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Did you know that there are more than 350,000 dental assistants in the U.S.¹? That is probably because there are so many dentists who rely on their assistants’ skillset to take care of patients. If you have ever considered a career in the dental industry, becoming a dental assistant can set you on the path to a rewarding career. To become a dental assistant, you need to start with the right mindset, training, and skills. Then, you will need to follow the regulations of your state for exams and licensure.

What Does a Dental Assistant Do?

Although your most significant role as a dental assistant is to assist the dentist, it is hardly your only job. Your responsibilities can be divided into four categories:

Administrative Tasks

While the dentist treats patients and performs procedures, someone needs to keep the front office running smoothly. That is one of your jobs as a dental assistant. You answer phones and emails and serve as a communication hub for the whole practice. You manage calendars, schedule appointments, check in patients, and update and maintain medical records. You might help with billing and insurance processing. And you will need to monitor and manage dental and office supplies, noting when items are low and need to be reordered.

Direct Patient Care

As a dental assistant, you are often the first person a patient sees when they enter a practice. Your warm smile and welcoming presence set the tone for the whole visit. Especially for patients who may get anxious about the dentist, your first job is to put them at ease. You also get them ready for their appointment, answer questions, serve as a liaison between them and the dentist, and educate them about good oral health. Sometimes you take X-rays or dental impressions, and you are always there to offer kindness, compassion, and empathy. You also may need to know life-saving procedures. For example, licensed and .

Dental Assisting

Dentists rely on dental assistants so much that most practice what is known as “four-handed dentistry.” You are that second set of hands. Before the exam, you relay important patient history to the dentist and get the patient seated with proper ergonomic positioning. During the exam, you perform chairside assistance including transferring instruments to the dentist and using the tools of the trade such as the dental light, air and water syringe, high volume evacuator, saliva ejector and mouth props.

Safety and Infection Control

Infection control is critical to ensure a clean and safe environment for both the dental team and patients. As a dental assistant, you sterilize and disinfect dental instruments, equipment, and surfaces. You follow strict guidelines and protocols to prevent the spread of infections and maintain aseptic conditions. You also properly dispose of biomedical waste, such as used needles and contaminated materials. During exams and procedures, you don personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves, masks, eyewear, and gowns, to protect yourself and others from exposure to potentially infectious materials and chemicals. It is also critical to follow safety procedures during X-rays. This includes using lead aprons and thyroid collars on patients, avoiding X-ray exposure, and ensuring that radiographic equipment is properly calibrated and maintained.

What Qualifications Do You Need to Be a Good Dental Assistant?

The best dental assistants are pleasant, caring, empathetic, and interested in dentistry. You also need an excellent work ethic, attention to detail, and excellent communication skills. You need to be well-organized but also adaptable to changing situations. And you’re part of a whole dental practice, so you need to be a dependable team player.

There are also physical requirements of the job. You will be on your feet most of the day, helping patients, moving from room to room, bending, and occasionally lifting, so you need physical stamina. You need fine motor skills to handle dental instruments and equipment and manual dexterity to take X-rays, sterilize instruments, and assist during dental procedures. And mental stamina helps with the demands of a fast-paced dental office. But there are times when you sit at a desk and work at a computer. But every day, you will be busy! Do you have what it takes to be a dental assistant?

Attend a School for Dental Assisting

To acquire the skills you need to be an effective dental assistant, choose a quality, dental assistant training program from an accredited institution. Select a program that combines classroom instruction, lectures, and lab work. Be sure it teaches you how to:

• Perform chairside techniques during various dental exams and procedures
• Manage a dental treatment area
• Take dental impressions
• Process dental X-rays
• Conduct dental lab and sterilization procedures
• Follow safety protocols
• Prepare for certification exams

When you are on the job as a dental assistant, it is not just what you know that will bring you success and satisfaction -- it is what you do. That is why you want to learn from professionals from the field who can provide examples from their own experience and hands-on training. Choose a program where you can hone your skills at school and then go off on a clinical internship and work with actual patients under the supervision of a licensed dentist. You get real-world experience before you enter the real world.

Why Become a Dental Assistant?

Whether you are passionate about dentistry or just want an in-demand career in an interesting field, becoming a dental assistant offers many rewards. You help others and you are part of a healthcare team. You do physical work that also requires problem-solving and human interaction. What you do really matters! Sometimes, it is as simple as offering reassurance to a nervous patient. But you also educate patients on good oral care and follow up. You help the dentist during exams and take administrative tasks off their plate so they can provide the best care possible. And because dentistry is a dynamic field with evolving technologies, you have plenty of opportunities to learn on the job and grow in your career.

Unlike dentists or hygienists, dental assistants are not required to have degrees. That means you can enter the workforce quickly and begin earning money and building your career. And the demand for dental assistants is predicted to be higher than average throughout the decade². You can find work in dental practices across the country, choosing general practice or specialties such as orthodontics or pediatrics. You might even find employment in government and public service sectors.

The work is interesting, busy, and rewarding, and . Will you?

Lincoln Tech offers a dental assistant program that can prepare you for entry-level work in as few as 10 months. It combines online, classroom, lab, and hands-on training using industry-standard equipment and technologies. Your instructors are professionals from the field with years of experience who are passionate about dentistry and dedicated to your success. Ready to learn more? Fill out the form to get started today. This program is offered at campuses in New Jersey and Rhode Island.

¹ Article titled “he Dentist Workforce: Insights from the ADA Health Policy Institute on the current and future supply of dentists and shifting demographics within the workforce” at Retrieved on September 17, 2024.

² Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dental Assistants, at (Last Updated on August 29, 2024). Retrieved September 17, 2024.