Many workers in today’s economy are experiencing layoffs, pay cuts and difficulty finding work in a variety of industries. On the bright side however, the best time to initiate a career change and get into a new line of work can be during a recession. Tons of industries are expanding in today’s world of advancing technology and the growth of population density.
The dental industry is an example of a field that’s experiencing unusual growth despite our recession. Health care jobs exist for just about every type of work, ranging from administrative jobs to assistants at the surgical table. Dental assistants, for example are in extremely high demand, and it’s a great time to pursue education that could allow you to shift into a dental assistant career. A dental assistant career can seem daunting and like it requires extensive schooling, but the reality is many dental assistant career training programs can be completed in just about a year’s time, with associates degrees offered for two year programs.
Dental Assistant Career Duties
Those considering a dental assistant career can expect to work mainly in dental offices—over 90 percent did according to US Department of Labor statistics in 2008, though it is also possible to work in specialty clinics physician’s offices and federal buildings in specialized capacity.
Dental assistant duties include prepping dentist chairs and tables, including instruments for specialized operations and teeth cleaning. Assisting the dentist with instruments as well as sterilization is also common and dental assistants can even remove sutures and perform other menial dental procedures, such as instructing patients on oral care regiments. Many dental assistants work in administrative capacities as well, assisting with billing, insurance coding and appointment setting as well.
It’s also possible for a dental assistant career to extend into administrative work for large insurance companies and hospital or clinic billing industries that need experienced specialists around dentistry.
Dental Assistant Career Training
Dental assistants can gain their academic requirements in college in the form of a Health Information Technology degree or a two-year associates degree that is more specialized toward dentistry, but these degrees oftentimes include general education and a vast amount of curriculum related to other forms of health administration. Most dental assistants career programs will only take you a year to complete before certification is obtained. A dental assistant career is likely to earn you 36-42 thousand dollars a year, according to 2008 Department of Labor statistics, as the middle 50% of dental assistants earned a salary in that range.
Dental Assistant Career Training Online
Many accredited programs offer online classes for dental assistant professionals. Though hands-on learning is necessary for the more specialized applications of a dental assistant career, courses on the administrative side of things and basic oral anatomy can definitely be taken online at a student’s pace while working another job. The dental assistant career is expected to boom with an increase of 36% between 2010 and 2018.
