Become a Dental Assistant for Free

Dental assistants work in dentist offices both as clinical and office helpers. Their training may come from a several month- to a year-long training program, or they may be trained on the job. While the training programs require student dental assistants to pay for their educations, finding a position with on the job training means you can forego paying tuition.

Duties
Dental assistants may sterilize and clean equipment, prepare the dental office for patient procedures, update patients' dental records, schedule appointments and assist during clinical procedures. They must work under a dentist's supervision, and their duties will vary from office to office.

Training
Dental assistants do not have to have formal training to do their jobs. Some dentists will hire assistants who have no experience and teach them what they need to know on the job. However, those who have not completed a formal training program will find themselves at a disadvantage in the job market. More and more dentists prefer to hire individuals with the skills necessary to do the job of a dental assistant without having to train them themselves.

Formal Training
The Commission on Dental Accreditation does not approve four to six month-long training programs. The programs it approves are almost a year in length and some lead to an associate's degree in two years. The year-long training programs lead to a certificate or diploma. The in-depth training in these programs prepare students to work in a dental office. However, one-on-one training from professionals in a dental office can also teach individuals dental assisting skills.

If you do choose to attend a formal training program, you will learn things like how to educate patients on dental health, creating temporary crowns and taking dental x-rays. Career and community colleges offer dental assisting programs in many cases. Remington College, for example, offers a dental assisting program that lasts eight months at several of its campuses in Texas, Tennessee, Florida and Ohio. Pima Medical Institute is another college that offers dental assisting training. Its program is available at several of its campuses in various states across the country, and it lasts about seven months.

On the Job Training
New dental assistants will learn dental terminology, how to do daily tasks, interact with patients and the names of dental instruments if they learn on the job. They will also learn other skills to facilitate the smooth running of a dental office.

Certification and Licensure
Each state has different regulations about the type of duties dental assistants can do. If a dental assistant wants to have more responsibilities or to do radiological procedures, she may need to become licensed in her state. Continuing education may also be a requirement to keep licensure or registration. An exam with written and clinical portions may be part of becoming licensed or registered. Graduating from an accredited dental program may also be required. Contact your state's board for dental assisting for its regulations.

Reference:

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Dental Assistants
Remington College: Dental Assisting
Pima Medical Institute: Dental Assistant Training