Dental Assisting Career Paths – Claremore, OK

Dental Assistant

As soon as you finish our course, you will be ready for employment as a dental assistant. You can enjoy working with dentists, helping patients, interacting with your team members, and making a positive contribution to an efficient and profitable dental practice. Whether you are taking X-rays, preparing instruments, or caring for other tasks, you will gain valuable experience and learn all the tips and tricks that can take you from being a newbie dental assistant to a seasoned veteran.

Certified Dental Assistant

A certified dental assistant is one who has passed the Dental Assistant National Board test for certified dental assistants. In Oklahoma, dental assistants become eligible for certification after two full years of work experience. Once you are certified, you may enjoy higher pay and be able to apply for positions at high-end dental offices that are very selective about whom they hire. You may also take on tasks that are not normally the realm of dental assistants with more limited experience.

Expanded Function Dental Assistant

An expanded function dental assistant (EFDA) cares for all the normal duties of a dental assistant. However, they also have additional certifications which allow them to do more expanded functions. For example, you may place dental sealants, administer nitrous oxide and coronal polishing all of which can be obtained after one year of experience. An assistant who receives additional expanded duty certifications have more opportunity for dental employment and higher pay.

Dental Assistant Instructor

Any of the instructors at our school will tell you that teaching others about dental assisting is a rewarding endeavor. If you are interested in experiencing it for yourself, you may be eligible to apply for instructor positions at dental assisting schools after you have gained some experience in your field. Generally, instructors are talented and patient people who love to simplify complex topics and explain them to others.

Dental Office Business Team Administrator

Are you a detail-oriented person who enjoys administrative tasks? You might choose to pursue a position as a dental office business team administrator. In this capacity, you will serve as the first point of contact for patients. You may schedule appointments, send out appointment reminders, update electronic records, and file insurance claims. Many dentists prefer to hire front desk team members who have a background in dental assisting due to their familiarity with the industry.

Dental Sales Representative

A dental sales representative works for a dental supply company. In this job, you would help practices make sure they have all the equipment and supplies they need to care well for their patients and stay up-to-date with advanced technology. To succeed in this career path, you should have a sound knowledge of dentistry, be friendly, and have an understanding of various sales techniques. The ability to establish trusting relationships with others is also essential.

Dental Hygienist

A dental hygienist cleans patients’ teeth and performs basic examinations in order to report areas of concern to the dentist. Hygienists play a critical role in helping patients enjoy sound oral health and in allowing dentists to focus the majority of their time on more complex treatments. You will have to go back to school in order to become a hygienist. Fortunately, a hygiene school may be more likely to accept you if you have experience as a dental assistant.

Dental Consultant

A dental consultant focuses on the business side of dentistry. They help practices make savvy decisions that enable them save money, increase revenue, operate more efficiently, and improve patient satisfaction. They might also train dentists and their team members on how to implement new software or other important systems. A background as a dental assistant can give you the knowledge and experience you need to relate to the challenges often faced by practices.

Dentist

A dental practice is nothing without at least one dentist, whose job it is to diagnose various oral health issues, perform complex treatments, and coach patients on how to care for their smiles. It is an exciting and lucrative career! There are a number of dentists who started out as dental assistants. They loved the field so much that they applied to dental school and put in the extra years of work required to become a dentist.