Duties: Dental Assistants may perform a combination of patient care, office and laboratory work. At chairside, they make patients comfortable and prepare them for treatment. They hand instruments and materials to dentists, and are responsible for sterilizing the tools used. They apply suction to keep patients' mouths dry. In the office, they schedule and confirm appointments, while in the lab they may make casts of teeth, clean and polish removable appliances and make temporary crowns.
Most dental assistants have a 32 to 40-hour work week, which may include work on Saturdays or evenings. More than a third worked part-time, sometimes in more than one dental office.
Outlook: The OOH reports "Rapid employment growth and above average job turnover should result in good job opportunities. Population growth and greater retention of natural teeth by middle-aged and older people will fuel demand for dental services, and create opportunities for dental assistants. Dentists are expected to hire more assistants to perform routine tasks, so they may devote their own time to more profitable procedures."
Training: Assistants are typically trained in dental assisting programs offered by community and junior colleges, trade schools and technical institutes. Most programs take one year or less to complete. All programs require a high school diploma or GED for admission. Some assistants learn their skills on the job.
Earnings: In 1996, the middle 50% of dental assistants working full-time earned from $14,768 to $23,504.
For more information, you might also want to check out:
The American Dental Association
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