Just What Does a Certified Dental Assistant Do?
Date: July 29, 2022
A Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) fulfills essential dental and oral healthcare functions for dental practitioners and their patients. Dental assistants usually work with dental hygienists in dental offices under the direct supervision of dentists. Crucial to dental teams, dental assisting is a registered profession represented by the American Dental Assistants Association.
Dental assisting is a multifaceted role. It requires a balance of skills, including a basic understanding of the oral cavity, efficiency, acumen in clerical duties, promoting oral health, and hands-on practicality to assist dental teams. Dental Assistants must also possess and express a supportive personality to reassure anxious patients. Dental assistants’ administrative tasks include:
- Handling Insurance
- Maintaining Health Records
- Scheduling Appointments
- Providing Reminders and Information.
They educate patients regarding oral hygiene techniques and advocate best practices for preventing disease and infection. They explain pre-care and post-care oral procedures to patients. Furthermore, dental assistants often serve as a dentist’s right arm. This involves:
- Cleaning Teeth
- Developing X-rays
- Fabricating Tooth Impressions
- Taking Patients’ Blood Pressures and Pulses.
Likewise, they routinely handle and sterilize instruments like suction devices, syringes, and saliva ejectors. Additionally, they convey information to patients and make them feel comfortable before, during, and after their appointments.
How Does One Become a Dental Assistant?
Many states require dental assistants to graduate from an accredited program and pass an exam. Dental assistant programs are typically offered at community colleges, vocational schools, and technical schools. Many dental assistant programs take approximately a year or less to complete, leading to certification.
Programs taking up to two years to complete are less common. While these may lead to an associate’s degree, a degree is not a prerequisite for the profession.1 “Accredited programs include classroom and laboratory work. Students learn about teeth, gums, jaws, and other areas that dentists work on and the instruments they use.”1
At Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts, one may finish a Dental Assisting program in as little as eight (8) months.* The training introduces students to the fundamentals of anatomy and physiology, specifically related to the oral cavity. Students are provided externships in affiliated medical facilities as a part of the program, gaining valuable hands-on experience.
What Does a Dental Assistant Make?
In May 2020, the median annual salary for dental assistants was $41,180 or $19.80 per hour, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $28,940 nationwide.1 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest 10 percent earned more than $58,390 nationwide.1 Salary can vary based on several variables, including geolocation, years of experience, and type of dentistry worked within.
The “projected growth rate for the industry was seven percent from 2016 to 2026 nationwide.1 Moreover, dental assistants are needed to offset costs as dental care costs increase.”2 According to the U.S. News Best Jobs, Dental Assistants received 14th place in overall job satisfaction for Best Jobs Without a College Degree and 15th place in Best Health Care Support Jobs.2 According to the same source, dental assisting has less than a 2.4 percent unemployment rate.2
‘Cut Your Teeth’ on This Profession
There will likely be jobs in dental assisting for as long as there are teeth. So, you may want to ‘cut your teeth’ on this profession sooner rather than later. Dental Assisting can be a great career choice for friendly, driven individuals who want to work in healthcare settings. Providing the gamut of opportunities, dental assisting allows one to ‘polish’ more than just teeth but one’s vocation as well!~
*32 Indicates Approved Instructional Weeks
Citations
1^a,b, c, d “Dental Assistants Pay.” Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics. September 8, 2021. (Accessed December 16, 2021.)
2^a,b Graves, Jada. “What is a Dental Assistant? No. 14 in Best Jobs Without a College Degree.” U.S. News Money. (Accessed Dec.16, 2021.)
