Dental Assistant: Duties & Job Market

by Amanda Fornecker

A dental assistant is a great career for many different reasons. You get to help others, earn a great paycheck, and complete a dental assistant program that takes a lot less time than it would to become a dentist.

Duties of a dental assistant
Dental assistants prepare the room for dental practice, sterilize instruments, and assist dentists with whatever tasks they may need during a patient's procedure. After a dental procedure, dental assistants also instruct patients on the proper post-operative care. Dental assistants do not have as many responsibilities as dental hygienists, but they sometimes complete office tasks, as well as laboratory duties.

Where to find dental assistant jobs
A majority of dental assistants work in dental offices with a typical 35- to 40-hour workweek. Some dental assistants may choose to split their time in more than one dental office, depending on where they work and the flexibility of their schedules. You may also find dental assistants working in hospitals, clinics, or schools, teaching future dental assistants all about the trade.

Dental assisting programs
Dental assisting programs typically last about a year. Classroom instruction, laboratory practice, and clinical experience are all part of dental assisting programs. Here, students learn all the basics of dental assisting. Students also gain real world experience and learn from professors who have had experience in the dental assisting field. These four to six month programs generally end in a certification. Attend an accredited school to ensure the dental assisting program has passed a certain set of standards.

Those who want additional experience may attend a junior or community college for a two-year dental assisting program that will grant students an associate degree, which gives students more of an opportunity to get a job and higher pay.

Demand for dental assistant jobs
Dental assistant jobs are one of the careers that is expected to grow the fastest by the year 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This means many opportunities for dental assistants, especially those with higher degrees. Jobs will open up due to dental assistants who change professions, retire, or decide to further their dental education to become dental hygienists.