Finding the Right Dental Assistant Program
If you are looking for a challenging and promising career, then dental assisting might just be perfect for you. Dental assisting is one of the fastest growing professions in the country that the Bureau of Labor Statistics pegged its growth for the next 7 years at 36 percent. There is already a predicted demand of the profession as there is higher teeth retention among the elderly as well as people having more of a proactive approach when it comes to dental health and hygiene. If you are interested in shifting to this career or maybe becoming a dental assistant after high school, then it is best for you to check out the best dental assistant programs.
The dental assistant job description includes advanced topics such as infection control, front and back office duties, coronal cleaning, and more. Experienced dental assistants are able to juggle multiple tasks at once. Dental offices can be busy places, and the employees often have to multi-task. An accredited dental assistant school will offer training and certification in things such as coronal polishing, which allows dental assistants to take on more responsibilities in the dentist’s office.
Here are some things that you should look for when researching dental assistant schools:
Solid Dental Theories and Science
This is basic to every dental assistant school. You have to find a school with a curriculum that thoroughly explains and teaches the basic theories and science regarding the field that you’ve chosen, in this case, dentistry. As a dental assistant, you will be tasked with a multitude of things and the basic understanding of dental science is important for you to carry these tasks out. After all, dentistry is still part of the medical profession and as such, knowledge and understand of basic theories and dental science is essential.
Hands-on Practical Experience
Theoretical and practical knowledge should go hand in hand. What’s the use of knowing all the theories when you don’t really know how to properly apply these theories? Or how can you perform certain tasks when you don’t understand the process? A good dental assistant school should offer a great mix of theoretical knowledge and practical application in order to be effective.
What’s more, the dental field and practice use a lot of equipment and it is important for you to get hands-on experience and actually learn how to properly operate the equipment and dental chair. You will be a valuable member of the team if you already have experience and knowledge on the many tools used particularly if you have an entry-level position.
Patient Handling, Teamwork and Other Soft Skills
As a dental assistant, you will be dealing with patients every time as well as dentists, other dental assistants, etc. It is important that you know how to deal with people properly and politely, even more so that you work in the dental field. According to a survey, 75% of adults and children fear going to the dentist. As such, you might have to calm and comfort worried patients as well as educate and encourage hesitant patients.
You may know all the proper techniques and processes but what makes a good assistant is his or her ability to handle patients as most dentists don’t really have the time to deal with patient well-being and focus more on performing complex procedures. Think of yourself as a nurse and as such, patient well-being is your main concern as well. Your manners and attitude will definitely affect patients, so a great dental assistant school should be able to train you in this aspect as well.
Dental Office Management and Administrative Training
As a dental assistant, you are basically a cross between a nurse and a secretary. You will be performing administrative or clerical tasks like filing and organizing patient information, billing and inventory as well as setting appointments and answering the phone. It is thus important that you find a dental assistant school that includes project management, inventory, accounting and billing as well as proper telephone etiquette in their program.
Support and assistance for the CDA (Certified Dental Assistant) Exam
Properly accredited dental assistant schools will assist you from start to finish – meaning from the moment you took interest and enrolled in the program up to the time when you have to get certified by taking the Certified Dental Assistant exam. The CDA exam is no walk in the park and as such, it would be a great help if your dental assistant program actually offers support and preparation for this exam in the form of review materials as well as practice exams.
Schools Accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
Probably the most important quality that you need to look for in a dental assistant school is that it is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation or CODA. There are already 259 approved dental assisting programs as of 2017 so you shouldn’t have a problem finding one. It is important to make sure that you take units in a CODA-accredited school or program since certification exams require that you have taken units in a CODA-accredited school or took up units in a CODA-accredited program. Enrolling in a CODA accredited dental assistant program will also ensure you can negotiate for the best dental assistant salary.
These programs might cost more but you will actually save more in the long run. Can you imagine having to take up the same course just because you skimped and didn’t go for a CODA-accredited program?!? Attending a CODA accredited program also pays off if you are considering advancing your career by training to become a dental hygienist or other advanced training.
Is a Dental Assistant School the Same as a Dental Hygienist School?
The short answer is, NO!! There are MAJOR differences between dental assisting programs and dental hygiene programs. The biggest difference is the length of time for the educational program. A dental assistant school can be as short as 8 weeks, or as long as 9 months. This is one of the main reasons the dental assistant salary is far below that of hygienists.
A dental hygienist, on the other hand, has to go through extensive training, education, and clinical internships. The average length of time for the dental hygiene schools in California is 24 months. Because of this, the average dental hygienist salary is close to $75,000 per year.
Many current hygienists got their start as dental assistants, and then advanced their careers by attending an accredited dental hygiene program.