The pay is pretty good and most jobs come with excellent benefits. You will not have to worry about working weekends or holidays. Forget about working those graveyard shifts because most dental offices keep regular business hours. Now you need to know the roles that the dental assistant plays.

When you become a dental assistant you should be prepared for several different job duties. You may never have to fill all of the positions, but it never hurts to know how to do them just in case someone calls in sick, quits or is going on vacation. Most employers do not have an extra employee just floating around waiting to be put to work.

You will have to know how to be a receptionist, a book keeper, a lab technician and an x-ray technician, in addition to your dental assistant duties. Of course these will not all be at the same time, or at least you hope not.

The dental assistant training will prepare you for many of your job duties. The best training will be on the job and you will get a better feel for what a typical day will be like. The health care assistants act as the patient liaison with the dentist. You will come in, greet the patient and perform the basic cleaning.

You may also take the x-rays. Some dental assistants will help with oral surgery and will work in the lab doing dentures and molds of teeth. Your exact job duties will vary but you will not have to do it alone without training. The dentist will oversee any type of work that you do and there will be experienced people around you to make sure that you are performing your job duties correctly.

You have probably realized by now that there are plenty of dental assistant training courses out there in the real world. You have to make the decision on whether or not to become a dental assistant. Perhaps a few incentives will encourage that decision.

The healthcare system is in dire need of qualified individuals. There are many open positions and not enough people to fill them. These open positions will mean that employers are willing to pay more for qualified help. Is that not a great enough incentive?

Students wishing to pursue a career in dental assisting should take challenging high school courses in science, math and English. Dental assistants receive their education and training through academic programs at community colleges, vocational schools, technical institutes or universities. Students receive training in dental anatomy, pathology and terminology, dental instruments and materials, x-rays and radiography, chair side assisting techniques, as well as dental laboratory and office administration procedures. The core curriculum is structured to include a lecture component, a laboratory component, and a clinical component.

Training programs include classroom, laboratory, and pre-clinical instruction in dental-assisting skills and related theory. Most programs take one year or less to complete and lead to a certificate or a diploma. Training programs are offered by community colleges, vocational schools, or technical institutes. One-year program enrollees receive a certificate or diploma upon completion, while those in 2-year programs receive an associate degree.

Programs may offer internships,which are part-time unpaid jobs in a dentist office, schools, or clinics, where students can gain practical experience. Getting real-world experience while attending school can be a valuable learning experience and it looks good on a resume, too. Programs include classroom, laboratory and pre-clinical instruction in dental-assisting skills and related theory. In addition, students gain practical experience in dental schools, clinics or dental offices.

Students are also prepared to take the Dental Assisting National Board examination to receive a national credential. Students obtain hand-on clinical experience in the Colleges state-of-the-art dental hygiene clinic. Students are responsible for their own living accommodations, including uniform laundry and transportation to extended campuses. In the first semester of the program, immunization for Hepatitis-B and other infectious diseases is required.

Health and retirement benefits vary by office. Health Resources and Services Administration reported that Minnesota had 4,620 practicing dental assistants in 2000, or 94 dental assistants per 100,000 people, exceeding the national number of 89. This federal data appears to include licensed dental assistants practicing in states other than the state in which licensed.

Job prospects for dental assistants are excellent. Employment is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2012. Job growth in this field will increase by 43 percent in the next 10 years. Computer systems software engineers work within a company to configure, implement and install complete computer systems.

Job opportunities also exist in dental schools, hospitals, public health departments, prisons, military installations, and dental supply companies. The increasing clinical emphasis of Dental Assistant’s responsibilities and the increasing need to control health-care costs make the employment outlook for well-trained Dental Assistants very good.

Dental assistants need to be detail oriented as well as patient and alert. They may have to sit for hours while a procedure is being completed or jump into the situation in an instant if an emergency occurs while the procedure is being conducted.

Typical tasks dental assistants need to perform include sterilizing instruments and preparing instrument trays for procedures. They also work closely with patients, taking dental and health histories. Depending on the procedures, vital signs of patients may be monitored. They also help document patient records, take x-rays, and give patients information on follow up care. In some offices they also make impressions of teeth to assist with making casts for caps, crowns, and dentures.

Dental assistants often work right along side the dentist and hygienist. Starting with making patients feel comfortable and prepping them for procedures. Assistants hand the dentist and hygienist instruments and materials, allowing them to remain focused on the patient throughout the procedure. It is also apart of the job description to make sure the work station has all the necessary equipment and tools to complete each procedure to prevent delays and feelings of anxiety in patients.

In a crunch, dental assistants may be asked to assist with office duties including answering the phone, reminding patients of appointments, scheduling appointments, answering billing questions, and submitting insurance claims. It really depends on how your employer has the dental office operating.

Dental assistants generally work with dentists and hygienists in a clean, friendly environment that is well lit. Since the work chair side to the dentist and hygienist, such people will learn many avenues of proper dental procedures. Many just might be able to do them as well as any dentist or hygienist, however, they are not allowed to because they are not certified.

Knowing this, many dental assistants choose to further their education in the medical field. They may decide to pursue being a dental hygienist or a dentist. This will allow them to perform many of the procedures they have seen performed over and over again, watching this process with make their educational endeavour much easier as they will already have seen so many aspects of the dental field in action.

Another reason dental assistants choose to further their career is the difference in pay. Generally, dental hygienists earn up to 80% more. Over time, that amount of money definitely adds up to quite a large difference. Dentists of course make much more money than both these occupations combined.

A career as a dental assistant allows you the unique and rewarding opportunity to participate in the dental field on many levels. You will not only have many responsibilities, you will first hand be up close to assist dental hygienists and dentists perform the many different procedures that take place in a dental setting. This ongoing training is the perfect learning tool to enable you to further your education with a solid foundation in the dental field to build on.