Have you been thinking about enrolling in a Dental Assistant training school but you’re not sure if it’s worth it for your potential career? There are many advantages of a dental assistant career. If you’re compassionate and caring about others and enjoy working in a healthcare environment, dental assistant training schools could be a beneficial path to a rewarding future!
Dental assistants play an important role in dental healthcare. They often spend much of their day working closely with patients and dentists. These assistants have many tasks, including patient care, recordkeeping, and appointment scheduling. Their duties vary by state and by the dentists’ offices in which they work 1.
If a career in dental assisting sounds like a worthwhile goal for you, then enrolling in a training school is the first step. We’ll show you how enrolling in a dental assisting training school can help you pursue the career you have been dreaming of!
Discover how you could complete dental assistant training in as little as one year!
Enrolling in a Dental Assistant training school could help you gain dental assistant clinical skills.
Dental assistants help dentists during procedures and can be found working in a dental office. Assistants in the dental field are also responsible for preparing the treatment room and making sure that instruments and equipment are sterile. They may also document the procedure that is done and schedule follow-up appointments. Depending on the state in which you work, you could be doing the following:
- Prepare patients and the work area for treatments and procedures
- Hand instruments to dentists during procedures
- Dry patients’ mouths using suction hoses and other equipment
- Instruct patients in proper oral hygiene
- Process x rays and complete lab tasks under the direction of a dentist
- Keep records of dental treatments
- Schedule patient appointments
- Work with patients on billing and payment 2
These tasks are all examples of the importance a dental assistant brings forth in the dental healthcare setting. Dental Assistant training schools enable students to learn how to use many of these tasks daily. These clinical skills can be your ticket to a great career, provided you find the right dental assisting training school.
Qualities you could strengthen in Dental Assistant training school
There are many critical dental assistant clinical skills needed to become successful in your career path. However, there are additional soft skills that are at the core of most successful dental professionals, including:
- Detail-oriented – Dental assistants must follow specific rules and protocols, such as infection control procedures when helping dentists treat patients.
- Dexterity – You must be good at working with their hands. They generally work in tight spaces on a small part of the body, using precise tools and instruments.
- Interpersonal skills – They must also be considerate in working with patients who are sensitive to pain or fear undergoing dental treatment.
- Listening skills – Assistants in the dental field should have good communication skills. They must be able to pay attention to patients and other healthcare workers. They need to follow directions from a dentist or dental hygienist so they can help treat patients and do tasks, such as taking x rays.
- Organizational skills – Should have excellent organizational skills. They need to have the correct tools in place for a dentist or dental hygienist to use when treating a patient, and they need to maintain patient schedules and office records3.
Dental assistant training school could provide the opportunity to turn these listening, interpersonal, organizational skills, and more into a well-rounded individual ready to start each day with confidence and passion.
Build a solid foundation on various topics that may be vital to a dental assisting career.
In order to become an assistant, it could be vital to first build a solid foundation of knowledge at a dental assisting training school. This can include anatomy and physiology, preventative dentistry, infection control, basic dental laboratory procedures, patient care, and more!
What most training programs offer could be perfect for expanding your knowledge on these topics. Obtaining knowledge in these subjects could help in your future career as an assistant in the dental field but it’s important to select the right dental assisting training school.
What do I look for in a Dental Assistant training school?
Now that you know why dental assistant training school is worth it, the last step is to figure out how to find the right school for you. Begin by searching for “accredited dental assisting programs near me.” It’s vital to find an accredited dental training school designed to help you gain the skills and knowledge needed to pursue entry-level employment as a dental assistant. Some programs even offer externship opportunities where you can gain valuable real-world experience and job training. Finding the right dental assistant training school can be worth it!
Enroll in Dental Assistant training school at Blue Cliff College
If you have been searching for accredited programs in dental assisting, consider Blue Cliff College. At Blue Cliff College, enrolling in our training program means you could gain the skills and knowledge needed to pursue entry-level employment as a dental assistant upon graduation and/or certification. Our program is offered at the following locations:
- Metairie, LA (Main Campus)
- Gulfport, MS (A branch of Metairie)
By enrolling in our program you’ll have the opportunity to learn the clinical skills you may need to pursue this fulfilling career path. Get closer to a career in the dental field with the Dental Assistant training program at Blue Cliff College!
Take charge of your future. Enroll in Blue Cliff College’s Dental Assisting diploma program!
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