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Profession: Dental Health

Dental Assistant: Dental Assistants perform a wide variety of responsibilities including clinical patient care, office and laboratory duties. Dental assistants work in partnership with dentists, helping patients feel comfortable before, during, and after their treatments as well as directly assisting dentists during procedures. Dental assistants also advise patients in postoperative and general oral health care. With certification, the dental assistant can expose radiographs on a patient.

Office duties may include obtaining patient medical histories, sterilizing and disinfecting instruments and equipment, and preparing trays for various dental procedures. A dental assistant with office responsibilities may be responsible for billing, accounts receivable, scheduling and confirming appointments, and ordering dental supplies for the practice.

Dental assistants with laboratory duties would perform such functions as taking impressions to fabricate stone casts of the patient's mouth and teeth, cleaning and polishing removable appliances, fabricating temporary crowns, and bleaching trays and mouthguards.

Salary Range: $24,960 - $36,400

Salary Notes: The starting wage for a dental assistant ranges from $24,960 to $36,400 per year for full time work. With more training and experience, a dental assistant could earn up to $20 an hour or a yearly salary of $47,320.

Where you can study:
Briarwood College, Southington, CT
Center for Technology, Essex, Essex Junction, VT
NHTI, Concord's Community College, Concord, NH

Where you might work:
Clinics - Dental Offices - Dental Specialty offices (ie, Orthodontics, Oral Surgery) - Hospitals - Insurance Companies - Schools -

Job Outlook: Job prospects for dental assistants are excellent; employment is expected to make this one of the fastest growing occupations through 2016.

Education, Licensing and Certification: This challenging career is attractive to men and women who have an interest in helping people stay healthy. Dental assistants are expected to demonstrate acceptable attitudes of pride, enthusiasm, good work ethic, responsibility, respect for patient confidentiality and recognition of their importance as a member of the dental health team. Those interested in becoming a dental assistant may receive on the job training or could attend a training program offered in technical centers, community colleges or Armed Services. Dental assistants may take the Dental Assisting National Board exam to become certified. Certified dental assistants may continue their education by becoming an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant. In Vermont, this endorsement allows the dental assistant to place fillings.

Professional Organizations:
American Dental Assistants Association 877-874-3785 www.dentalassistant.org
Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. 800-367-3262 www.danb.org