Education for Careers in Caring.

Dental assistant program degrees

What types of dental assistant degree programs do dental schools offer?
259 dental assistant programs were accredited by the Dental Accreditation Commission in 2002. Though there are some two-year dental assistant programs which lead to an associate's degree, in fact most dental school programs lead to a certificate or diploma and take a year to complete. After graduating from a dental school program, most States require dental assistants to be licensed or registered. It's a good idea to look into your own state's requirements before enrolling in a dental school program.

What do dental assistant programs include?
Most dental school programs, whether at degree level or otherwise, offer varied programs of tuition in the classroom and in the dental laboratory. Budding dental assistants also gain hands-on experience in dental clinics/offices, or at the dental school itself. Dental school programs equip students to perform a range of tasks, anything from sterilizing and disinfecting instruments, taking dental x-rays, and making dental casts to performing administrative duties such as keeping patients' records.

Isn't dental assistant just another name for dental hygienist?

No. Dental hygienists focus on clinical dental hygiene and are licensed to carry out different clinical tasks. Some dental assistants return to dental school and learn the skills necessary to become dental hygienists and can command higher earnings as a result.

What are job prospects do graduates from dental assistant programs enjoy?

Excellent! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, dental assistants should be one of the fastest growing occupations through to 2012. In 2002, the range of hourly earnings for the middle 50 percent of dental assistants was between $10.35 and $16.20, with a median hourly earnings figure of $13.10.



Sources:
http://bls.gov/oco/ocos163.htm
http://bls.gov/oco/ocos097.htm