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Online Career Colleges » Health, Medical, and Nursing » Dental Assisting
Dental Assisting Degree Programs
Online Dental Assisting
Looking for online accredited career colleges and universities offering Dental Assisting degrees. Each program from a Online Career College, a post-secondary for-profit institution, offers an education with an in-demand career field. As total higher education enrollment decreases, student enrollment in courses and degree programs at online colleges continues to rise. Today, millions of college students choose to take some or all of their courses online. Dental assistants perform tasks such as office work, taking x-rays, assisting dentists in procedures, lab work, and sterilization of instruments.
Online Dental Assisting Degrees
Dental assistants: Smiling all the way to a bright career
Dentistry is a career path with a very bright outlook, and one of the quickest ways to get your start is to train to become a dental assistant. Dental assistants perform various patient care, office and lab duties in dental offices.
Dental assistants work in offices under the supervision of dentists. They assist during procedures and offer basic patient care, preparing them for exams and answering any questions. They also set up and sterilize instruments before a procedure.
Dental assistants may perform some procedures on patients such as taking impressions of teeth, taking and developing x-rays, and educating patients on oral hygiene. Clerical duties include filing, scheduling appointments and other office-related tasks.
Job outlook for dental assistants
Some dental assistants can receive on-the-job training. However, training programs are available at dental assisting school, community and career colleges. Courses include:
- Clinical assisting
- Dental materials
- Infection control
- Laboratory procedures
- Oral, head and neck anatomy
- Oral pathology
Licensure requirements vary by state, but most states have guidelines concerning what dental assistants are allowed to do. For example, many states require certification to perform radiologic procedures. More than 37 states require or recognize the Certified Dental Assistant credential, but again, exact licensure requirements vary depending on specific job duties and the state in which you are employed.
Dental assistants who want to advance to work as a hygienist must complete either an associate or bachelor's degree in dental hygiene. Dental hygienists must also pass a written national board examination and clinical examination before practicing.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for dental assistants in 2010 was $34,140. Employment for dental assistants is expected to grow 36 percent between 2008 and 2018 the BLS reports.
