There are many reasons why you may want to make a career as a dental
assistant. It is one of those careers that has a lot of job satisfaction if you
are a caring person who wants to help people. You need to have an attention to
detail and be able to follow procedures. One of the good things about a career
as a dental assistant is that it is related to health care and will not be
affected by the economy. Also it is a growing field and the jobs opportunities
would be growing in the near future.
Dental Assistant Schools near New York City, NY
In order for you to be able to pursue a career as a dental assistant you
need to have a high school diploma or its equivalent. Though many states do not
require you to have a formal education to become an entry level dental
assistant. There are many programs offered by various dental assistant schools
around the country. You can do one of these programs in your junior college or
community college. There are 1 year programs and also 2 year programs
available. The 2 year programs lead to an associate degree. There are also many
private dental assistant schools which offer 4 to 6 month courses in dental
assistant training. Though most of these programs are not recognised by
CODA.
Certification requirements for a dental assistant vary from state to state
though 37 state require you to have certification from the DANB which conducts
certification exams. The requirements to be able to take this examination is
either to have a graduation from a CODA accredited dental
assistant training program in your area or to have on the job training for a
minimum of 2 years full time or 4 years part time.
If you are one of those people interested in getting trained as a dental
assistant but are wondering whether you can afford the costs, there are many
financial aids available to you. Federal student aid programs are the largest
source of financial aid for students. There are various programs available and
you can find one that best suits your needs. These programs provide money to
students through grants, work study and loans. In addition you can always ask
the school to which you want to apply as to whether there are any scholarship
programs they offer.
Dental Assistant Salary in your area
Dental assistant salary varies from job to job, but the median salary to be
expected in this career is around $ 46,000. Though on the lowest scale it is
around $32,000 and on the highest scale it is around $ 56,000. The benefits too
vary depending on whether you are employed full time or part time.
If you have an inclination towards making a career as a dental assistant,
you can be assured that it is a rewarding field and there is better job
security in this field as compared to many others in these economic times.