Dental Assistant

          Dental Assistant

Duties and Responsibilities:

       Dental assistants perform a variety of patient care, office, and laboratory duties and they often work chair-side as dentists examine and treat the patients. They try to make patients as comfortable as possible in the dental chair, prepare them for treatment, and obtain their dental records. Assistants hand instruments and materials to dentists and keeps patient’s mouth dry and clear by using suction or other devices. They also sterilize and disinfect instruments and equipment, prepare trays of instruments for dental procedures, and instruct patients on postoperative and general oral health care. Some dental assistants also prepare materials for impressions and restorations, take dental x-ray and process the x-ray film as directed by the dentist.

Salary: 30,824-38,397

Education:

        Dental assistants receive their formal education through academic programs at community colleges, vocational schools, technical institutes, universities or dental schools. Graduates of these programs usually receive certificates. Although the majority of academic dental assisting programs take nine to eleven months to complete, some schools offer accelerated training, part-time education programs or training via distance education.

Demand for this Profession:

           Dental assistant certifications and licensing vary by state. Most states restrict the procedures a dental assistant can perform, and some require dental assistants to graduate from a dental assisting program and pass a licensing exam. Professional certification is also available through the Dental Assisting National Board and is recognized in most states.

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Reflection: Do you think you would like to be one? Why? Why not?

    I think that I would like to be one because you get to interact with people and even children’s and make them happy. Another thing is that you can also help the dentist with anything he needs you to do.