Become A Dental Assistant In Two Years Or Less

Among the many employment opportunities available to choose from

, pursuing a career as a dental assistant can be very exciting and rewarding. Dental assistant training is an excellent choice for anyone who is interested in working in the dental field, enjoys working with people, and likes to have some variety in their daily routine. The job of the dental assistant is to assist the dentist and hygienist to deliver quality oral health care. The duties will vary according to the needs of the patient. If you are interested in becoming a dental assistant, you should contact your dentist and ask to observe operations in the office for a day so you can see and get a first hand feel for what actually goes on. Most will be willing to accomodate your request.

Dental assistant training is conducted in a program either at a dental school or at a local college. Some dental offices prefer to train their dental assistants in-house without the benefit of attending a dental school. Most training programs last from 12 months to 24 months depending on the particular requirements of the state as well as the curriculum for the program in which you enrolled. You should make sure that the program is accredited under the regulations of your state. The training program will cover the basic fundamentals of dentistry.

After completing your dental assistant training course, you will be able to identify every type of dental instrument and how to properly use each one. You will also learn to properly clean all tools, how to protect yourself from communicable diseases, and skills and techniques for effective communication. If you are trained in-house, in a dental office, you will experience dental procedures first hand and also the operating procedures of that particular dental facility. If you decide to pursue this type of on-the-job training, you should take the time to research the dental office. You can check with the Better Business Bureau and the State Board of Dentistry regarding complaints about that particular dentist. You should shy away from accepting a position with any dentist office that has received numerous complaints for their treatment of patients.

Dental assistants are required by most states to obtain certification within 3 months of completing a training program. Dental assistants who received on-the-job training cannot take the certification exam unless they have completed 2 years of such training. This requirement is in place to assure patients that all staff members are properly trained. Information about the schedule for exams to obtain certification can be obtained by checking online or with your dental assistant program instructor.

The certification exam is in two parts. It is comprised of a written part to test your knowledge, and a practical part to test your skills. The written portion of the exam is based on the basic fundamentals of dental care and sanitation issues. In the practical portion, you will be required to show your ability to properly cleanse and sanitize all instruments to the satisfaction of a state examiner. It is very likely that you will be asked to perform several tasks under the observation of the state examiner. This exercise is conducted in order to verify that you are able to perform what you learned in the classroom during training.

The time spent during dental assistant training is a good investment in your future, a future with a wonderful career in the dental field and many job opportunities. It is important that you choose wisely when selecting your training program. This decision can be the determining factor whether or not you will be considered a valued asset when you apply for employment. Dental assistants play an important and valuable role to the dental office as well as to patients. Very often they are the first person that patients come in contact with before and after their procedures. They can also help to put patients at ease who are afraid or nervous just before a procedure takes place.

by: Selvin Flores

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