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Just following a few prestige steps will take you on the right path to obtain this career. As a dental assistant, your daily tasks are plentiful and the outlook is amazing. The steps to becoming a dental assistant are not as hard as one may think. You must pass the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) in order to hold a DANB certificate. The “DANB exams or certifications are recognized or required by 39 states, the district of Columbia, the U.S. Air Force and the Department of Veterans Affairs”.
By attending an educational facility you can gain the knowledge needed to pass the DANB. Usually, most classes take no longer then 10 weeks. Along with the classes, 40 hours of hands on training is required in most educational facilities.
There are 6 educational facilities in the greater Indianapolis area, which provide lots of options for variety. The Indianapolis Dental Assist School has a rating of 4.8 with some wonderful reviews. The Dental Careers Foundation has a rating of 5.0 with Saturday classes.
Most of the facilities have wonderful ratings so distance would most likely play a major role when choosing which one would work best for you. If you have a job history which includes working hands on with people would be a great way to see if you are the right fit for dental assisting. Great communication and listening skills are a must have in this career field. These qualities help when relating to the patients or helping to prevent mental stress. Providing a calm environment is the key to becoming a great dental assistant.
The dental assistant makes certain all is in order in the exam room.
Not only preparing instrument trays for each patient but also keeping a clean and hygienic environment. The assistant has the responsibility of providing properly stocked drawers and cabinets of all necessary materials. In order to keep all the dental tools easily accessible it takes great organizational skills. Being prepared to assist the dentist in any situation is a skill one must not take lightly. The daily tasks in this career are never dull. There may be a little office work involved like answering calls, making appointments, and even billing. With that being said, good computer skills would also come in handy. During your day of busy work you will process x-rays and polish teeth. Applying Sealant, fluoride, and topical anesthetic applications is also an exciting feature involved in this job.
This career is a great field to get into especially if you have a family. “The typical work schedule is 8 - 5PM Monday through Thursday” (Home.). Further, “as a dental assistant you almost always have holidays off” (Home.). These hours give a family with children the critical time needed together to instill the bonds that most miss out on with normal hours. With this career you can be employed within dental offices that are small or large. Children’s hospitals also have dental offices within them. If employed at a children’s hospital a dental assistant will work alongside the dentists during dental surgeries performed on adolescents. The choice to work with children, adults, or even both is up to the individual.
This is definitely a career in which an individual will be able to grow. The dental assistant works under the hygienist and the dentist. As an assistant you can increase your hireability and pay by gaining further knowledge as an expanded functions dental assistant. Most dental schools provide a 3 week course available to current assistants. As an E.F.D.A. you show that you have a higher level of mastered skills which can be a great value to many offices. Regarding salary and benefits, “the median per year pay in $34,500 for dental assistants” (Home.). If paid salary the pay would be $2,875 monthly. If paid hourly the pay would be $17.96 an hour. Assistants receive numerous other benefits including paid holidays, paid vacation, 401 (k) or pension plans, free dental, paid sick leaves.
This career could be challenging because the assistant is expected to handle many tasks while at the same time keeping a happy disposition. It could become difficult to stay confident and positive while overwhelmed. The positive perks do outweigh the challenging aspects of it all. The pay and the hours combined are a very pleasant reward. There are numerous jobs in this career available in Indiana and other locations of the United States. The statistics indicate that, “employment of dental assistants is projected to grow 19 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations” (Summary).
Oral health contributes to an individual's general health, this is the most likely cause to the outstanding growth in this career field. This career benefits the community greatly, by providing the much needed dental care that all people worldwide need. For me this career would be an amazing, life changing event. It would provide my family with adequate financial stability as well as great benefits. I would be able to continue growing educationally while also advancing my career. The hours would make it possible to be home on weekends and holidays so I could continue being a hands-on-mom. This career would be perfect for my family and me. I can ultimately reap the best of both worlds.
An Exciting Career as a Dental Assistant. (2022, Jan 06). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/an-exciting-career-as-a-dental-assistant-essay
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