How Can I Become a Dental Office Assistant?

Dental office assistants are part of the core team that keeps a dental office running. One of the most versatile roles within the office, they handle office tasks and lab work as well as some aspects of patient care. It’s necessary for dental assistants to not only be personable and possess strong technical skills, but they must also have a solid, credentialed education. If you’d like to work in patient care and assist running a busy office as a dental office assistant, a Dental Assistant Career Diploma from Ashworth College can set you on the path towards reaching your goal.

What does a dental assistant do?

Dental office assistants’ job duties can range anywhere from clerical, to technical, to patient care. They can be the first point of contact for patients, running the daily office operations of scheduling appointments, maintaining records, and billing. At other times, dental office assistants may perform simple lab duties like sterilizing equipment as well as taking and developing x-rays at the instruction of the dentist. Finally, people skills come into play for dental assistants when they assist with direct patient care. These responsibilities may entail preparing and comforting patients before procedures, recording patient vitals and histories, and assisting the dentist by keeping patients’ mouths dry by using suction hoses and other dental instruments.

How do I become a dental office assistant?

Not just anyone can become a dental assistant. It takes skills and education to prepare properly for the duties that you’ll be expected to perform. Dental office assistants undertake many types of tasks, so you’ll need to be able to complete office work, understand dental basics, and even carry out some lab duties. With Ashworth College’s Dental Assistant Career Diploma, your coursework will cover areas such as management software, business administration, dental terminology, charting, and ethics within the dental field. These courses can establish a solid foundation to build your knowledge base, helping to prepare you for your career.

How much does a dental office assistant make?

Proper oral hygiene is necessary for a healthy lifestyle, so a dental career can provide job security. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a growth of eight percent in dental assistant careers over the next 10 years, with the average salary at about $38,660. The increasing demand coupled with the salary makes a dental office assistant a lucrative career choice.

Learn more: Which Healthcare Certifications Pay the Most

Kickstart your career with Ashworth

Prepare for your career helping others as a dental office assistant with an affordable, self-paced education. Enroll online today or contact an Ashworth Admissions Advisor at .