleaning dental instruments, assisting the dentist in treatments and procedures, explaining good oral hygiene to patients, and the less glamorous work of record keeping, scheduling and bill collecting. Pretty much whatever the dentist, hygienist or other co-workers need, the dental assistant could be assigned to these tasks for the day.
In certain states, dental assistants may even be able to help with taking impressions for crowns; applying sealants, fluoride or topical anesthetics; and removing plaque in a process called coronal polishing. Again, this is first very state-specific, then office-specific.
Why This May Not be the Job for Everyone:
As already mentioned, not everyone enjoys having their personal space encroached on. In addition, people skills are a must! Cross this one off the list of job possibilities if either of these conflicts with your personality.
In speaking with a dental assistant who’s been on the job for twelve years, “it’s rough on the body ergonomically. Not everyone can handle it. Sometimes you’re sitting in odd positions for periods of time and other times you’re on your feet constantly.”
Dental assistants appear to be the office runners. The setting is often very fast-paced and can often seem stressful because of all of the different duties that are required.
Education Requirements:
Depending on the state you live in, there may be no prior education necessary. In this case, someone hired to be a dental assistant would learn as they go from the dentist, hygienist or another dental assistant in the office.
Other states may require graduation from an accredited program. These are usually a year-long program where the student would learn parts of the mouth and teeth, how the instruments work and would be involved in both classroom and lab work, with an exam to wrap it all up.
Why Consider a Career as a Dental Assistant:
By 2026, employment as a dental assistant is projected to grow 19%, a rate faster than average for all occupations in the United States. This is tied to research on the link between oral health and a person’s general physical health, therefore increasing the demand for preventive dental care. Job growth in this particular career should be booming for at least the next six years, according to experts.
The median income for dental assistants is $36,000-$37,000 yearly, with entry-level possibly being lower, and longevity in the position earning upwards of $50,000+.
Dental assistant hours range from part-time to full-time, with possible evenings and weekends, depending on the office. There appears to be some flexibility.
This is not a boring job. There are steady opportunities for learning new things and meeting new people. For many, having an active job versus a sit-down-all-day desk job is highly preferred.
From the veteran dental assistant, “we have ladies in our office who have been in their position for 25-40 years. If you can handle the physical demands, you will likely love the job. We get great satisfaction out of improving people’s smiles or even their overall health. We even save lives!”
Being a people person and enjoying helping others with their smile would be prime reasons for entertaining the idea of becoming a dental assistant.
As you can see, there are so many great perks about being a dental assistant. Not only is a career that is changing, but you also can to talk to people, help them on a daily basis, and make a great living with not a lot of time spent sitting in a classroom in university. We hope that you enjoyed our list and are on your way to becoming a dental assistant.
