How Can I Take My Dental Assisting Career to the Next Level?

Being a dental assistant is quite an important role in any dental office. There are a lot of responsibilities and duties that you need to complete to keep things running smoothly. However, as rewarding as it is, you can find yourself starting to get bored after a while. Once you have mastered the skills needed for being a dental assistant, you can find yourself looking to broaden your horizons. The great news is that there are numerous options available for those that wish to move forward. This can include pursuing higher education, getting new skills, and growing professionally or turning more to the business aspect of dentistry. Depending on your skills, ambitions, and desires, you can go either way.

Dentists always need to be on the lookout for the newest breakthroughs and advancements in technology. The field is quite dynamic in that regard. Due to the constant improvements in dental technology, dentists need to keep with the times to stay on top, and so do their assistants. A lot of states are changing laws regarding dental practice. Many of these changes allow assistants to take on more work tasks from the dentist. Make full use of this and educate yourself for roles that you would like to fulfill in the future.

Advance in the Field with the Proper Training and Certification

If you love helping people and working with patients, then advancing your career in dentistry might be the right option for you. There are numerous positions that you can strive for, and opportunities for getting to them include everything from enrolling in the proper institutions to become a dentist.

Certified Dental Assistant.

Depending on the state you reside in, you might be able to become a dental assistant without certification. If this is the case, then getting your certification can be a great way to take your career to the next level and potentially increase your income. Getting the right certification can make you more credible in the eyes of employers and help you grow and improve your knowledge and skills.

Expanded Functions Dental Assistant

If you are already certified and are looking to grow, then an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) might be the right choice for you. EFDAs are a crucial part of the team in any dentist’s office. They handle important tasks like taking X-rays of patients and assist dentists during surgeries or checkups by taking care of the instruments or by helping with anesthetics. Other duties of an EFDA can include making sure the exam room is fully stocked with the necessary supplies, and that it is clean.

Dental Hygienist

If your passion truly lies in working with patients, then pursuing a career as a dental hygienist is a good route to take. This role will require pursuing further education in the form of an associate’s degree program that has both clinical experience and examinations to get a license. However, if successful, you can enjoy a lot more patient orientated roles. Dental hygienists handle tasks like cleaning a patient’s teeth with proper dental tools. They also play a crucial role in educating patients about the proper techniques and practices for taking care of teeth at home.

Dentist

If you have the ambition of becoming a dentist, then you should be prepared to go through a great deal of additional education. The process includes first getting a bachelor’s degree and then a doctoral degree from an accredited dental school. After all, dentists are medical professionals that people turn to for assistance with their teeth. They can diagnose problems and provide treatment for them.