dental assistant

6 Surprising Things About Dental Assisting

Going to the dentist probably is not your favorite thing to do, but you have to go to maintain your health. Dental Assisting is an important part of healthcare and an important part of the dental office. Also, it is a rewarding career choice! 

Dental Assistants provide a friendly face for patients when entering the office. There are many surprising roles, responsibilities, and opportunities that dental assistants have that many people do not know about. 

Education

Are you interested in the medical field but you do not want to spend years and years in school? Or do you not want to make a huge financial commitment? Becoming a dental assistant might be the perfect choice for you! 

Caris College offers a 10-month dental assisting diploma program accredited by ABHES. Caris College provides day and night classes located on campus with small class settings. Also, Caris offers hands-on clinical training. With this training, you can make mistakes in order to improve, help you build your confidence with procedures, and learn skills you might not be able to learn without hands-on experience. This training helps you prepare and feel confident for your first day as well as the rest of your career as a dental assistant!

Benefits

There are many benefits of becoming a dental assistant, especially at Caris College. Caris students are more competitive in the job market due to the certifications you earn through their program. These certifications are expanded duties dental assisting, comprehensive dental assisting, radiation health and safety (dental x-ray), nomad pro, and CPR through the American Heart Association.  

Caris also provides you with an externship site while you are in the program. Are you having trouble finding a job after you graduate from Caris College? Stress no more! One of the many benefits of Caris College is that Caris provides lifetime job placement assistance.

Flexibility and Variety

If you are someone who likes flexibility and variety, dental assisting might be the perfect fit for you. There is diversity in the roles of a dental assistant, when you work, and where you can work.

Flexibility:

Variety in the roles:

  • Greet patients when entering the office
  • Take patient dental history and updates
  • Assist the dentist during procedures
  • Prepare tables and trays for the dentist
  • Take dental radiographs
  • Sterilization of equipment
  • Patient charting

Variety in the work field:

  • Solo dental practices
  • Group practices
  • Specialty practices
  • Public health dentistry 
  • Hospital dental clinics
  • Dental school clinics
  • Insurance companies
  • Dental product sales representatives

Growing Field

Dental assistants are in demand! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, dental assistant employment is expected to grow 11% from 2018 to 2028. This is much faster than other occupations. As a graduate from Caris College’s Expanded Duties Dental Assistant program, you will be able to apply for jobs all across the country!

In Indiana, the average salary of a dental assistant is $38,360. Also, the jobs available are expected to increase by 18.69% from 2016 to 2026. 

More than just Teeth

Yes, that is right! This career path is more than just teeth. There are many different job opportunities as a dental assistant that are not teeth related. With this diploma, you could work as an office manager, dental billing, dental sales representative, etc. There are tons of opportunities with this career path in the medical field!

Another way this career path is more than just teeth is because the health of your teeth can affect your overall health, too. According to WebMD, your oral health can affect diabetes, heart disease, pregnancy, osteoporosis, arthritis, obesity, and the list goes on. As a dental assistant, you are trained to help spot abnormalities in the teeth and surrounding areas that could cause other health issues. As an assistant, you could help prevent future health issues of your patients or identify current issues. 

Social Career

Do you like interacting with others? Then dental assisting would be a great career choice for you! This career path is very hands-on. While in school, you learn in a hands-on environment. Then you move on to the “real” world where you are completely hands-on.  

You get to interact with staff and patients all day long. Greet patients at the door and make them feel comfortable in the office. Lastly, you can socialize with others while doing a career you love. 

Apply to a Dental Assistant Program

If you have a passion for dentistry and patient care, consider the dental assistant program at Caris College. This program is a stepping stone into a stable career path and job satisfaction. To apply, complete an online application and an admissions representative will reach out to you. Schedule a tour for a first-hand look at our innovative campus and fully-equipped clinical labs.

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