Certified Dental Assistant

Becoming a certified dental assistant is an excellent career choice for those looking to get their foot in the door with a career in the dental field. It also pays well and the requirements for certification are not all that hard. It is also an ideal way to enter the work force for people who have not been out of high school for too long as well as students who are currently attending college.

Before we go further, understand that we are not talking here about a basic dental assistant, but rather one who is certified to perform more tasks than those without certification. However, rest assured that going through the steps to become a certified dental assistant are worth it because it does pay more than those without certification.

So the obvious question on your mind is probably “how do I become a certified dental assistant?” Well, basically there are two different ways. You can choose to go through an accredited training program or put in a certain amount of time in the position of dental assistant. Regardless of which route you take they will both enable you to become qualified to take the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) Licensing exam. This is the only way you will be able to practice within the dental field so it is very important to pass the exam.

Upon passing the Licensing Exam you will then be a certified dental assistant. Now a word about formal training for certification. Should this be your choice you can rest assured that there are plenty of attractive options from which to choose. Do an internet search and find out all you can about particular schools. Some will provide you with clinical experience in addition to classroom studies and work in the lab. Make sure you settle on one that fits your schedule. The clinical experience will give you an advantage over your competition when applying for jobs, especially if you are located within a large city.

Should you go the on-the-job way; the qualifications will usually be two years as a dental assistant if you are full-time and four years if your job is a part-time one. To be honest though, you really will receive the best experience and qualifications if you go through a training school. You will learn skills that run the gamut in regards to the position of certified dental assistant.

So there you have it. Two different ways of getting certified and the advantage of being a certified dental assistant over being one who is not. It is well worth it career-wise to go the little extra distance to become certified. You will be paid more and have a better shot at more dental assistant positions.