The Dental Assisting
Program prepares graduates to perform a variety of duties including
patient care, office procedures, and laboratory practices.
Program Description
The focus of
the program will be on didactic, pre-clinical and clinical applications
of dental assisting. Graduates will be prepared to work as dental
assistants in private practices, group practices, and specialty
practices.
Occupational Objectives
Dental Assistants perform a variety of patient care, office, and
laboratory duties. They work chair side as dentists examine and treat
patients. They make patients as comfortable as possible in the dental
chair, prepare them for treatment, and obtain their dental records.
Assistants hand instruments and materials to dentists and keep patients
mouths dry and clear by using suction or other devices. Assistants also
sterilize and disinfect instruments and equipment, prepare trays of
instruments for dental procedures, and instruct patients on
postoperative and general oral health care.
Occupational Skills
Dental Assistants are
responsible for front and back-office tasks, such as:
- Handing instruments
and materials to dentists
- Sterilizing and
disinfecting instruments
- Preparing trays of
instruments for dental procedures
- Taking x-rays and
processing x-rays
- Removing sutures
- Making casts of the
teeth and mouth from impression and making temporary crowns
- Greeting patients,
scheduling appointments, and handling patient billing
The following from Occupational
Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition
Job Outlook
Employment is expected to increase
much faster than average; job prospects are expected to be excellent.
Employment change. Employment is
expected to grow 36 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than
the average for all occupations. In fact, dental assistants are expected
to be among the fastest growing occupations over the 2008–18 projection
period. Population growth, greater retention of natural teeth by
middle-aged and older people, and an increased focus on preventative
dental care for younger generations will fuel demand for dental
services. Older dentists, who have been less likely to employ assistants
or have employed fewer, are leaving the occupation and will be replaced
by recent graduates, who are more likely to use one or more assistants.
In addition, as dentists' workloads increase, they are expected to hire
more assistants to perform routine tasks, so that they may devote their
own time to more complex procedures.
Job prospects. Job prospects should
be excellent, as dentists continue to need the aid of qualified dental
assistants. There will be many opportunities for entry-level positions,
but some dentists prefer to hire experienced assistants, those who have
completed a dental-assisting program, or have met State requirements to
take on expanded functions within the office.
In addition to job openings due to
employment growth, some job openings will arise out of the need to
replace assistants who transfer to other occupations, retire, or leave
for other reasons.
Earnings
Median annual wages of dental
assistants were $32,380 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned
between $26,980 and $38,960. The lowest 10 percent earned less than
$22,270, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $46,150.
Benefits vary substantially by
practice setting and may be contingent upon full-time employment.
According to a 2008 survey conducted by the Dental Assisting National
Board (DANB), 86 percent of Certified Dental Assistants (CDA) reported
receiving paid vacation from their employers, and more than half of CDAs
received health benefits.
|
