Dental Assistant

Duties and Responsibilities: Dental assistants perform a variety of  patient care,office and laboratory duties, and often work chair-side with the as the dentists perform the treatments for their patients. They often help the patients feel comfortable and feel better before and after the dental treatment. They also take and develop dental radiographs which is also known as x-rays. While the dentists do their work, they prepare and sterilize equipment and instruments. Finally, they also communicate with patients such as making their next appointment or where to get the medications.

Salary: ( $34,500 USD)

Education:  There is not really any formal education to become a dental assistant. Some assistant just has their high school diploma and only receiving on-the-job-training. It is highly recommended to attend a dental assisting programs and earn a 1-year diploma. Courses include: radiology,  dental materials,chair-side assisting,etc. And that would be pretty much it for them.

Demand or need for this profession: For the most part, we don’t really need more dental assistants. There are plenty of them but we demand more dentists.

Reflection: I think I do not want to be one, because they don’t have a great salary and don’t really do much as the dentists. There is not a challenge in this career. It doesn’t interest me.