Course
Description
This
is a comprehensive course that prepares students for the field of Dental
Assisting. The course includes classroom theory, clinical/lab practice, and
community classroom (internship) hours.
The course has been approved by the Dental Board of California, which
allows those students successfully completing the course to take the
examination for licensure as registered dental assistants.
There are 47 modules including:
- Terminology
- Front office operations
- Radiology
- Chair side procedures
- Infection Control
- CPR
Why a Registered Dental Assistant?
Dental assistants perform
many tasks, ranging from patient care and taking x-rays to recordkeeping and
scheduling appointments.
Dental assistants typically do
the following:
- Ensure that patients are comfortable in the dental chair
- Prepare patients and the work area for treatments and procedures
- Sterilize dental instruments
- Hand instruments to dentists during procedures
- Dry patients’ mouths using suction hoses and other equipment
- Instruct patients in proper oral hygiene
- Process x rays and complete lab tasks, under the direction of a
dentist
- Keep records of dental treatments
- Schedule patient appointments
- Work with patients on billing and payment
Career Outlook
Employment of dental assistants is projected to grow 19 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Ongoing research linking oral health and general health will continue to increase the demand for preventive dental services. Dentists
will continue to hire dental assistants to complete routine tasks, allowing the dentist to work more efficiently. As dental practices grow, more dental assistants will be needed.
Careers in
Dental
-
Dental Assistant (Requires on-the-job training or a certificate program)
-
Dental Hygientist (Requires an Associate’s or Bacherlor’s degree)
-
Dentist (Requires a doctoral or professional degree)
Median Salaries for Dental Assistants by Industry*
Government $41,480
Offices of dentists $37,620
Offices of physicians $35,290
*Source: Bureau of Labor
Statistics