Dental assisting is a great career choice for many people. Hours can be flexible, one can enjoy professional working conditions and demand continues to grow for professionals qualified to do the job. Training for a dental assisting career can often be completed in less than a year.
But what, exactly, does a dental assistant do?
“The duties and responsibilities of a dental assistant often vary from office to office,” says Carlos Chavez, dental assistant curriculum manager at Everest College. “Generally speaking, dental assistants can perform clinical and administrative duties and procedures that don’t require the higher level skills, qualifications and, in some cases, the direct supervision of a licensed dentist.”
According to Chavez, some dental assistants spend most of their time working with patients, some handle mostly administrative tasks and some split their time between the two.
Working with patients
“Dental assistants who work directly with patients not only prepare them for examinations and procedures, but may actually handle some of the basic hands-on duties,” Chavez says. These activities can include:
* Sterilizing and preparing dental instruments for the dentist’s use
* Handing instruments to the dentist during an examination
* Taking and processing X-rays
* Applying anti-cavity agents to teeth (fluoride)
Managing the office
“Some dental assistants are focused on running the dentist’s office, dealing with patients and insurance providers, and similar duties,” Chavez says. He said dental assistants often:
* Answer phones and set patient appointments
* Greet arriving patients and help process new patient information
* Set up, manage and retrieve patient files
* Process in-office payments and insurance claims
* Order and receive office supplies
Lab work
In addition to office and patient duties, dental assistants may also handle basic dental laboratory work, Chavez says. These additional responsibilities can include:
* Pouring alginate impressions, making plaster casts (models) from patient’s impressions
* Cleaning and polishing dentures and other removable appliances
What about actual teething cleaning?
“That’s usually done by a dental hygienist or a dentist. These positions require additional training and skills,” Chavez says. “However, some states allow dental assistants to perform coronal polishing (simple teeth cleaning) if they have completed additional training and passed a board-approved examination. Many dental hygienists start off as dental assistants and, after getting valuable experience in the field, get the additional education so they can earn an even better income.”
Job prospects
Although the availability of dental assistant jobs varies from city to city, the demand for trained dental assistants is generally strong, despite the continuing economic downturn. Employment opportunities for dental assistants nationwide are “projected to grow much faster than average. In fact, dental assistants are expected to be among the fastest growing occupations over the 2008-18 projection period,” the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports. “Job prospects should be excellent, as dentists continue to need the aid of qualified dental assistants. There will be many opportunities for entry-level positions, but some dentists prefer to hire experienced assistants, those who have completed a dental assistant program, or have met state requirements to take on expanded functions within the office.”
Still, as with most skilled occupations, training and experience are key to establishing a new dental assisting career or to improve chances at earning a good dental assistant salary.
“Dental assisting requires at least eight months to a year of specialized dental assistant training,” Chavez says. “Fortunately, a high school diploma or its equivalency is generally good enough to begin dental assistant training. This is another reason why dental assisting is attractive to people who don’t want to – or can’t – afford to take the time to get an associate or bachelor’s degree from a community or four-year college.”