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Dental Assistant Schools
By allied health world contributing writer
Published: January 12th, 2010
What can be expected from dental assistant school?
Dental assistants contribute to keeping dentists’ offices running smoothly, safely, and efficiently. As any DDS will attest, dental assistants are an absolutely indispensible asset to any successful dental practice. Although the tasks performed by dental assistants can be quite varied, dental assistant schools will provide the training necessary to prepare graduates to perform all the tasks expected of them in the clinical environment of a dentist’s office.Dental assistant programs are designed to prepare students to not only perform their daily duties, but to in fact thrive in the professional setting of a dentist’s office. These programs cater wonderfully to the educational needs of individuals interested in a
career spent working as in integral part of a team. However, dental assistants are more than just members of a dentist’s staff. In fact, they often function as the right hand to their DDS counterparts. With this in mind, these programs offer advanced training to prepare graduates for all the responsibilities and challenges that can be expected from a dental assistant career.
How long before I can begin working as a dental assistant?
The programs offered by community colleges and private dental assistant schools are available in varying lengths. Two years of schooling leading to an Associate of Science degree represents the most comprehensive education available to aspiring dental assistants. Most frequently students opt for certificate programs that usually take about a year to complete. Fast track programs designed to prepare students to enter the workforce quickly and with minimal expense can be completed in as few as six months.What specific coursework is standard in dental assistant school?
Students of dental assistant programs can expect classes in biology, as well as organic and inorganic chemistry, among other general science classes. At the core of these programs; however, will be coursework specifically focused on the unique requirements of this profession. As a standard part of any dental assistant program, students will learn dental anatomy and dental science as the groundwork upon which a curriculum of highly substantive technical coursework is built.The more career-specific job function related coursework would include classes in pediatric dentistry since working with children through the various stages of dental development is a standard practice for most dental assistants.
Dental assistants would also learn chair-side procedures that would not only develop interpersonal skills for helping to create a relaxed experience for apprehensive patients, but that would also familiarize students with dental instruments, their uses, and how to handle them.
Having dental x-rays taken are now a standard part of dental visits. This frequently performed task is the focus of dental radiology classes that teach the correct and safe use of x-ray equipment as well as how to develop and read the final image.
As gum disease has come to the forefront of the general discussion surrounding oral health, classes in dental disease pathology have become a standard component of dental assistant training programs. These classes are concerned with teaching how to diagnose and treat diseases that affect the gums, teeth, and the surrounding tissue and bone.
Training to become a dental assistant is all about learning to work as a cohesive yet flexible member of a team. Classes focused on how to maximize the efficiency and fluidity of dental procedures performed by both the attending dentist and his or her assistant in tandem are now commonplace in dental assistant schools. This method is commonly referred to as four-handed dentistry.
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