How Do I Become a Dental Assistant?
You can either get on the job training or go to a dental assistant school.Some dental assistants receive on the job training while others receive the needed training in school and earn an associate’s degree or certificate or diploma. There are lots of schools that offer dental assistant training from community colleges to technical schools with programs taking anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. Most programs take one year or less and result in a certificate or diploma. Source: http://www.edadvisor.com/blog/be-a-dental-assistant-in-one-year-or-less/
Dental assistants perform a variety of duties in a dental office. To become a dental assistant, one should complete an academic program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation within the American Dental Association (ADA). Programs vary in length. Some certificate programs can be completed in less than a year, but some may choose to complete an associate’s degree which requires at least two years of school. Some dental assistants are also trained on the job, but these positions may be hard to obtain. To gain admittance to a dental assistant program a high school diploma or GED is usually required. It’s a good idea to take classes in science, health, and office administration while in high school, but it’s not a requirement for admittance to a program to become a dental assistant. Since dental assistants do everything from helping the dentist with patients to running the front office, a wide variety of skills and interests are required. Typical tasks include taking x-rays, t
You would probably make a wonderful dental assistant if you like to work with people. It is a very rewarding career and the schedule is great for parents because you don’t have to work night, weekends, or holidays. In most offices you don’t have to work Friday’s either! I understand the struggle with money and time. The dental Assisting school I went to was an ADA accredited school (which any are not, so be careful) and was one of the best in my area. It only cost me $3800. I took the day classes because I have no kids or anything, but the program offered night classes Monday through Friday 5:00-9:00. Not every school has this and you should do much research on it. There are many programs that tell you that you can be a dental assistant in four weeks or something like that, but be weary! In my year at my program I learned SOOO much and there was still so much more I could have leaned. I went Monday through Friday 8:00 to 2:30. Once the internships started in the second semester I was i
Hello…Ahhhh, now I don’t want to appear callous, but when you say you want to become a dental assistant but don’t have time for an “education”….frankly that tells me you don’t have the proper respect for the professional services a dental assistant provides or understand the amount of knowledge they must have to do their job properly or safely. Would you like to be the passenger in an air plane where the pilot got a license even though he didn’t have the time or money to take flying lessons?….Of course not…so look here, there are a number of Tech Schools and Community Colleges that offer the training your interested in and they also have financial aid programs…Call those that are near where you live and check out the possibilities. Dental assisting is a great profession and if your good and if you work with a talented dentist you will find the salary will be rewarding as will the services you provide. Good luck and I wish you well.
