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The Dental Assisting
Program prepares graduates to perform a variety of duties including
patient care, office procedures, and laboratory practices. 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.
Career Information
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.
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
Income Range
Median hourly earning of
dental assistants were $13.10 in 2002 according to the
Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Employment Outlook Employment of Dental Assistants is expected to grow much faster than the
average for all occupations through the year 2012. In fact, it is
expected to be one of the fastest growing occupations.
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