In the realm of dental health care, there are two crucial support roles that stand out: dental assistants and dental hygienists. Both of these professions play an integral part in ensuring that patients receive optimal dental care; however, they also differ significantly in the responsibilities, training, and scope of how they assist the practice. Understanding these differences is pretty essential for those considering a career in dentistry; after all, you want to make a career choice that makes you happy and keeps you satisfied! That said, here’s a closer look at these two roles and some of their key differences.
What Are Dental Assistants?
Dental assistants are the backbone of dental practices, providing essential support to dentists and hygienists alike. Their responsibilities include assisting dentists during procedures and ensuring patient comfort, sterilization and general maintenance, administrative duties, and even a little patient education. It’s really a matter of what don’t they do! It’s a versatile role in which no two days, or hours, are truly the same. It’s also a great fit if you’re a little uncertain about how you want to fit into the dental world; you’ll see and do a little bit of it all.
What Are Dental Hygienists?
Dental hygienists focus primarily on preventive dental care and patient education – they’re a little more specialized and focused than dental assistants, and have a little more autonomy due to their backgrounds and training, but this is completely by design. They are responsible for performing dental cleanings, oral examinations, filling out dental charts, assisting with X-rays, and of course, helping to expand a patient’s knowledge about their smile, so that they can take better care of it at home!
Which Career Is Best for Me?
Ultimately, both dental assistants and hygienists play indispensable roles within a dental office, and either path has the potential to be incredibly gratifying and life-changing. Each requires a different educational path and training, certifications, and time commitment. That means you’ll want to carefully weigh your career goals and preferred work environment. But no matter which decision you choose, you’re picking a career that’s certain to feel fulfilling!
About the Green Country School of Dental Assisting
Our team at the Green Country School of Dental Assisting has helped numerous aspiring dental assistants in Claremore get started with their careers, and they’d be more than happy to help you take these first steps into your exciting new career! If you have any questions about the article or you’d like additional enrollment information, feel free to contact us online or over the phone for further assistance. Telephone: (918) 343-7188.