Dental Assistant
A Career in Dental Assisting
A dental assistant career involves mainly helping a dentist office run more efficiently and smoothly by taking care of certain tasks and freeing up a dentist to perform complex tasks which leads to more patients to be seen and more money to be made by the dental practice. Dental assistant duties are very broad and can cover patient care, office management, and laboratory duties. Each individual state has strict regulations in the state’s Dental Practice Act on the tasks that can be performed by dental assistants but many allow normal tasks of patient management. It is also up to the dentist on the capacity of help a dental assistant will provide.
Dental assistants take care of patients when they come into the office and this can pertain to scheduling appointments, organizing patient dental records, receive and prepare patients for treatment, check insurance, handle billing, order supplies, explain oral care to patients, and a number of others. Besides office duties and handling patients, dental assistants also provide support with dental procedures but these responsibilities are regulated by each individual state. Taking and developing dental radiographs is one duty that is allowed by some states and usually requires an additional permit or training in radiology. Some states have their own exam and others accept the Dental Assisting National Board Radiation Health & Safety.
The DANB list 70 dental assisting functions that dental assisting may be allowed to perform under some type of supervision. It depends on the state to determine which of these functions are allowed and which ones are not. The majority of states require dental assistants to be registered, certified, or licensed. An example is Expanded Duty Dental Assistant in South Carolina and Dental Assistant qualified in anesthesia administration in Vermont. Other dental assisting duties can include, developing an infection control protocol, making dental impressions for study cast, removing excess cement from dental restorations, taking and recording patient vital signs, applying topical anesthetics and anti- inflammatory agents, removing sutures, removing periodontal dressings, applying topical fluoride, applying pit and fissure sealants, and monitoring nitrous oxide or oxygen analgesia. For the complete list visit the DANB dental assisting functions page.
Dental Assistant Training
The majority of states allow entry level training for dental assistants and some have job titles for those that go this path. Unlicensed dental assistant is used in California and dental assistant trainee is used in Iowa. Entry level dental assistants are generally taught by the dentist or other personnel the basics and if there is a time requirement to become licensed in the state they have to wait for that period before applying for license or expanded functions additions. Some states have no requirements and allow dental assistants to perform basic supportive dental procedures without training requirements.
Dental Assisting Schools
There are dental assistant schools for those interested in getting formal training which may aide in getting hired for the position as these dental assisting programs provide education on the job requirements. There are about 256 accredited dental assisting schools and most can be completed in 1 year and offer a certificate. Classes, labs, and clinical training on dental radiology, office management, dental practice procedures, dental materials, and chair side assisting can be included in the curriculum. Monroe Community College has an online dental assisting program that offers laboratory and clinical experience through a sponsoring dentist. Many schools have a limited number of students every year and costs will vary from school to school. Tuition for Amarillo College in Texas was about $2,000 for residents with a program total 37 semester hours and for Palomar Community College in California the tuition was about $950 for residents with a program total of 36.5 semester hours.
Certification and License
Certification is not required to work as a dental assistant but many people choose to get certified to show their credentials. The Dental Assisting National Board provides certification and the company’s exams are recognized by 38 states to meet the requirements for obtaining a license or upgrading a license. The infection control exam and radiation health and safety exam can also substitute for additional training in some states. Dental assistants qualify to become certified by graduating from a dental assisting program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation or attained 3,500 hours of work experience between 2 to 4 years as a dental assistant. According to DANB’s 2008 Salary Survey, those holding DANB’s certification can make $2.38 more per hour than those who are not.
Not all states require dental assistants to be licensed or registered. Idaho is one that does not require license or registration. Many states require dental assistants to register or obtain a license in order to carry out the list of functions in the DANB list. Each state has its own testing methods and may require different exams for the various jobs like monitoring patients while nitrous oxide and coronal polishing. Those that are registered or licensed can use the job title set by each state. For example, California has a new title Dental Sedation Assistant, New York has NY state licensed certified dental assistant, and Oregon has Anesthesia Assistant.
Dental Assistant Salary
According to the BLS report for May 2009, the median average wage for dental assistants was $33,230 with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $22,710. The hourly pay ranged from less than $10.92 to over $22.63. Plenty of factors are involved in how much a dental assistant makes including geographical location, experience, job responsibilities, and the dentist’s option. Dental assistants who can accomplish the expanded duties will usually make more money. For more detailed information including state by state numbers, check out the dental assistant salary page.
