Dental Assistant

Duties and Responsibilities:

Dental assistants are the ones who take the pictures of patients’ teeth. They get patients ready for the dentists to check our teeth. If the dentist needs to do something, then the assistants get all the materials ready for the dentist to do the work. While the dentist is fixing our teeth the assistant make sure to keep our mouth open and dry. They receive patients’ calls and set up appointments, keep records, send bills, receive payments, and so on. They also hand the dentists the material they need while they are operating on someone’s teeth.

Salary: $22,207- $43,631

Education:

Dental assistants receive their training through community colleges, vocational school, technical institutes, universities or dental schools. This takes about 9 to 11 months to complete, but in some schools it can offer something different. In order to be certified you need to take either the CDA or DANB. If you have be trained on the job then you have to take the CDA after 2 years of full time work experience as a dental assistant. Each state has their own regulations, so they will may ask you for different things.

Demand:

The demand for dental assistant is thought to grow as there are more dentists. Though some dentists believe that the demand is too high. The demanding is higher than what the dental assistants they get. Many are hopefully to get more dental assistant in upcoming years.

Reflection:

I will not like to be a dental assistant because they are like dentists and I don’t like dentists. My mind has been set to 2 careers and I don’t think anything can make me change my mind. No matter how good dental assistant can be, I already have my mind set and it will not change. I do believe though that it is a very good job and that we need more dental assistants.