When it comes to dental assistant careers, there are a variety of options. Your decision is influenced by how involved you want to be with dental patients. Many health-care careers fall into this category. Depending on your background, education, and ability to work well with the public, there are a variety of dental office jobs available.
You might, on the other hand, decide that a dental hygienist is a better fit for you than one of the dental assistant jobs. You might decide that you’d prefer to be more involved in patient care. Dental hygienists typically require more education than other dental assistant positions. Then you’ll start treating patients, usually with preventative or protective treatments.
Some people begin their careers as dental assistants before moving on to become hygienists. However, you might discover that you prefer working as a dental assistant. Working in the front office could include scheduling appointments, answering phones, handling accounts payable and receivable, and possibly ordering and inventorying dental supplies. You might even be interested in working in an office.
You may be asked to help with office work as well as patients in some dental offices, particularly smaller ones. Dental assistants may work alongside dentists, assisting with everything from patient preparation to handing instruments to the dentist. Some dental assistant jobs also include laboratory and radiology work, which usually necessitates additional education.
A license may not be required for basic dental assistant jobs, and on-the-job training may be available with only a high school diploma. To become a dental assistant in your area, find out if there are any educational or licensing requirements. You may be required to pass an examination in some states.
Even if it is not required, enrolling in a dental assistant program may be beneficial. This type of training could give you a leg up on the competition. Taking related courses in high school can also give those interested in working as a dental assistant a leg up.
Remember that many dental assistant jobs start out as part-time jobs. If you only have a limited number of hours available, you might want to work for more than one dental office. This usually means you’ll only get a few, if any, benefits. If you prove to be a reliable employee, you may be offered a full-time position in the future.
However, beginning on a part-time basis is not always a bad idea. It allows you to work with multiple dentists and learn about various aspects of the profession. It also gives you more free time to continue your education, which can help you advance your career in many cases.