How Much Does a Dentist Assistant Make?
Dental assistants help dentists by assisting during dental procedures, performing clerical duties and providing customer service to patients. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, dental assistants earned a median wage of $32,380 yearly or $15.57 per hour in 2008.
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Identification
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Dental assistants in all states must be certified and will have the letters "C.D.A." after their names, to indicate "Certified Dental Assistant." Dental assistants often wear uniforms, such as white lab coats, in dental offices.
Requirements
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Each state has different requirements for dental assistants. The most widely used accreditation comes from the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). According to the BLS, every state offers many dental assistant vocation schools, generally lasting between 10 months and a year. Some community colleges offer two-year degrees in dental assisting. Programs in dental assisting include lectures and hands-on lab work.
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Duties
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The job duties of dental assistants vary according to the dentist office they work in. The dentist under whom the dental assistant is working may have dental assistants disinfect instruments, help the dentist with instruments during procedures, take X-rays and create teeth impressions. Dental assistants may just do office work, including answering phones, making appointments, sending and receiving bills, filing and ordering equipment.
Considerations
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Dental assisting is a career choice for many because of the relatively short time of schooling required and the advantage of working set hours in a professional, clinical setting. The American Dental Association reports that dental assistants are in demand, and the BLS confirms this, reporting that the job outlook for dental assistants is "excellent."
Misconceptions
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It's important to distinguish between dental assistants and dental hygienists. Dental hygienists clean teeth (dental assistants do not); dental hygienists also make more money and require more education. The BLS reports that the median salary for a dental hygienist was $66,570 in 2008.
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