AHEC Connecticut
DENTISTRY - Dental Assistant
To be a successful Dental Assistant you should...
- be reliable
- work well with others
- have good manual dexterity
- have good eye/hand coordination
- have the ability to communicate clearly
- have good listening skills
- have the ability to calm nervous patients
- have good health, personal neatness and cleanliness
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What will my job be like?
Dental assistants perform many tasks requiring both interpersonal and technical skills. In addition to assisting the dentist during a variety of procedures, dental assistants may take and develop dental radiographs (x-rays), sterilize instruments and equipment, and take impressions of patients' teeth.
Where could I work?
Dental assistants may work in private dental offices, hospitals, or community health agencies. Most dental assistants have a 32- to 40-hour work week, which may include work on Saturdays or evenings.
Other workplace settings:
- Clinics
- Dental Product Sales Representatives
- Dental and Dental Hygiene Schools
- Military Hospitals
- Public Schools
- State and Local Public Health Departments
What is the average annual salary?
$35,177
What is the future of this career?
Job prospects for dental assistants should be excellent. Employment is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations through the year 2014. In fact, dental assistants is expected to be one of the fastest growing occupations over the 2004-14 projection period.
What type of education and/or training do I need?
Training programs are offered by community colleges, vocational schools, or technical institutes.
One-year program enrollees receive a certificate or diploma upon completion, while those in 2-year programs receive an associate degree. Dental assistants may also acquire necessary skills through on-the-job training.
Where can I get the education and/or training?
- A.I. Prince Regional Vocational Technical School, Hartford
- Briarwood College, Southington
- Connecticut Training Centers, East Hartford
- Dental Careers Institute, Orange
- Dental Temp Careers, LLC, Stratford
- Eli Whitney Regional Vocational Technical School, Hamden
- Manchester Community College, Manchester
- Middlesex Community College, Middlesex
- Norwalk Community College, Norwalk
- Teamwork, LLC, Salem
- Tunxis Community College, Farmington
- Valley Medical Institute, Trumbull
- Windham Regional Vocational Technical School, Windham
Do I need a license or certification for this career?
Licensure is required for dental assistants in the state of Connecticut only in regard to taking dental x-rays. Prerequisite: Dental assistants must successfully complete the radiology section of the Dental Assisting National Board examination in order to take dental x-rays in Connecticut; but other than that, neither certification nor licensure is required in Connecticut.
Where can I get more information?
American Dental Assistants Association
203 North LaSalle Street, Suite 1320
Chicago, IL 60601-1225
(312) 541-1550
www.dentalassistant.org
National Association of Dental Assistants
900 South Washington Street, Suite G-13
Falls Church, VA 22046
(703) 237-8616