How Long Do You Have to Stay in College To Be a Dental Assistant?
Dental assistants perform a wide range of duties in a dentist's office. They are often responsible for taking patients' medical histories, advising patients on oral hygiene, preparing dental instruments, taking X-rays, assisting the dentist during procedures and taking molds of patients' teeth. In some offices, they may also be responsible for office tasks, such as scheduling appointments and handling the billing. According to CollegeInfo.com, dental assistants make a median salary of about $31,000. To get a job as a dental assistant, enroll in a dental assisting program at a local college.
Education
After earning a high school diploma or its equivalent, pursue further education. The length of your education depends on whether you decide to take an accelerated course of study. Typically, you can complete the necessary course of study in nine to 11 months. After completing this program, you'll earn a diploma or certificate. If you choose a two-year program, you'll earn an associate's degree. Some colleges or technical institutes may offer an accelerated program. However, you could also complete a dental assisting program on a part-time basis. Some colleges may even offer a long-distance training program. Many vocational schools, universities and community colleges offer dental assisting programs. Choose a school that is accredited through the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation. Your dental assisting program should include classroom training as well as laboratory and preclinical work. You may also choose to complete an internship.
Certification
After you've graduated from an accredited dental assisting program, take the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) exam. If you graduate from a non-accredited dental assistant program, you may only take the CDA exam after you've worked for two years (full-time) as a dental assistant. This requirement also applies to people who did not attend a dental assistant program, but rather were trained on the job. The CDA exam takes about four hours to complete. It has three sections. To pass the exam, you must have a minimum score of 400 out of a possible 900. Once you've passed the exam, you're ready to go to work as a dental assistant. However, you'll need to earn recertification annually by completing continuing education courses.
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