Believe it or not, the healthcare industry is one of the fastest-growing industries around—as long as people require assistance with their health, there will always be a spot for workers in these fields! And if you’re curious about a potential career in healthcare, specifically oral healthcare, one option worth considering is dental assisting. The dental assistant lifestyle is unlike any other job, offers impressive stability and compensation, and ultimately fosters a very positive worldview toward dentistry that can translate directly into treatment! Keep reading to learn more about why you shouldn’t think twice about considering a career as a dental assistant.
What Do Dental Assistants Do?
Perhaps a better question would be “What don’t dental assistants do?” because as it turns out, dental assistants are responsible for quite a lot within a dental office! If you’ve ever paid close attention to what’s going on throughout one of your dental visits, you’ve probably noticed a dental assistant passing instruments to the dentist, jotting down notes, or relaying important information to the dentist’s ear. But this is just scratching the surface of their long list of responsibilities and technical skills!
To put it simply, dental assistants provide patient care and chair-side support as dentists complete exams and carry out procedures. Their patient contact most often occurs when working with the dentist, rather than separately from them. They can assist with some tasks such as preparation, sterilization, or even things that constitute treatment such as polishing. Dental assistants differ from dental hygienists in that the latter generally performs much more unsupervised work on patients.
Why Is Dental Assisting a Worthwhile Career?
Needless to say, the role that a dental assistant fulfills within a practice is paramount; without this ancillary support, a dentist simply would not be able to provide the high-quality care that their patients deserve! The inherent value of the position alone can be a great source of pride and joy for many; feeling as though you’re truly doing work that matters is inspiring and reason enough to get out of bed each morning.
Dental assisting also offers both flexibility and growth; it’s possible to work part-time or full-time, and as an assistant, you will also have multiple career paths to grow into and specialize in, depending on your interests and skill set (oral surgery, endodontics, orthodontics, sedation, etc.). Of course, this also comes with the appropriate compensation; dental assistants’ average salaries are projected to steadily grow over the next decade.
Not to mention, dental assisting itself is a fast-paced job and no two days are truly the same; between every task and challenge you’ll face, every new patient you’ll greet, and every bit of knowledge you’ll absorb for future reference, you’re certain to build on your foundation with each passing day and look forward to the next one!
About Green Country School of Dental Assisting
The talented team at the Green Country School of Dental Assisting has helped countless prospective dental assistants in the Claremore, OK community kickstart their careers and find their paths as dental assistants, and they look forward to assisting you next! If you have any questions about the blog or you’d like to get in touch with the team for assistance, don’t hesitate to visit them online or give them a call today! Telephone: (918) 343-7188.