Students are always looking for in-demand courses that prepare them for a professional role in a lucrative field. Those who become clinical dental assistants are not only an integral part of the dental team but join a rapidly growing career path with strong salary opportunities.
Despite the ongoing challenges brought on by COVID-19, there are more jobs for clinical dental assistants than ever before. Due to the positive job outlook of the profession, more and more people are enrolling in dental assistant courses. Read on to explore why becoming a clinical dental assistant is a promising career, including key responsibilities, job outlook, and why getting certified helps students stand out.
Key Responsibilities of a Clinical Dental Assistant
A clinical dentist assistant has a myriad of job responsibilities, which make them an asset on their perspective teams and differentiate them from other roles in the dental office based on their training. The following are some of their core responsibilities:
- Take patients’ health history, especially related to oral health
- Assist the dentist during dental procedures
- Prepare patients for dental work
- Be responsible for infection control by sterilizing and disinfecting equipment
- Set up the trays, materials, and other necessary items for the dental procedures
- Provide patient care and after-care services
- Record treatments being administered to patients
- Educate the patients about dental hygiene, oral health care, and other necessary preventive measures
Job Outlook for Clinical Dental Assistants
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), dental assistants’ jobs are projected to grow 11% from 2020 to 2030 due to an increase in the aging population and the growing awareness of the importance of oral health.
On average, about 44,000 vacancies for dental assistants are expected annually, over the decade. There is a need to fill these positions with qualified clinical dental assistants, which is only possible if educational institutes expand their course catalog and add dental assistant courses.
The pay scale for clinical dental assistants has also increased over the years and now averages at $41,180 per year ($19.80 per hour). However, this number is based on many factors like experience, educational background, certificates obtained, and more.
The Need for Clinical Dental Assistant Certification
Becoming a clinical dental assistant can be an enjoyable and financially stable profession—especially when students are able to obtain the skillset necessary to launch a successful career in this field. While a postsecondary nondegree award is sufficient to get started, having a professional certification is a great way for students to make their resume stand out and show potential employers they have the skills and knowledge to excel in the role.
Today, many states want their dental assistants to fulfill a minimum educational requirement, as the field is fast evolving with new techniques and principles to learn. To get into the profession and excel in it, your students will need to learn in detail about every facet of professional dental assisting.
This is where our Clinical Dental Assistant course can help. It prepares students to start their new careers where they can not only become valued members of the dental hygienist team but make a difference with clients, providing comfort and education. After completing the course, students will be able to:
- Apply for externships where they will have the opportunity to get 40 hours of real-life training
- Appear for the radiology and infection control portions of the Dental Assisting National Board examination
- Receive a certificate of completion to show all that they’ve learned in the course
Learn more about our online Clinical Dental Assistant course and how it can help your students get trained and certified to be work-ready today.