Dental Assistant Training - A new career in dentistry!

The master is only as good as his assistant. This is especially true in dental practices where the preparation of procedures highly determines the outcome.

Dental assistants are valuable members of dental health teams. They perform a variety of tasks, from office work to patient care, to dental laboratory duties. But their main duty is to prepare the dental chair for the patient and the dental instruments for the dentists. They also work chairside, passing instruments and materials to the dental practitioner during procedures. Office work consists of writing and keeping dental records, making appointments, and ordering dental supplies. Laboratory work includes sterilizing instruments plus taking and developing X-rays.

Dental assistants are in demand and prospects in the job market look good. They work in different settings: private dental practices, public dentistry, school clinics, and specialty practices, e.g. orthodontics, dentofacial orthopedics, maxillofacial surgery and pediatric dentistry. Normal working conditions is 40 hours a week but part-time positions are also available. Salary ranges are comparable to other allied health professionals but the dental working environment is generally more relaxed than in medical clinics.