Smiles All Around - Why you may love a career change to dental assisting.

Let’s face it – you either love going to the dentist or you hate it. Some of us love to get our teeth sparkling clean, visit with the dentist, walk out with a colorful, new toothbrush and floss while flashing our pearly whites to the world. 

 

If you’re a love-to-go-to-the-dentist type, you may want to consider a career change to the field of dental assisting. 

With a Dental Assistant degree, you can truly have a career worth smiling about – every day you can help others feel good about their smile and teach them how to maintain proper dental hygiene.  

 

Dental assistants perform tasks ranging from patient care to office duties and laboratory work. You will work closely with the dentist during dental procedures by handing instruments and materials to them. Dental assistants also sterilize instruments and equipment, lay out instruments and materials, process X-rays, and update patients’ records. 

 

The great thing about making a career change to dental assisting is that it doesn’t take long to complete your education. Most dental assisting programs take close to one or two years to complete and earn a certification or diploma. In your training program, you will most likely experience a blend of classroom, laboratory and preclinical instruction in dental assisting skills. Your training should also equip you with knowledge of dental terminology, names of instruments, and how to perform daily duties and keep the office running smoothly. Many programs offer or require an externship so you can gain valuable real-world experience in a dental office.

 

Besides working with patients and helping others improve their dental health, here’s another reason to love your career as a dental assistant – the job outlook is excellent!

 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-2011 edition, employment opportunities for dental assistants is expected to grow by 36 percent through 2018 – which is much faster than average. 

 

Why is dental assisting projected to be such a fast-growing career field? Population growth, increased preservation of natural teeth, and a growing emphasis on preventative dental care are all resulting in an increasing demand for dental care in our country.   Also, as dentist workloads increase, more assistants are needed to perform routine tasks.

 

What are you waiting for? If you have an interest in dental health and love helping others, you could make a career change to dental assisting. You can be done with school in less than two years and be prepared to step into a fast-growing career field!