Dental Assistant Career Advancement

Dental assistant career advancement opportunities have never been better in the United States than they are today, partly due to Americans obsession with keeping their own teeth as long as possible and having them look pearly white. Dental assistants perform a large variety of duties such as patient care, laboratory, and office duties. When patients come in, the dental assistant makes them comfortable, gives the dentist the patient’s dental records, and prepares the patient for treatment. As the dentist examines his or her patient, the dental assistant works along side and hand the necessary materials and instruments to the dentist, along with using a device such as suction to keep the patients mouth clear. It is the dental assistant’s job to disinfect and sterilize the dental equipment and instruments, prepare the needed instrument trays, and instruct patients on both general oral health and postoperative care. For experienced dental assistants, there is a number of dental assistance, career advancement opportunities available to them.

As dental assistants gain working knowledge and expertise, many prepare restoration and impression materials and not only take but process dental x-rays under the dentists direction. For those looking for dental assistant career advancement opportunities, they may become involved in removing sutures, using impressions to make casts of the mouth and teeth, or in the making of temporary crowns. Some schedule appointments, maintain patient records, do the billing and order dental materials and supplies.

Some individuals interested in dental assistant career advancement opportunities choose to continue their education and become licensed dental hygienists. Unlike dental assistants, dental hygienists examine a patient’s gums and teeth, record the presence of abnormalities or disease, remove hard and soft deposits, plaque, stains, and calculus from their patients teeth, and provide other dental care. Some prepare laboratory and clinical diagnostic tests, which the dentists then interpret. Others wanting dental assistant career advancement opportunities may decide to change occupations and become occupational therapist aides and assistants, medical assistants, physical therapist aides and assistants, pharmacy technicians, or even return to school to become dentists.

The job outlook for dental assistants along with those that have accepted dental assistant career advancement positions looks extremely favorable. They expect employment in the dental assistant field to grow far faster than average, along with other healthcare occupations, over the next seven years. There will be many new job openings created by employment growth, individuals that accept dental assistant career advancement positions, dental assistants reaching retirement age, and those leaving the field altogether. With older and middle aged people retaining their natural teeth longer, this increases the demand for dentists, dental assistants, and dental services.