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Dental assistants work in the dental area with routine tasks that are mostly assistive in nature. They perform a variety of office and laboratory duties and provide health care services to clients. Unlike licensed dental hygienists, dental assistants do not perform advance procedures but can support the dentist in such operations.
Individuals can become a dental assistant just learning the necessary skills during an on-the-job training. But they can choose to go for formal training by going through the dental assistant program offered by different vocational schools, technical institutes, in the Armed Forces, community colleges, junior colleges, or hospitals. These institutions must be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). Students can either apply for a diploma, a certificate, or a degree, which may depend on what the school is offering. Programs that give diplomas and certificates are usually completed in less than a year, around 9 to 11 months while degree programs can take up to two years due to its in-depth and comprehensive education.
Most dental assistants work at dentist offices, while some work at doctor’s office or are employed by the government. Employment of dental assistants vary from state to state, some require formal training and others do not. Some states require that dental assistants must first acquire a license licensed or get registered before being able to practice. This can usually be accomplished by passing a written or practical examination. But more commonly, dental assistants need to be reliable in their working capability; they must be good in following instructions and talking to clients and making them comfortable.
On a typical day, dental assistants have to do several duties in the clinic. They have to schedule patient appointments so as there will be an order to the incoming patients. When they arrive, they have to make them at ease, entertain their questions and provide insights on what’s going to happen for them. In the laboratory, dental assistants can make casts of the teeth and mouth, make crowns as well as wash and sterilize instruments. Then during a dental operation, they can assist the dental hygienist by preparing the client and the needed instruments, handing out the instruments, handle the suctioning machine for suctioning of oral fluids and more.
Aside from assistive functions in the clinic, dental assistants can also perform some procedures but only if they have received ample training and certification or if the state is not particular with their scope of practice. For example, if dental assistants wish to work with radiological procedures, they must complete the Radiation Health and Safety test being given by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). Some states also require for them to have taken courses in radiology.
In the long run, many dental assistants remain as office managers, dental product sales representatives, and dental assisting teachers or employed for dental insurance companies. However, the job of dental assisting is treated as foundation or a steppingstone for many who aspire to further their careers onto advanced professions and higher paying jobs. There are others who return to school to study in dentist hygienist programs. The basic education, training and working experience they incurred throughout the dental assistant career helps them grasp easier the concepts and skills necessary in becoming dental hygienists.