Dental assistant jobs are becoming increasingly popular among young adults these days probably because of its modest entry requirements and relatively good pay. Median dental assistant salary is around dollar 27,000 to dollar 39,000 which rivals that of healthcare-related jobs which are more labor intensive, such as that of orderlies and nursing aides. With training and experience, a dental assistantâs salary can go as high as dollar 46,000.
In comparison to nursing aides and orderlies, the working environment of dental assistants is relatively comfortable and not as stressful. They also have fixed or at least predictable working hours and their tasks as mentioned earlier aren’t as labor intensive and often uncomplicated, with some easily learned by rote. The job description of dental assistants encompasses patient care, office management, and laboratory functions. They are usually tasked with facilitating patient traffic in the dentist’s practice, storing and retrieving patient records, collecting fees, and at times placing orders for required dental supplies.
They prepare the dentistâs instruments and equipment, and work alongside the licensed professional serving as a second pair of hands during treatments and procedures. In other jurisdictions, these unlicensed assistive personnel assume more complex tasks, such as dental cleaning, but usually this would necessitate fulfilling certain requisites such as finishing an accredited training program and having years of experience. These workers are important to any dental practice as they help keep it running like clockwork.
In most States, no formal education or training is required for entry level positions. In the past, no formal education is required, and dental assistant aspirants just learned about their roles through supervised training at work. These days however, dental practices are more inclined to hire those who have finished dental assisting program. There are a number of dental assistant schools that offer programs, usually taking close to a year to complete and leading to a certificate or diploma. There are also dental assistant schools that have programs leading to an associate degree, which you may want to consider if you intend on taking expanded roles in the future. The Dental Assisting National Board administers awards the Certified Dental Assistant credential to those who have passed their certification examination. Successful completion of this test is a requirement for entry-level positions in nearly 40 jurisdictions in the US.
According to a BLS survey there are already about 295,300 employed in such an occupation in 2008 alone and this is expected to grow to 400,900 by 2018. That is a 36% growth, much faster than average. In that duration, prospects dental assistant jobs will also remain excellent with more openings than applicants, and regular turnover.