Last Updated: May 15th, 2022 by
When you walk into a dentist’s office, there’s a good chance the first person you meet is a dental assistant. In this role, dental assistants support dentists and dental hygienists in dealing with patients, often as frontline staff.
The role is crucial in the dental team, with a healthy balance of clinical work and administrative tasks taking up your average day. Your requirements to assume this role differ by state. In many cases, a one-year diploma or certificate and training might be enough for you to get started.
In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about how to become a dental assistant and start working as a crucial member of a dental care team.
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Job Description
Before we jump into how to become a dental assistant, let’s first learn what a dental assistant is.
Your role as a dental assistant combines clinical duties and administrative tasks. For instance, you’re responsible for assisting the dental care team by bringing patients to the dentist’s chair and preparing them for their procedures.
As procedures are ongoing, you’ll be on standby to hand dentists any tools they might need. At the same time, you’ll keep patients’ mouths dry using suction tools so the dentist can continue the procedure without interruptions.
Whenever you’re not helping with procedures, you’ll have to perform other clinical tasks like taking x-rays or completing x-rays. You’ll perform these tasks under a dentist’s direction.
Still, this task will require you to manage administrative tasks such as keeping patient records updated before and after their visits. That means managing the patient’s medical records.
You’ll also manage their billing and scheduling, such as helping them to set, change, or cancel future appointments.
Read More: How to Become a Dentist. Discover what it takes to pursue this career path and if it’s right for you.
What Does an Average Day For a Dental Assistant Look Like?
Still want to know how to become a dental assistant? Here’s what you can expect your average day to look like when working as a dental assistant.
Opening and Setting Up The Office
A dental assistant begins their day by opening up the dentist’s office and setting it up.
That means you’ll be the one to unlock doors and turn on all the lights. At the same time, you’ll also prepare the dentist’s room so they can get to work as soon as they arrive.
Preparing For The Day’s Appointments
Next, you’ll check the scheduling system and update yourself on the day’s upcoming appointments. That will allow you to get each patient’s file ready for the dental care team to refer to when they arrive.
During this part of your day, you’ll also take note of any scheduled procedures that will happen that day.
In doing so, you’ll be able to prepare any necessary equipment or facilities that the dentists and dental hygienists will need to carry out those procedures.
Welcoming and Preparing Patients
As patients begin arriving for their appointments, you’ll be their first point of contact at reception. Once you’ve checked them in, you’ll then notify the dentist that they’ve arrived.
When it’s the patient’s turn, you’ll walk with them to the dentist’s chair. As they wait for the dentist to arrive, you’ll answer any questions they might have about their dental care or the procedure they’re about to experience.
Depending on where you work, most of your patients will likely be coming for routine dentist visits.
However, there will be some coming in for emergencies who might be in a lot of pain. Here, knowing how to handle patients in unique situations is a valuable skill.
Assisting During Dental Procedures
You’ll also spend a part of your day assisting dental procedures in a hands-on way. You’re responsible for preparing all of the necessary equipment and tools for the day’s procedures, for starters.
Once the patient is seated and the procedure begins, you’ll operate suction equipment to keep patients’ mouths dry. You might also be tasked with handing tools to the dentist or dental hygienist as and when they need you to.
Your assistance during these kinds of procedures is crucial as it allows the dentist or dental hygienist to focus all of their attention on the treatment they’re providing.
Performing Diagnostics or Lab Tasks
Depending on the size of the dental care team, you might also be required to perform diagnostics or other laboratory tasks. For example, the dentist may instruct you to take a patient for an x-ray and then deliver the images back to them.
The same will also be true while the patient is in the dentist’s chair.
There, you’ll assist the dentist or the dental hygienist in checking the patient’s overall dental health. For instance, you’ll probe the patient’s teeth, screen for cancer or other diseases, and more.
By performing these support tasks, you’ll save the dentist a lot of time and allow them to focus on the treatments they provide.
That’s especially crucial if the clinic is particularly busy with many patients waiting and a limited number of dentists or hygienists.
Performing Billing and Scheduling Tasks
Although you’ll be helping around wherever you’re needed, a large portion of your day will still be spent performing administrative tasks.
The first of which involves handling patient billing issues. Depending on the patient, you’ll be collecting payment directly from them or interacting with their insurance provider.
You’ll also be responsible for patient scheduling. That means patients will work with you to set new appointments and reschedule or cancel existing ones if they need to.
By performing these tasks, you’ll ensure that the dentist’s office receives the funds they’re owed for any treatments they carry out.
Plus, your careful management of patient scheduling also ensures that dentists and dental hygienists have enough time to provide patient care without exhausting themselves.
How to Become a Dental Assistant: Process
Your journey towards becoming a dental assistant is influenced mainly by what state you live in. Different states across the country have their education and training requirements and for licensing certification and registration.
The state you’re in might not require all of the following, but in general, here’s how to become a dental assistant:
1. Pass an Accredited Course (If Required)
The first step for how to become a dental assistant, in some states, is passing an accredited course for dental assistants.
Accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), these courses are offered at vocational and technical schools. In some areas, community colleges offer them, as well.
This stage of the process usually takes 1 year, and you’ll get a certificate or diploma at the end. However, you can also find 2-year courses which award you with an associate’s degree.
All of these courses involve a combination of classroom and lab work, during which you’ll learn all about the anatomy of the human mouth. At the same time, you’ll also learn the basics of what dentists do and the tools they use to carry out their procedures.
2. Pursue On-The-Job Training
If you’re wondering how to become a dental assistant, you must pursue on-the-job training.
So, whether or not your state requires that you pass an accredited academic course, you’ll still have to learn by working alongside a dentist at a dental practice.
This type of hands-on training is crucial for your understanding of dentistry and dental procedures overall. It will also help you learn how to interact with patients and handle administrative tasks like billing and scheduling.
More importantly, you’ll get a chance to learn how to use diagnostic or other equipment at a dental practice. These skills will help you go far in your career, regardless of where you end up working.
3. Pursue Licensing, Certification, Or Registration (If Required)
Usually, states don’t require you to be licensed, certified, or registered to work as a dental assistant. However, your state might require you to be licensed or certified to perform specific medical tasks like taking x-rays.
For states that do require you to be certified to work as a dental assistant, you’ll have to sit for examinations administered by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.
Are You Suited For a Dental Assistant Career?
To go a long way in this role, you must have or develop specific skills and proficiencies.
Here are some of them:
Personality and Skills
Being a dental assistant requires you to have strong interpersonal skills. That’s because not only are you interacting with your team members throughout each day, but you’ll also be helping patients who might be in pain, as well.
That will also go along very well with strong communication skills, both in terms of speaking and listening. Dentists and dental hygienists will be giving you instructions that you must understand clearly, and patients will be telling you about their dental issues.
Seeing as how your average day involves plenty of multitasking, your organizational skills are also crucial to help you keep everything managed well and moving smoothly.
Credentials and Proficiencies
According to Onetonline.org, knowledge in specific kinds of software like the ones for accounting, email, and spreadsheets are crucial when working in this role. In addition to that, knowing how to use medical software is also a plus.
Besides software, you must also have a broad understanding of dentistry and dental procedures. That will allow you to provide much better support to the dentists and dental hygienists that you work with.
Lastly, knowledge and certification to operate diagnostics equipment like x-ray machines will also give you a competitive edge when seeking work in this role.
Read More: How to Become a Sterilization Technician. If you aren’t sure if becoming a dental assistant is right for you, Sterilization Techicians also work in dentistry. We discuss what to know in our article.
How to Become a Dental Assistant and Find Work?
The best way to find work as a dental assistant is to firstly know what employers hire them the most. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the top 3 largest types of employers for dental assistants are:
- Dentist’s Offices
- Physician’s Offices
- Outpatient Care Centres
These are the kinds of places with the most employment opportunities for someone in your role.
Once you’ve identified the ones in your area, you can then apply for work with them by:
- Checking on their websites for listed job openings (e.g. on websites of dental practices).
- Sending them a copy of your resume to let them know that you’re interested in working for them.
- Visiting these facilities and asking about potential job openings.
The Average Salary of a Dental Assistant
Also according to the BLS, the average salary that you can earn in this role is $42,310 a year. The top 90th percentile of dental assistants earn an average of $58,390 while the bottom 10th percentile earn $28,940.
The same source also lists the following states as the highest-paying for this role:
- Minnesota ($53,670 a year)
- Massachusetts ($51,750 a year)
- Alaska ($51,230 a year)
- New Hampshire ($50,820 a year)
- Oregon ($48,320 a year)
You can increase your earning potential for this role by obtaining training and certifications to work in specialized departments like:
- Radiography
- Infection Control
- Dental Laboratories
Dental Assistant Job Growth
The job outlook for dental assistants looks positive, which is excellent news for anyone wanting to know how to become a dental assistant.
It’s estimated that this role will see an 11% growth between 2020 and 2030, which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics categorizes as being “faster than average”.
Top 5 Certifications For Dental Assistants
Your state may or may not require you to be certified to work as a dental assistant.
However, there are several certifications offered by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. which could help take you further by equipping you with specialized skills and knowledge.
The 5 certifications they offer are:
- National Entry Level Dental Assistant (NELDA®)
- Certified Dental Assistant™ (CDA®)
- Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA®)
- Certified Preventive Functions Dental Assistant (CPFDA®)
- Certified Restorative Functions Dental Assistant (CRFDA®)
Read our related article on How to Become an Orthodontist for more information on dentistry careers.
Professional Associations
American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA)
Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.
National Association of Dental Assistants
National Dental Assistant Association (Part of the National Dental Association)
State-level associations, like:
Top Colleges and Universities
Conclusion
By now, you should have a better understanding of how to become a dental assistant. While learning how to become a dental assistant is fairly easy, the process will take time, studying, and experience.
Now that you have the tools, you can better conclude if becoming a dental assistant is right for you.
