Exploring the Dental Assistant Career: What’s It Like to Be a Dental Assistant?

Want the comfort of a career and the satisfaction of working in a dental office? Becoming a dental assistant might be the healthcare path for you — especially with jobs for this position projected to grow 6% from 2024 and 2034.¹ Read on to discover what the job is like and, should you decide to pursue this career path, steps you can take to become a dental assistant.

What Can a Dental Assistant Do? Day-to-Day Responsibilities

If you become a dental assistant, you’ll likely work with patients within a dental office. You may also be responsible for handling lab duties and assisting dentists. General everyday responsibilities may include:

• Assisting the dentist during various treatments and procedures
• Preparing equipment and instruments prior to procedures, including sterilization
• Creating a comfortable atmosphere for patients before, during, and after treatment
• Teaching patients proper oral hygiene care
• Scheduling appointments for patients
• Helping with patient billing and payments

Dental assistant duties can change from practice to practice and state to state. In some offices, dental assistants may work exclusively with patients. In others, they may assist in office operations. Sometimes they’re responsible for both.

Dental assistants also have a variety of work environments to choose from, including specialty dental practices, insurance companies, laboratories, and dental supply companies.

A Day in the Life of a Dental Assistant

When a dental assistant arrives at the office in the morning, they may take care of tasks, such as filing, appointment scheduling, and confirmation calling. They may then prepare the exam and operative rooms as well as clean, disinfect, and sterilize instruments.

As patients arrive, the dental assistant may greet them and bring them to an exam room. A medical history and vital signs may be taken, followed by assisting the dentist with the procedure. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) adds that in some states, dental assistants may also apply fluoride to or polish patients’ teeth.² Once treatment is complete, the dental assistant may educate the patient on the prescribed care.

One interesting part of a dental assistant’s day consists of taking and processing X-rays. This involves positioning the X-ray equipment correctly and, depending on the office, may involve processing the digital images.

Who Might Enjoy a Dental Assistant Career?

Dental assistants are exposed to many aspects of a dental office. This variety and versatility can be appealing to individuals exploring the dental assistant field as a career path. It may also be preferred by people who like diversity in their work routines.

This position includes a balance of human interaction and workplace challenges, which can keep the environment interesting. It can also provide personal satisfaction for those looking for a career rooted in helping others. Like many healthcare positions, you often work with patients to help improve their quality of life. This includes teaching them preventative dental health practices.

Dental assistants can work either full-time or part-time, depending on the office’s needs. Some may use this role as a stepping-stone toward dental school. What if you’re not looking to become a dentist? No problem! It can also be a good job for individuals who want to work in a dental office but aren’t interested in spending several years studying to practice as a doctor in this field.

The Difference Between a Dental Assistant vs. a Dental Hygienist

People often confuse dental hygienists with dental assistants, but these two positions are very different — as is the training required to enter these roles.

A dental hygienist is trained to perform more advanced patient care duties. This includes cleaning and polishing patients’ teeth, applying sealants, and more. Because of this, a dental hygienist must typically complete a degree-granting program, which often takes around 3 years.³

While some states and employers require dental assistants to be licensed, others simply require completion of a dental assistant program, which is generally shorter. For example, Ultimate Medical Academy’s Dental Assistant with Expanded Functions diploma program can be completed in 12 months or more.⁴

The dental assistant job may also expose you to office management and clinical and laboratory responsibilities. Some dental hygienists begin their careers as dental assistants since this position is often considered entry-level.

Important Dental Assistant Skills

Important qualities for people in the dental assistant role include good listening and interpersonal skills. They also benefit from having a strong sense of organization and being detail-oriented.⁵ In many ways, dental assistants are the glue that holds the practice together.

Reliability is another attribute employers may look for, along with having a positive demeanor. Dental assistants are also often expected to have good manual dexterity as the tools used in dental practice require precision.

Due to the assisting nature of this job, candidates should be comfortable working closely with other staff members as a team. The hard skills for this position, such as assisting the dentist with dental practices, can be taught through dental assistant career training.

Can You Be a Dental Assistant Without a Degree?

Every state has its own regulations when it comes to qualifying as a dental assistant. Some have no formal educational requirements, for instance, whereas others require that you complete an accredited program and pass a competency exam before you can work in this role.

Therefore, the first step to becoming a dental assistant is to identify your state’s minimum requirements. To do this, you can visit the Dental Assisting National Board’s website to look up your state’s permitted dental assistant functions and work requirements.

About dental assistant training

If formal training is required or you want to work for an employer who prefers job candidates with dental assistant training, you can find a career training program that fits those requirements. Many provide training in both an academic and clinical setting.

Topics covered can include:

• History of dentistry
• Preventative dentistry
• Anatomy and physiology
• Office management
• Dental materials

Some programs offer an externship. Similar to an internship, an externship provides hands-on training under supervision in a dental assistant setting. This can help you gain experience in and exposure to a wide range of responsibilities, from chairside assistance to tooth morphology, radiology, infection control, and more. Some dental assistant programs also offer preparation to sit for industry-recognized certification exams.⁶

About RDA certification

Some employers may prefer dental assistants to achieve industry certification. One such certification examination is the Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) exam offered by American Medical Technologists (AMT).⁷

There are three routes to RDA eligibility through the AMT: 1) graduation from an accredited dental assistant program; 2) completion of a military dental assistant training program with one year of work experience; or 3) documented employment as a dental assistant for a minimum of three years. In addition to the RDA’s eligibility requirements, your state may have specific requirements for dental assistants, including certification, so it’s a good idea to check for relevant state laws or regulations.

The RDA exam is composed of 210 multiple-choice questions spanning four primary categories:⁸

• Office assisting skills – 28 questions
• Dental sciences – 70 questions
• Clinical procedures – 61 questions
• Dental imaging – 51 questions

To attain RDA certification, candidates must achieve a score of 70% or better on the examination. Those who do not pass on the first attempt may retake the exam up to three more times, for a maximum of four attempts. Applicants must wait 45 days after the previous failed attempt and pay a re-testing fee.

Successful candidates who achieve the RDA designation will receive a certificate and wallet card by mail. They can maintain RDA certification by paying an annual renewal fee, complying with Certification Continuation Program (CCP) requirements every three years, and abiding by the AMT Standards of Practice.⁹

The Dental Assistant Career Path: Opportunities for Advancement

While dental assistants could have opportunities for advancement, this often requires additional training or schooling. Yet, the nice thing about this role is that it exposes you to many different facets of the dental field, which can help you identify your desired career path.

If you decide to advance beyond your role of dental assistant, you may take additional training or enroll in an educational program to pursue career paths like:

• Dental hygienist
• Dentist
• Dental laboratory technician
• Office manager
• Professional dental assisting educator

The level of education needed for these roles can vary, but the work experience you gain as a dental assistant can be beneficial to building your skills in this field.

Dental Assistant Wages and Job Outlook

What about the job outlook for this role? Dental assistant jobs are expected to increase by 6% between 2024 and 2034, which is faster than average for all occupations, with a projected 52,900 openings each year, on average.¹⁰

The BLS notes that preventative dental services will likely continue to increase in demand and dentists will need to hire more assistants to keep up. Furthermore, the baby-boomer population is aging, and the modern expectation for dental health is that more people will keep their original teeth into old age.

Take the First Steps Toward This Career Path

Ready to take the first step toward becoming a dental assistant? If you are in the Clearwater, Florida area, UMA offers a Dental Assistant with Expanded Functions diploma program. This program prepares you for the dental assistant role and includes preparation to sit for the RDA exam.⁶

At UMA, we’re here to support you — even past graduation. Our Career Services team can help you with your dental assistant resume, build your confidence with mock interviews, and more. If you want a healthcare career, we will do what we can to help you achieve that goal. Contact us to talk about your options or learn more.

FAQs

• How long does it take to be a dental assistant? It depends on whether you learn through on-the-job training, complete a dental assistant program, and/or pursue certification. Each path to becoming a dental assistant can take a different amount of time. UMA’s Dental Assistant with Expanded Functions diploma program can be completed in 12 months or more, with the option to pursue your associate degree in an additional 8 months or more.¹¹
• Do dental assistants clean teeth? No. The task of cleaning teeth falls under a dental hygienist’s job duties. A dental assistant may prepare the instruments used during this process, such as by making sure they’re sterilized.
• Is dental assistant a good career? If you want to work in the healthcare field and have an interest in oral health, you may enjoy a career as a dental assistant. Becoming a dental assistant may also be a stepping-stone to another career in dentistry, if that is your goal.