Being a dental assistant could be a great career choice, but are you still on the fence? You don’t need to be! There are a few things to know about being a dental assistant before you can commit to this career path. If you’ve been wondering what some of the pros of being a dental assistant are, look no further!
To help you make a decision on whether this career path is one you may want to pursue, we’ve highlighted 5 pros of being a dental assistant!
Discover our top 5 pros of dental assisting!
Things to Know About Being a Dental Assistant | The 5 Pros
1. Being a dental assistant means helping others
Although responsibilities can vary by state, a dental assistant is responsible for providing patient care, recordkeeping, and appointment scheduling 1. That means working closely with patients to take their medical history, scheduling appointments, and even communicating the details of a procedure. Every day as a dental assistant can be full of working with people and providing care for others. This could mean a rewarding and fulfilling experience, making a difference in the lives of patients! You can do all of this with a dedicated team of dental healthcare professionals.
2. You could gain valuable experiences working on a dental healthcare team
Working as a dental assistant means you could work closely with dentists and dental hygienists. This is an opportunity to learn from the expertise of others in your field! Depending on the state you work in, you could learn to perform the following tasks:
- Prepare patients and the work area for treatments and procedures
- Sterilize dental instruments
- Process x rays and complete lab tasks under the direction of a dentist
- And more 2
Under the direction of a dentist, you could even take impressions of a patient’s teeth and perform other technical procedures 3. Working in this field is full of tasks that can challenge your newly acquired skills, but could ultimately lead to a rewarding career in the dental field.
3. Learn valuable skills and dental practices daily
One of the best things about a dental assisting career is the opportunity to continuously learn and improve valuable skills. These can lead you to a successful career in a rewarding field. Your dental assistant skills checklist should include the following:
- Interpersonal skills
- Listening skills
- Organizational skills 4
Combining your technical skills and the other soft skills mentioned above could help you to become successful in this field! Additional pros include learning how to prepare patients and exam rooms for treatments and operations, processing x-rays and performing lab tasks, and assisting the patients with billing and payments.
4. You could have positive career prospects
Another important advantage of becoming a dental assistant is potential job opportunities in the field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of dental assistants is projected to grow 11 percent from 2020 to 2030, which is faster than the average for all occupations 5.
In this career path, you could expect to work with patients in the actual occupational setting. It can be beneficial for a student to choose a dental assisting program that has a strong hands-on component so they can learn in a professional setting. Dental Assistant training programs in Michigan could help you reach your career goals.
5. Training can be completed in a relatively short amount of time
Although this depends on the training program you select, many dental assistant training programs can be completed in a short period of time. How short? Some programs are designed to be completed in just 1 year!
Becoming a dental assistant means completing training that can strengthen your new skills to be applied to a potential career. When choosing a program, it’s important to evaluate the school and your dental assistant skills checklist to ensure you’re receiving the training you need (and want) prior to entering the field. If you are eager to start on a new career path in the dental field, becoming a dental assistant could be the right career path for you.
Explore Dental Assistant training programs in Michigan | Dorsey College
If you’ve been searching for Dental Assistant training programs in Michigan, consider Dorsey College! Here, at Dorsey College, we offer the Dental Assistant training program at our conveniently located Dearborn, Roseville, and Woodhaven campuses.
With career-focused training from Dorsey College, you could learn the skills and techniques to pursue a fulfilling career path. Our training program is designed to prepare students for a role as a dental assistant and can be completed in just one year! Financial Aid is available to those who qualify and Dorsey College also offers career services assistance to all program completers. So, if being a dental assistant is your dream, then begin your journey here, at Dorsey College!
Explore your dental assisting training options at Dorsey College!
Additional Information:
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dental Assistants, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-assistants.htm#tab-2 (visited February 28, 2022).
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dental Assistants, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-assistants.htm#tab-2 (visited February 28, 2022).
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dental Assistants, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-assistants.htm#tab-2 (visited February 28, 2022).
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dental Assistants, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-assistants.htm#tab-4 (visited February 28, 2022).
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dental Assistants, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-assistants.htm#tab-6 (visited February 28, 2022).
The Roseville, Dearborn, and Woodhaven campuses are branch campuses of Madison Heights.
Financial Aid is available to those who qualify.
Career services assistance is available to all program completers, however, job placement is not guaranteed by Dorsey College.
Reviewed and updated: 2/28/22
