subject: How To Become A Dental Assistant: Nature Of Work [print this page] For many years already dentistry has been one of the most popular fields of healthcare. Many students these days look for their niche in this area. If you are one of them, why not consider becoming a dental assistant for starters?
Choosing this career, you will not only start practicing in a year or two after the high school, you will also prepare for continuing dental education if needed. To become a dental assistant you don't need exhausting and expensive training. Your education won't take long and you will be able to find a job with a certificate in assisting only. Here are some details on how to become a dental assistant.
Job Description
As you may already know, your main duty will be to help a dentist during his/her job. You will not only deal with office documentation and phone calls, you must also prepare patients for a treatment and ensure their comfort. For that, you have to possess excellent communication skills. Manual dexterity at handling dental tools will be a great plus as well.
Dental assistants help with running the dentists office, keeping records of each case, and managing the appointment schedule. Still, if you want to fulfill some more complicated tasks, like providing assisting work during surgical operations, for instance, you have to take some extra training. This way you will be able to remove sutures, process X-rays and take the oral impressions that are used to fit crowns.
Job Opportunities
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, you wont have any problems with finding a job. With the growing demand for dental professionals dental assistants wont sit without a job! It was estimated that the employment rate in dental assisting will grow by 29% through the 2016. The figures are pretty much inspiring, arent they? So you have a great chance to become a dental assistant and be employed right out of school.
Salary Expectations
According to the statistical data provided by the U.S. Labor Statistics, as of 2009, annual salary of dental assistants averages at $33,230. Still, the pay scale of dental assistants depends on work experience. Newcomers can expect to earn about $22,710, whereas the professionals with some experience may get as much as $47,070. In addition to attractive salary, dental assistants may have some health benefits. Becoming a dental assistant doesnt take long but it does take years to gain experience and better qualification, which consequently increase your earnings.
