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Want To Go Into The Medical Field? Why A Dental Assistant Program Is A Good Choice

19 January 2018

Tamara Horton

If you are finishing up your general education courses, you may be trying to figure out your next move: picking a career path. While some students want to pursue years of education in the medical field, others may be looking for less intense routes. One great option to consider is a dental assisting program. Here are some benefits of becoming a dental assistant:

You Can Start Making Money Sooner

A major downside of other medical career paths is the time it takes to get through the program, as well as the student debt you may be incurring. Dental assistant programs only take about one to two years to complete. In fact, some programs are even shorter since they have you do on-the-job training instead. This means that you can start forging a career path and making money instead of staying in school for many years.

Keep in mind that every state has different requirements for their dental assisting programs, so you should look for one that is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (a subsidiary of the American Dental Association).

You Have Good Job Prospects

People are always going to need health and dental care, so entering these kinds of fields is great if you are looking for stability. Dentistry IQ says that since there continue to be more and more people needing restorative, preventative, and cosmetic dental care, more dental assistants will be needed to meet that demand.

Not only do you have job stability, but you have a chance to increase your earnings with experience and certifications. For instance, while the average salary range for a dental assistant is about 31,000-39,000, you can certainly earn more than $43,000 a year. Many assistants also have benefits, like health insurance.

You Will Stay Busy, But You Won't be Overworked

Many dental offices run your standard 8-9 hour workday with the occasional emergency visit. This is great for many individuals who don't want the sporadic schedules of other medical fields--like nurses that work 12+ hour shifts!

Although you will definitely be busy each day, you shouldn't feel burned out. Dental assistants have a wide variety of responsibilities, so your work never gets boring. You may be in charge of

• Cleaning and handling dental instruments
• Disinfecting dental instruments
• Taking impressions and x-rays
• Ordering supplies for the office
• Going over health records and post-operative instructions with patients
• Doing basic hygienist duties, such as sealants, fluoride treatments, and anesthetics

As you can see, there are many benefits of being a dental assistant: you can get through school sooner, you'll have job security, and you'll have a normal schedule with unique tasks. Contact a dental assisting program in your area for more details. 

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