What One Should Expect From Dental Assistant Training
For this article, the subject will be dental assistant training. Compared to the older generation of dentists, most of today’s dentist hire assistants for helping them with their daily tasks. These assistants are responsible for completing tasks that could include assisting in treatment of patients, educating patients on aftercare, lab work, or management of office duties.
Dental assistants are different from dental hygienist because they are not properly licensed to carry out various treatments and procedures the hygienist and dentists are able to perform. They are commonly called dental nurses. To become a dental nurse, the CDA (Certified Dental Assistant) exam must be passed after completion of a dental assistant training program. The four hour exam is a necessity for all seeking this profession. One may train for this exam by means of several different methods.
For the first path, a person may complete a two year dental assistant program and earn an associates degree from that program’s community college or university. A GED or high school diploma is required before entering an associates degree program. It is not required to have an associates degree before one can become an assistant. Most dental hygienist do have an associates degree, so a two year degree would help if one is looking to advance later in their career.
The second method a person may enter a training program is through a technical institute or a vocational school. This training program spends more time towards hands-on experience and in turn is usually faster paced. A high school degree or equivalent measure is required to enter a one year vocational course. The vast majority of students who enter this program finish as dental assistants.
Some dentists also offer on-the-job training to allow various individuals the ability to prepare for the CDA exam. This is possible because many states are able to hire individuals who are not certified in the field that they will be training towards certification at a later date (the rules and regulations vary from state to state). If learning through on-the-job training, one must work under the dentist’s supervision for two years before being eligible to apply for certification.
Clinical study courses and theory courses are the main divisions for dental assistant training. The theory courses covered will include such classes as dental science and office procedures and fundamentals. The included classes under clinical study courses are taking of x-rays, updating of patient records, and equipment maintenance. These are the classes that one can expect from a one year vocational school or technical institute that offer certificate programs.
Diploma programs will go further in depth with additional classes and clinical studies. These classes include, but are not limited to, oral anatomy, radiology, human biology, and other related subjects. Upon completion, these classes will enable students the ability to work in the fields of orthodontics and periodontics.
Associates degree programs, in comparison to diploma programs, will have subsequently more dental assistant training classes. Health/safety classes (OSHA), dental procedures, impression making, and many other classes are to be expected in this type of dental program. In preparation for the CDA exam and a career in dentistry, the understanding and implementation of these classes are vital to the students success.
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