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Dental assistants help to prepare for and facilitate
dental exams and treatment. Dentists rely greatly on the skill of
a dental assistant as a "third hand" to perform fast,
safe, and accurate work.
Clinical duties, performed under the instruction
and supervision of a dentist, include: helping to manage the dental
office, preparing patients for treatment, passing the dentist the
proper instruments, polishing teeth, charting patient treatment,
processing dental x-ray film, sterilizing and disinfecting instruments,
providing oral hygiene instruction, preparing dental filling material,
taking impressions for study purposes or models, and making casts
of the teeth.
Dental
Assistant
Areas of Specialization
Dental assistants are responsible for working directly with dentists
while patients receive treatment. They maintain patients' charts,
mix materials and pass instruments to the dentist during procedures,
sterilize instruments, make temporary crowns and impressions of
teeth for study models, polish patients' teeth, and take and develop
X-rays. They also assist with tasks such as scheduling appointments,
treatment planning, and ordering supplies.
Work Environment
Dental assistants may work alongside dental hygienists and/or dental
laboratory technicians. They work in private dental offices, dental
schools, hospitals, clinics, and public health settings. Most dental
assistants work 32 to 40 hours per week.
Job Outlook
The number of Dental Assistants employed in Florida in 2006 was
14,678. It is projected that in 2014 there will be 19,200, an annual
average growth rate of 3.9 percent. This increase is due to a trend
among newer dentists to use one or more assistants, vacancies filled
by former assistants returning to school, and by an overall increase
in dental care as the population increases.
Length of Training/Requirements
High school graduates may become entry-level dental assistants through
on-the-job training. Accredited dental assisting training programs
prepare the student for certification and take one year or less
to complete. Training programs include instruction in oral and dental
anatomy, dental radiography, clinical procedures, nutrition, community
dentistry, and dental office management. Clinical experience is
obtained in affiliated dental schools, local clinics, or selected
dental offices. A dental radiology certificate is required before
an assistant can expose radiographs in Florida. Dental assistants
must have formal training to receive an expanded functions certificate
in the state of Florida. This allows them to perform selected remedial
tasks such as applying sealants, placing temporary crowns, removing
sutures, and taking impressions.
Advancement
Opportunities for career advancement exist for dental assistants.
Many go on to become practice managers, practice consultants, and
regional directors of corporate dental practices. Others successfully
pursue dental marketing careers with dental equipment and supply
companies. Graduates of ADA accredited dental assisting programs
pursuing a degree in dental hygiene may receive advance placement
in some Florida community college dental hygiene programs.
Licensure/Certification
In Florida, dentists prefer their dental assistants to be graduates
of accredited dental assisting training programs; they are then
eligible to take the national certification examination offered
by the American Dental Assisting National Board. However, national
certification is not typically required for employment.
Updated: 2007 |
