What is a Dental Assistant?
A dental assistant is many things and it might just be the career for
you. The Department of Labor predicts dental assisting to be
amongst the fastest growing careers
this decade. That growth is expected to be about 36% by the year
2018! They are also expecting to see a continuing trend where
trained and experienced
dental assistants are being hired over those without formal training and/or experience. Take a look at our Career Outlook page for further career projections and employment data.
Dental assisting can be a great profession whether you plan to make a
career out of it or use it as a stepping stone. You do not
need any experience to begin your career as a
dental assistant. If you are brand new to the field and just
trying to get started, we can help you.
While many people are very happy being dental assistants
throughout their careers, there are plenty of others who will
begin their careers as dental assistants and later pursue other dental
career options such as becoming a hygienist or even a dentist.
dental careers include being a dental laboratory technician, an oral
surgeon, a periodontist, or an orthodontist, just to name a few.
Wherever your career
takes you (and you don't need to know exactly where you want to go
right now), you'll find that the field of dentistry is a diverse one
that can offer you a wide variety of options and career paths.
Dental assistants work in dental offices directly with patients and
often alongside a dentist. While the specific functions legally
permitted for a dental assistant to perform will vary by state and will
depend upon credentialing, the tasks are still fairly consistent.
Dental assistants work with
patients obtaining and updating their files and paperwork, filling in
information on a patient's chart as part of a diagnosis or procedure,
providing general dental healthcare and post-operative instructions,
and as well as making patients feel comfortable and preparing them for dental
Additionally, they take dental x-rays that are then read and
interpreted by another member of the staff.
Dental assistants can also prepare the materials necessary for
impressions, restorations, and temporary fillings. They remove
sutures and the excess cement
used in placing crowns, place dental dams to isolate a tooth that a
dentist may need to work on, and apply topical anesthesia and/or
Dental assistants also disinfect and sterilize instruments and
equipment. They set up and prepare the materials, instruments,
equipment, and medication that the dentist will use to perform various
procedures. Dental assistants also work alongside dentists during
procedures passing the instruments and materials, retracting (or pulling back a patient's cheek), and suctioning saliva.
In some locations, dental assistants may also have clerical
responsibilities such as scheduling appointments, sending out bills,
processing patient payments, maintaining inventory, and ordering needed
dental supplies. Still other dental assistants may have
laboratory duties such as pouring casts, cleaning and polishing
appliances (such as retainers), and making temporary crowns.
To be a good dental assistant you should be able to work well with
others. You'll interact with a variety of patients each day as
different staff members. The ability to multitask is also
useful. A typical day may include answering phone calls and
making appointments, emotionally preparing a patient for an extraction
at the same time that you apply topical anesthesia, then assisting the
dentist with the actual procedure and charting what was performed,
ordering supplies and mailing out bills for a few minutes between
patients, and then escorting the next patient down the hall where
they'll find the instruments and materials you laid out and sterilized
earlier. A dental assistant should also be comfortable working in
a healthcare setting where the potential for exposure to infection
exists, where washing your hands and maintaining a clean workplace is
expected, where gloves and masks are frequently worn, and where people
can be expected to ask you questions about their health and safety.
Being a dental assistant should not be confused with being a dental
hygienist. A hygienist is the position you would likely be most
familiar with when you personally visit the dentist to have your teeth
cleaned. A career as a dental hygienist carries its own set of
requirements and regulations, including an education of at least two
years and as much as six years. Many people interested in dental
hygiene will use dental assisting as a way to get their careers started and
earn some money and experience while furthering their education.
If you are unsure about whether or not dental assisting is the career
for you, we would encourage you to speak with people who are already in
the field. A great place to start is at your own dentist's office. Explain that you're interested in a dental
career and ask if you could sit down and talk with some of the staff
regarding their thoughts about the field. Be sure to come
prepared in advance with specific questions if you set up this type of
informational interview. They are generously offering their time for
you. It's also a good idea to thank them and express your
You may also want to look at our page on the different types of dental assistants in New Jersey. This page includes a section that reviews the different NJ dental assisting credentials available and what tasks and procedures you may find yourself performing with each level of credentialing.
While it is still possible in a limited number of offices to begin your
dental assisting career without any experience or education and to be
trained on the job, the
majority of doctors and dental offices prefer to hire someone with training. At the same time, becoming a dental
assistant does not require an advanced degree.
A high school diploma however is required to obtain a dental
certification or license in NJ. Beyond high school,
some vocational schools, community colleges, and private training programs such as Dental Assistant Services
can provide you with the necessary and relevant education. While
college may be able to offer an associate's degree, this is not a
requirement to become a dental assistant.
What sets Dental Assistant Services
apart is that we are dedicated
exclusively to the field of dental assisting. We don't simply
offer a dental assisting program along with several other programs...
in dental assisting. We know dental assisting, are established in
the field, and are well respected by local dental offices
governing agencies alike. Our training program does not teach you
extra and unnecessary information simply for the sake of filling up
hours. We focus on teaching you the information you need to pass
your exams, obtain your certification and licenses, and to become more
employable. We teach you what you need to know in order to
successful and respected as a dental assistant without confusing you
The specific educational requirements (and time commitment) will
correspond to the certification/licenses you want to obtain and the job responsibilities that
you would like to be able to perform. In dental assisting it is
not difficult to obtain an entry level position with a limited amount
of training. As you progress in the field and wish to take on
more responsibility however, you'll likely want to further your
education. Click here for
a brief overview on the education we offer to help you obtain various
levels of credentialing. Also on this page you can learn more
about the different types of dental
assistants (i.e., the different credentials and job titles available) in the state of
New Jersey. You can also view our Program Course Descriptions page
for more information about the specific courses we offer.